(translated by Zoe Helmes, Anklam, from a preserved document out of the Lilienthal factory)

An Announcement of Otto Lilienthals for the workers and employees of his factory from the 12 th March 1890.

In order to increase the interest of my workers in the business and offer them the opportunity to increase their incomes through their own efforts, according to their performance, while ceasing piece work, retaining the present day pay rate and the current factory order, I intend to introduce their participation in the net profit of the business and indeed firstly for the amount of 25%.

Approximately two thirds of this sum, which is estimated according to the average profit of the last years, should be paid out in monthly instalments, that is on the last Saturday of every month appropriate to every individuals paid wage. The rest will be distributed at the end of stocktaking.

On this occasion I am convinced that through hard work and more caution on the part of every single worker the overall production of the factory can be multiplied, that in spite of the monthly profit share pay out, the account balance shows on average an increased rate of increase and that so at the stocktaking, even after the subtraction of the workers 25%, without enlarging the factory, the net profit will increase.

In this way, it lies in the interest of everyone through continual hard work, as well as, as much as possible the consideration of materials and tools, to raise the overall productivity of the factory and through this improve his own income.

Whoever does not endeavour in every possible way to carry out, all work, both in the factory and at installation as well and as quickly as possible, harms himself and his co-workers, because only through the extreme satisfaction of our customers, through faultless and quick delivery etc. can a profit increase be obtained.

Everyone has a claim of the profit share that has through a three-month occupation in the factory made himself familiar in the specialities of the factory and has proven himself.

By possible withdrawal from the factory the profit share will be compensated up to the day of withdrawal, however the payment of the same follows only at the close of the month after the final balance calculation.

The complete concept will be considered an experiment, and it should be permanently introduced after the next stocktaking, under the condition that the concept proves to be advantageous to all parties involved.

The concept will come into effect from March 1 st .

BERLIN, 12 th March 1890.

[Stamped] Otto Lillienthal, Machine factory, Köepenickerstrasse 110.

NB: Whomever withdraws before the stocktaking, has no claim on the remaining profit share.