Political Parties

Question 1

BVP (Bavarian People’s Party)

Answer 1

Leader was Heinrich Held. The BVP was a regional party formed from elements of the ZP in 1919 in order to uphold the Bavaria’s local interests. It was conservative but generally supported the republic. RW-CENTRE

Question 2

DDP (German Democratic Party)

Answer 2

Led by Walther Rathenau and Hugo Preuss. Formed from the National Liberals in the old Reichstag, it attracted support from the professional middle classes, especially the intellectuals and some of the businessmen. The party supported the democratic republic and was committed to constitutional reform. LW

Question 3

DNVP (German National People’s Party)

Answer 3

Led by Karl Helfferich and Alfred Hugenberg. RW party formed from the old conservative parties and some of the racist, anti-Semitic groups such as the Pan-German league. It was monarchist and anti-republican. Closely tied to the interests of heavy industry and agriculture, including landowners and small farmers

Question 4

DVP (German People’s Party)

Answer 4

Led by Gustav Stresemann. New party founded by the leader. DVP became a supporter of parliamentary democracy and attracted support from the Protestant middle and upper classes. RW-CENTRE

Question 5

KPD (German Communist Party)

Answer 5

Led by Ernst Thalmann. Formed in Jan 1919 by extreme LW (spartacists). Anti-republican in that it opposed Weimar-style democracy and supported a revolutionary overthrow of society. Supporters were from the working class and it was strengthened by the defection of many USPD members in 1920. LW

Question 6

NSDAP (Nazi Party)

Answer 6

Led by Adolf Hitler. Extreme RW formed in 1919. Anti-republican, anti-Semitic and strongly nationalist. Until 1930 it remained a fringe party with support from the lower middle classes.

Question 7

SPD (German Social Democratic Party)

Answer 7

Led by Friedrich Ebert and Philip Scheidemann. Moderate wing of socialist movement. Party of the working class and trade unions. Strongly supported parliamentary democracy and was opposed to the revolutionary demands of the more LW socialists. LW-CENTRE

Question 8

USPD (Independent German Social Democratic Party)

Answer 8

Led by Karl Kautsky and Hugo Haase. USPD broke away from SPD in April 1917. Included many of the more radical elements of German socialism and therefore sought social and political change. Half of its members joined the KPD during 1919-20. LW

Question 9

ZP (Centre Party)

Answer 9

Led by Matthias Erzberger and Heinrich Bruning. Created in 1800s to defend interest of Roman Catholic Church. Major political voice of Catholicism and enjoyed a broad range of supporters from aristocratic landowners to Christian trade unionists. Committed to the republic. Became more sympathetic to RW. CENTRE.