Reich President Paul von Hindenburg Delivers His Very First May Day Address, Berlin (May 1, 1933) To gain the support of German workers, the Hitler regime declared May 1st "National Labor Day" and made it a paid legal holiday. May Day 1933 was celebrated with massive parades and rallies throughout the country. The festivities were held under the aegis of the swastika and attracted almost complete participation by labor union organizations. In the background, however, the Nazis were actively preparing to smash the labor unions in the coming days.