German Fatherland Party

The German Fatherland Party (German: Deutsche Vaterlandspartei) was a short-lived far-right party in the German Empire, active during the last phase of World War I.

German Fatherland Party

Deutsche Vaterlandspartei
LeadersWolfgang Kapp
Alfred von Tirpitz
Founders
Founded2 September 1917
Dissolved10 December 1918
Succeeded byNone (de jure)
DNVP and DAP (de facto)
HeadquartersBerlin, German Empire
Policy institutePan-German League
Supported byOberste Heeresleitung
Membership (1918)1,250,000
IdeologyPan-Germanism
German nationalism
Volksgemeinschaft
Monarchism
Militarism
National conservatism
Antisemitism
Political positionFar-right
Colors     Black,      white, and      red (German Imperial colours)

Political positions and influence

The party represented conservative, nationalist, antisemitic and völkisch political circles, united in their opposition against the Reichstag Peace Resolution of July 1917. It played a vital role in the emergence of the stab-in-the-back myth and the defamation of certain politicians as the November Criminals.

Foundation, leadership and funding

Backed by the Pan-German League, the party was founded in September 1917, helped by Heinrich Claß, a founder member.

The party's leaders were Wolfgang Kapp (of the Kapp Putsch fame) and Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz (a naval minister and post-war party leader). Walter Nicolai, head of the military secret service, was also supportive.[1] Media baron Alfred Hugenberg was also a prominent member.

The party's political influence peaked in summer 1918 when it had around 1,250,000 members. Its main source of funding was the Third Supreme Command. The party was officially dissolved in the German Revolution on 10 December 1918. Most of its members later joined the German National People's Party (DNVP), the major right-wing party of the Weimar Republic.

Subsequent influence

One member, Anton Drexler, went on to form a similar organization, the German Workers' Party, which later became the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party) that came to national power in January 1933 under Adolf Hitler.[2]

Notes
  1. Höhne and Zolling, p 290.
  2. Shirer 1991, p. 34.
Bibliography
  • Höhne, Heinz, and Zolling, Hermann (1972). The General Was a Spy. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, Inc, New York.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Published in Germany as Pullach Intern (1971). Hoffman and Campe Verlag: Hamburg.
  • Historisches Lexikon Bayerns: Deutsche Vaterlandspartei, 1917/18 (Sarah Hadry).
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