German Socialist Party
Encyclopedia
The German Socialist Party (German: Deutschsozialistische Partei, DSP) was a German
far-right, nationalist
party
during the early years of the Weimar Republic
. Founded in 1918, its declared aim was an ideology
that would combine both völkisch
and socialist
elements. However, the party never became a mass movement
: After it was dissolved in 1922, many of its members joined the similar National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) instead.
The DSP was heavily influenced by the antisemitic Thule Society
led by Rudolf von Sebottendorf
as well as publications of engineer Alfred Brunner. Brunner aimed at creating a party that would be both nationalist and socialist and attractive to the German proletariat
, which at that time was heavily influenced by communism
after the German Revolution of 1918–1919. This made the DSP similar to the German Workers' Party
in and around Munich, which later became the NSDAP. A merger of the two parties failed however.
In 1920, the party (which had originally only existed in Nuremberg
and around Franconia
) was founded for the entire German state and contested in the Reichstag elections. Yet, the party proved unpopular with only about 7,000 votes. This led Julius Streicher
, an important party official, to ally with the so-called Völkische Werkgemeinschaft
in the summer of 1921. Yet, the DSP continued to lose members and popularity.
In late 1922, the German Socialist Party was officially dissolved, many functionaries followed Streicher to the NSDAP.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
far-right, nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
during the early years of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. Founded in 1918, its declared aim was an ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
that would combine both völkisch
Völkisch movement
The volkisch movement is the German interpretation of the populist movement, with a romantic focus on folklore and the "organic"...
and socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
elements. However, the party never became a mass movement
Mass movement
Mass movement refers to the political concept of a political party or movement which is supported by large segments of a population. Political movements that typically advocate the creation of a mass movement include the ideologies of communism and fascism...
: After it was dissolved in 1922, many of its members joined the similar National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) instead.
The DSP was heavily influenced by the antisemitic Thule Society
Thule Society
The Thule Society , originally the Studiengruppe für germanisches Altertum , was a German occultist and völkisch group in Munich, named after a mythical northern country from Greek legend...
led by Rudolf von Sebottendorf
Rudolf von Sebottendorf
Rudolf Freiherr von Sebottendorff was the alias of Adam Alfred Rudolf Glauer , who also occasionally used another alias, Erwin Torre. He was an important figure in the activities of the Thule Society, a post-World War I German occultist organization that influenced many members of the NSDAP...
as well as publications of engineer Alfred Brunner. Brunner aimed at creating a party that would be both nationalist and socialist and attractive to the German proletariat
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
, which at that time was heavily influenced by communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
after the German Revolution of 1918–1919. This made the DSP similar to the German Workers' Party
German Workers' Party
The German Workers' Party was the short-lived predecessor of the Nazi Party .-Origins:The DAP was founded in Munich in the hotel "Fürstenfelder Hof" on January 5, 1919 by Anton Drexler, a member of the occultist Thule Society. It developed out of the "Freien Arbeiterausschuss für einen guten...
in and around Munich, which later became the NSDAP. A merger of the two parties failed however.
In 1920, the party (which had originally only existed in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
and around Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
) was founded for the entire German state and contested in the Reichstag elections. Yet, the party proved unpopular with only about 7,000 votes. This led Julius Streicher
Julius Streicher
Julius Streicher was a prominent Nazi prior to World War II. He was the founder and publisher of Der Stürmer newspaper, which became a central element of the Nazi propaganda machine...
, an important party official, to ally with the so-called Völkische Werkgemeinschaft
Völkisch Work Community
The Völkisch Work Community was a German fascist movement founded and led by Otto Dickel that existed from the 1920s until 1933, which was not associated with Nazism.-History:...
in the summer of 1921. Yet, the DSP continued to lose members and popularity.
In late 1922, the German Socialist Party was officially dissolved, many functionaries followed Streicher to the NSDAP.
External links
- Siegfried Zelnhefer: Deutschsozialistische Partei (DSP), 1920–1922. In: Historische Lexikon Bayerns (Stand 17. Januar 2008)