Arbeiter-Zeitung (Chicago)

The Arbeiter-Zeitung (German for "Workers' Newspaper") was a German-language socialist and labor newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, from 1877 to 1931. It was a key voice for the German-American working class and a prominent organ of the socialist and anarchist movements in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Arbeiter-Zeitung played a significant role in the labor movement, advocating for workers' rights, shorter workdays, and improved working conditions. It was particularly influential within Chicago's large German-American community, providing news and commentary on local, national, and international events from a working-class perspective. The paper often covered labor strikes, political rallies, and socialist meetings.

August Spies, one of the Haymarket Affair defendants, was the editor of the Arbeiter-Zeitung at the time of the bombing in 1886. His association with the paper, and the paper's radical political stance, contributed to the anti-immigrant and anti-radical sentiment that followed the Haymarket bombing and trials. The Arbeiter-Zeitung and its staff were heavily scrutinized in the aftermath of the event.

Despite facing persecution and censorship following the Haymarket Affair, the Arbeiter-Zeitung continued publication for several decades, adapting to changing political and social landscapes. It eventually ceased publication in 1931, reflecting the decline of German-language publishing in the United States and shifts in the broader labor movement. The paper represents a valuable historical resource for understanding the German-American experience, the development of socialist and anarchist thought in America, and the history of the American labor movement.