Fatherland Party (Germany)
Encyclopedia
German Fatherland Party was a pro-war party in the German Empire
.
The party was founded close to the end of 1917 and represented political circles supporting the war
. Among founding members were Wolfgang Kapp
(of the Kapp Putsch
fame) and Alfred von Tirpitz
(naval minister and post-war party leader). Walter Nicolai
, head of the military secret service, was also supportive. Peak of its political influence was summer 1918 when it had around 1,250,000 members. Main source of the funding was the Third Supreme Command. The party was dissolved after German Revolution
(December 10, 1918).
Known in German as the "Vaterlandspartei."
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) which came to power in 1933 under Adolf Hitler
.
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
.
The party was founded close to the end of 1917 and represented political circles supporting the war
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Among founding members were Wolfgang Kapp
Wolfgang Kapp
Wolfgang Kapp was a Prussian civil servant and journalist. He was a strict nationalist, and a nominal leader of the so-called Kapp Putsch.-Early life:...
(of the Kapp Putsch
Kapp Putsch
The Kapp Putsch — or more accurately the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch — was a 1920 coup attempt during the German Revolution of 1918–1919 aimed at overthrowing the Weimar Republic...
fame) and Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
(naval minister and post-war party leader). Walter Nicolai
Walter Nicolai
Walter Nicolai was the first senior IC Officer in the Imperial German Army. He came to run the military secret service, Abteilung IIIb, and to be important in the pro-war faction of German leaders during World War I...
, head of the military secret service, was also supportive. Peak of its political influence was summer 1918 when it had around 1,250,000 members. Main source of the funding was the Third Supreme Command. The party was dissolved after German Revolution
German Revolution
The German Revolution was the politically-driven civil conflict in Germany at the end of World War I, which resulted in the replacement of Germany's imperial government with a republic...
(December 10, 1918).
Known in German as the "Vaterlandspartei."
One member, Anton Drexler
Anton Drexler
Anton Drexler was a German right-wing political leader of the 1920s, known for being Adolf Hitler's mentor during his early days in politics.-Biography:...
, went on to form a similar organization, the German Workers Party, which later became the National Socialist German Workers Party
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
(Nazi Party) which came to power in 1933 under Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
.