A trade organization ( German: Handelsorganisation , abbr. HO ) is a system of state-owned retailers in the GDR . In addition to state trade in the GDR, there was a cooperative trading system Konsum .
Trade organizations were established in 1948 and at first they offered in their range scarce consumer goods and food products without cards , but at higher prices, with a mark-up. Already in 1950, the sales volume of 2,300 stores in the system of trade organizations accounted for 26% of the retail turnover of the GDR. By 1960, the number of stores increased to 35 thousand, and their share in the turnover was more than 37%.
Trade organizations specialized in industrial goods, food, catering, department stores and hotels also worked in the system. Large department stores Centrum Warenhaus worked in many district centers of the GDR. In 1961, the HO enterprise for the sale of chess goods was opened in Leipzig , among its customers included the world champion Bobby Fischer .
A special place in the HO system was occupied by the so-called “specialized trade organizations”, which sold high-quality goods, including imported or manufactured under Western licenses. These stores served only certain circles of customers with special passes. The staff of these trading enterprises had the right to purchase the so-called “Dresden goods” - a number of high-quality goods, mainly food products at regular prices, without extra charges. The supply of enterprises of the GSVG military trade administration was also carried out through specialized trade organizations.
Links
- DDR-Lexikon (German)