Political Parties of Germany
Entering into its first election since the revolution, Germany had six political parties looking to compete for seats in the Reichstag.
Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
Friedrich Ebert
Ideology: Social Democratic
Political Views: supremacy of elected parliament, centralised government, minor reforms to society, social welfare, state capitalism
Supported by: working class
Targets: to build stable bourgeois democracy, minor social reforms, ensure peace
Founded in the latter 19th century by German Marxists the SPD grew rapidly in the late 19th and early 20th century to become the monopolist party of the German working class and the country's largest party by the outbreak of war. Then committed to the socialist transformation of society and the international working class movement, at the damn of war in 1914 the party took part in the only real Dolchstoss as it betrayed both the workers of Germany and the world by rallying behind the national flag in support of the war, mimicking similar actions taken by the other parties of the 'Socialist' International. Through the war the party loyalty supported the Kaiser's government's war policy, eventually leading to the split of the left into the USPD. At the end of the war the party played a major role in the overthrow of the Imperial order in December 1918 and January 1919 before turning against the radicals within the revolution – defeating them in a bloody civil war over the spring and summer of 1919. Now triumphant the party is by far the strongest in the country.
Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USPD)
Hugo Haase
Ideology: Left-Wing Radical
Political Views: socialist transformation of society through democratic means, workers' democracy
Supported by: working class
Targets: to ensure the peaceful overthrow of the capitalist system in Germany through the ballot box
Formed in 1917 by an anti-war and left-wing split from the SPD the party became a bastion for the most militant sections of the German left until early 1919 when the radical factions left the party to pursue violent revolution. Through the Civil War the USPD was in an uncomfortable position in which the party leadership tried to keep an anti-violent-radical position whilst also calling for social revolution (a very confusing position!) while at the same time dealing with a highly militant rank and file. The other parties remain extremely distrustful of the USPD and in election propaganda link the party directly to the violence of the Civil War.
Centre Party
Constantin Fehrenbach
Ideology: Social Conservative
Political View: Christian democracy, political Catholicism
Supported by: Catholics
Targets: promotion of Christian ideals, protection of Catholic Church and population, securing of stable bourgeois democracy
The Centre Party was originally formed in 1870 to protect the Catholic Church and its followers from the Prussian Kulturkampf. Despite this initial opposition to the German government the party came to be a supporter of German imperialism and happily rallied in support of war in 1914. However, as the conflict dragged on a significant anti-war faction grew up within the party and when it came to the overthrow of the monarchy, it was the only bourgeois party to play an important role. Yet it was staunchly opposed to any social revolution – taking a firm stance against the radicals as soon as they started to push for more than just a democratic government.
German Democratic Party (DDP)
Friedrich Naumann
Ideology: Social Liberal
Political Views: Liberal democracy, liberal economics, social liberalism
Supported by: mostly middle classes and intellectuals
Targets: securing of stable bourgeois democracy, economic recovery
The Democratic Party was formed in 1919 from a grouping of liberal forces – most notably from the old National Liberal Party which was split in two (with the right wing remembers forming the DVP). The party quickly came to support the policies of the SPD government in its promotion of the new republican and democratic ideals whilst keeping a strong opposition to social revolution.
German People's Party (DVP)
Gustav Stresemann
Ideology: Social Conservative
Political Views: Monarchism, laissez faire capitalism, Anti-Marxism, social conservatism
Supported by: the staunchly conservative
Targets: Hold back the leftward swing of the German nation, try to secure a better deal from the allies
Formed from the National Liberal Party's right wing in January 1919, the DVP seemed to find itself on the wrong side of history. Essentially a bastion for supporters of the old order to party was almost cast into oblivion until the violence of the Civil War brought forth a new platform for its right wing viewpoint. Nethertheless the party stood opposed to virtually all the Revolution had achieved – it was the loyal party of Germany's industrialists, a group who could barely leave their homes without fear of assault they were so hated, it was in support of the restoration of the despised monarchy, it had no care for the newly won democracy and it talked of restoring lost lands at a time when all the Germans wanted was peace. However the charismatic leadership of Stresemann allowed it to at least establish itself as a party capable of entering the Reichstag.
German National People's Party (DNVP)
Oskar Hergt
Ideology: Paternal Autocrat
Political Views: Monarchism, Anti-Semitism, Anti-Marxism, laissez faire capitalism, extreme nationalism, social conservatism
Supported by: Nationalists
Targets: restoration of the monarchy, restoration of Germany's lost pride, opposition to allied annexations
The DNVP was formed in January 1919 from the grouping of Germany's far right. More than any other party the DNVP supported the legend that the war had been lost by the betrayal of the soldiers at the front by Jews and socialists at home who rebelled to overthrow the Kaiser and bring the war to a humiliating end. Working mostly on macho and nationalist rhetoric the party is more firmly opposed to the Republic than any other. If elected it promises to end it.
Elections for the National Assembly – 1919
The Reichstag due to be elected in October 1919 was set to draft the constitution of the new Republic. Even before Germans went to the polls, however, it seemed clear that the SPD and their allies were almost certain to triumph and set in stone the Republic they had been crafting since the overthrow of the Kaiser.
The SPD was by far the largest party with a share of the vote that was almost twice that on the next largest party. Indeed, the second and third largest parties were the SPD's bourgeois allies in the Centre Party and the DDP. Combined this new governing coalition held 68% of the Reichstag – essentially meaning they could craft the new constitution without even consulting the other parties.
In spite of the crushing defeat of left-wing forces in the Civil War the USPD was able to outvote the right wing parties as it secured 65 seats – 5 more than the DNVP. The election was thoroughly disappointed for both the DNVP and DVP, combined they had failed to even win 1/5 of the vote.
With the Reichstag now elected the deputies sojourned to the town of Weimar to craft the new constitution, the name of the town would provide the name that the new state would henceforth by know as - the Weimar Republic.