The Union of German Restaurant Workers (German: Verband Deutscher Gastwirtsgehilfen) was a trade union representing workers in hotels and restaurants in Germany. The first Free Trade Unions of hospitality workers in Germany were established in 1889 and 1890 in Altona, Berlin, Hamburg, Kiel, Leipzig and Magedeburg, and in October 1890, the Berlin Union of Restaurant Workers launched a national journal, Der Gastwirtsgehilfe. In 1894, the various local unions organised a congress in Berlin, which established a national agitation committee. In October 1897, the unions finally agreed to merge to form the "Union of German Restaurant Workers", which was officially established on 1 January 1898. It affiliated to the General Commission of German Trade Unions. It initially had only 915 members, but