Socialist Workers' Party of Germany
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Workers' Party of Germany was a political party
in Germany
. It was formed by a left-wing party with around 20,000 members which split off from the SPD
in the autumn of 1931. In 1931 the remnants of USPD
merged into the party, and in 1932 some Communist Party
dissenters joined the group too, as well as a part from Communist Party Opposition
. Nevertheless, its membership remained small. From 1933, the group's members worked illegally against National Socialism
.
In his home town of Lübeck
, the young Herbert Karl Frahm, later known as Willy Brandt
joined the SAPD, against the advice of his mentor Julius Leber
. In his autobiography, Brandt wrote:
In 1934 the youth of SAPD took part in the foundation of the International Bureau of Revolutionary Youth Organizations
. The congress, which was held in the Netherlands
, was broken up by Dutch police. Several SAPD delegates were handed over to German authorities. The congress then re-convened in Lille
. Brandt was elected to the Secretariat of the organization, and worked in Sweden
for the Bureau.
The SAPD was affiliated to the International Revolutionary Marxist Centre
, but broke with the main party of that international
, the Independent Labour Party
, over the question of the united front
and popular front
.
During the Second World War some SAPD members emigrated to Great Britain
and worked for the party there. Many of those became members of the SPD
. Therefore the SAPD was not re-founded anew after the Second World War. Willy Brandt even became leader of the SPD.
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 Germany
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...
. It was formed by a left-wing party with around 20,000 members which split off from the SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
in the autumn of 1931. In 1931 the remnants of USPD
Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany was a short-lived political party in Germany during the Second Reich and the Weimar Republic. The organization was established in 1917 as the result of a split of left wing members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
merged into the party, and in 1932 some Communist Party
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
dissenters joined the group too, as well as a part from Communist Party Opposition
Communist Party Opposition
The Communist Party of Germany was a communist opposition organisation established at the end of 1928 and maintaining its existence until 1939 or 1940...
. Nevertheless, its membership remained small. From 1933, the group's members worked illegally against National Socialism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
.
In his home town of Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, the young Herbert Karl Frahm, later known as Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
joined the SAPD, against the advice of his mentor Julius Leber
Julius Leber
Julius Leber was a German politician of the SPD and a member of the German Resistance against the Nazi régime.-Early life:...
. In his autobiography, Brandt wrote:
In autumn 1931, Nazis and German nationalists, the SASturmabteilungThe Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
and the StahlhelmStahlhelm, Bund der FrontsoldatenThe Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten also known in short form as Der Stahlhelm was one of the many paramilitary organizations that arose after the defeat of World War I in the Weimar Republic...
joined together to form the "Harzburg FrontHarzburg FrontThe Harzburg Front was a short-lived right-wing political alliance in Weimar Germany, formed in 1931 as an attempt to present a unified opposition to the government of Chancellor Heinrich Brüning...
". ... It was just at this time that the left wing of the social democrats split off, as a result of measures connected to organisation and discipline by the party leaders. A few ReichstagReichstag (Weimar Republic)The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
assemblymen, a number of active party groups - above all in SaxonySaxonyThe Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
- and not least a large proportion of young Socialists followed the people who were calling for the founding of a Socialist Workers' Party.
In 1934 the youth of SAPD took part in the foundation of the International Bureau of Revolutionary Youth Organizations
International Bureau of Revolutionary Youth Organizations
International Bureau of Revolutionary Youth Organizations was an international organization of socialist youth, formed in 1934...
. The congress, which was held in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, was broken up by Dutch police. Several SAPD delegates were handed over to German authorities. The congress then re-convened in Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
. Brandt was elected to the Secretariat of the organization, and worked in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
for the Bureau.
The SAPD was affiliated to the International Revolutionary Marxist Centre
International Revolutionary Marxist Centre
The International Revolutionary Marxist Centre was an international association of left-socialist parties. The member-parties rejected both mainstream social democracy and the Third International.-Organizational history:...
, but broke with the main party of that international
Political international
A political international is a trans-national organisation of political parties or activists. The international works together on points of agreement to co-ordinate activity....
, the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
, over the question of the united front
United front
The united front is a form of struggle that may be pursued by revolutionaries. The basic theory of the united front tactic was first developed by the Comintern, an international communist organisation created by revolutionaries in the wake of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.According to the theses of...
and popular front
Popular front
A popular front is a broad coalition of different political groupings, often made up of leftists and centrists. Being very broad, they can sometimes include centrist and liberal forces as well as socialist and communist groups...
.
During the Second World War some SAPD members emigrated to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and worked for the party there. Many of those became members of the SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
. Therefore the SAPD was not re-founded anew after the Second World War. Willy Brandt even became leader of the SPD.