Memel People's Party
Encyclopedia
The Memel People's Party or MVP was a pro-German political party
in the Klaipėda Region
(Memel Territory), autonomous region of Lithuania
, from 1925 to 1938. Together with the Memel Agricultural Party, the party was established on June 13, 1925, by the Memel Cultural Union (Memelländischer Kultubund) in preparation for the first elections to the local county councils and the Parliament of the Klaipėda Region
. The party leaders were Joseph Kraus, Richard Meyer, Robert Grabow. MVP represented mainly industrialists, merchants, craftsmen, clerks, city dwellers. The party received funding from Germany and was able to provide no-interest loans to its members, gaining significant influence in the region. MVP published newspaper Memeler Dampfboot. In May 1926, the party won two seats (out of 85) in the Third Seimas of Lithuania
(representatives Robert Grabow and Max Jackstaidt). After the Nazi seizure of power in Germany
in 1933, MVP lost its funding from Germany and began losing its members to the pro-Nazi Socialist National Community (Sozialistische Volksgemeinschaft or SOVOG) and Christian-Socialist Workers Community (Christlich-Sozialistische Arbeitsgemeinschaft or CSA). Some of the MVP activists retreated to Germany, others were arrested and tried for their anti-Lithuanian activities in the Neumann–Sass case. The weakened party ran in later elections under the unified German list (Memelländische Einheitsliste in 1935 and Memeldeutsche Einheitsliste in 1938). Its activities largely ceased of the 1938 elections.
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...
in the Klaipėda Region
Klaipėda Region
The Klaipėda Region or Memel Territory was defined by the Treaty of Versailles in 1920 when it was put under the administration of the Council of Ambassadors...
(Memel Territory), autonomous region of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, from 1925 to 1938. Together with the Memel Agricultural Party, the party was established on June 13, 1925, by the Memel Cultural Union (Memelländischer Kultubund) in preparation for the first elections to the local county councils and the Parliament of the Klaipėda Region
Parliament of the Klaipėda Region
The Parliament of the Klaipėda Region was the parliament of the Klaipėda Region , an autonomous region of Lithuania. The parliament was established by the Klaipėda Convention of 1924 and the first elections took place in October 1925. In all elections pro-German parties more than 80% of the vote...
. The party leaders were Joseph Kraus, Richard Meyer, Robert Grabow. MVP represented mainly industrialists, merchants, craftsmen, clerks, city dwellers. The party received funding from Germany and was able to provide no-interest loans to its members, gaining significant influence in the region. MVP published newspaper Memeler Dampfboot. In May 1926, the party won two seats (out of 85) in the Third Seimas of Lithuania
Third Seimas of Lithuania
The Third Seimas of Lithuania was the third parliament democratically elected in Lithuania after it declared independence on February 16, 1918. The elections took place on May 8-10, 1926. For the first time Lithuanian Christian Democrats were forced to remain in opposition. The coalition...
(representatives Robert Grabow and Max Jackstaidt). After the Nazi seizure of power in Germany
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
in 1933, MVP lost its funding from Germany and began losing its members to the pro-Nazi Socialist National Community (Sozialistische Volksgemeinschaft or SOVOG) and Christian-Socialist Workers Community (Christlich-Sozialistische Arbeitsgemeinschaft or CSA). Some of the MVP activists retreated to Germany, others were arrested and tried for their anti-Lithuanian activities in the Neumann–Sass case. The weakened party ran in later elections under the unified German list (Memelländische Einheitsliste in 1935 and Memeldeutsche Einheitsliste in 1938). Its activities largely ceased of the 1938 elections.
Election results
| To the Parliament of the Klaipėda Region Parliament of the Klaipėda Region The Parliament of the Klaipėda Region was the parliament of the Klaipėda Region , an autonomous region of Lithuania. The parliament was established by the Klaipėda Convention of 1924 and the first elections took place in October 1925. In all elections pro-German parties more than 80% of the vote... |
To the local county councils of... | To the city council of... | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Votes | % | Seats (Total: 29) |
Date | ...Klaipėda Klaipeda Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County.... (Total seats: 20) |
...Šilutė Šilute Šilutė is a city in the south of the Klaipėda County, Lithuania. The city was part of the Klaipėda Region and ethnographic Lithuania Minor. Šilutė was the interwar capital of Šilutė County and is currently the capital of Šilutė district municipality.-Name:... (Total seats: 21) |
...Pagėgiai Pagegiai Pagėgiai is a city in the south western Lithuania. It is located in the region of the former prussian tribe of Skalvians. It is the capital of Pagėgiai municipality, and as such it is part of Tauragė County.-Name:... (Total seats: 21) |
Date | ...Klaipėda Klaipeda Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County.... (Total seats: 40) |
| 1925-10-19 | 23,082 | 36.9 | 11 | 1925-07-10 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1924-06-28 | 19 |
| 1927-08-30 | 17,636 | 32.2 | 10 | 1928-06-11 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1927-06-28 | 19 |
| 1930-10-10 | 13,709 | 27.6 | 8 | 1931-06-22 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1930-05-19 | 18 |
| 1932-05-04 | 17,930 | 27.3 | 8 | 1932-07-22 1933-03-14 |
2 | – | – | 1933-05-19 | 8 |