Sopade
Encyclopedia
Sopade was the name of the exile organization of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD
). It operated in Prague
from 1933 to 1938, from 1938 to 1940 in Paris
and until 1945 in London
.
After the occupation of the trade union houses by the Nazis
on 2 May 1933, the party executive committee decided that some particularly endangered members of the board would immediately have to flee from the grasp of the Nazis. Otto Wels
, Paul Hertz, Friedrich Stampfer, Erich Ollenhauer
and others were assigned to build up a foreign party structure in Prague.
When the Sopade could not reach an agreement with the remaining party executive committee in Berlin about acting with Paul Löbe
against Hitler
's peace resolution, which was interpreted as sanctioning the fascist foreign policy by the SPD, nothing could prevent the break between Berlin and Prague, which came two weeks later, in the mid-May 1933. Because of the final Nazi prohibition of the SPD on 22 June 1933 it no longer came to a split between the home and foreign SPD.
With the cooperation of Rudolf Hilferding
the Sopade published Germany Reports through a secret correspondence system. These dealt with the situation in Nazi Germany
. The reports appeared in published form from April/May 1934 to December 1936 under the title Germany Report of the Sopade, from January 1937 until April 1940 under the title of “Germany Reports of the Social-Democratic Party of Germany (Sopade)”, by order of the executive committee in exile of the SPD, edited by Erich Rinner, until March 1938 in Prague, from May 1938 in Paris
.
Under pressure from the intra-party opposition groups Neu Beginnen
and Revolutionäre Sozialisten Deutschlands the Sopade in 1934 published the Prague Manifesto, penned by Rudolf Hilferding. This document called for the revolutionary overthrow of the Hitler regime.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
). It operated in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
from 1933 to 1938, from 1938 to 1940 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and until 1945 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
After the occupation of the trade union houses by the Nazis
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
on 2 May 1933, the party executive committee decided that some particularly endangered members of the board would immediately have to flee from the grasp of the Nazis. Otto Wels
Otto Wels
Otto Wels was the chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany from 1919 and a member of parliament from 1920 to 1933....
, Paul Hertz, Friedrich Stampfer, Erich Ollenhauer
Erich Ollenhauer
Erich Ollenhauer was the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1952-1963.- Early political career and exile :...
and others were assigned to build up a foreign party structure in Prague.
When the Sopade could not reach an agreement with the remaining party executive committee in Berlin about acting with Paul Löbe
Paul Löbe
Paul Löbe was a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany .-Life and career:...
against 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...
's peace resolution, which was interpreted as sanctioning the fascist foreign policy by the SPD, nothing could prevent the break between Berlin and Prague, which came two weeks later, in the mid-May 1933. Because of the final Nazi prohibition of the SPD on 22 June 1933 it no longer came to a split between the home and foreign SPD.
With the cooperation of Rudolf Hilferding
Rudolf Hilferding
Rudolf Hilferding was an Austrian-born Marxist economist, leading socialist theorist, politician and chief theoretician for the Social Democratic Party of Germany during the Weimar Republic, almost universally recognized as the SPD's foremost theoretician of his century, and a...
the Sopade published Germany Reports through a secret correspondence system. These dealt with the situation in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. The reports appeared in published form from April/May 1934 to December 1936 under the title Germany Report of the Sopade, from January 1937 until April 1940 under the title of “Germany Reports of the Social-Democratic Party of Germany (Sopade)”, by order of the executive committee in exile of the SPD, edited by Erich Rinner, until March 1938 in Prague, from May 1938 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Under pressure from the intra-party opposition groups Neu Beginnen
Neu Beginnen
Neu Beginnen was a fringe opposition group on the socialist wing of SPD, which was greatly influenced by the ideas of Lenin. It was formed in 1929. After the Machtübernahme in 1933, the members of the small group discussed what the future of Germany should be after the National Socialist movement...
and Revolutionäre Sozialisten Deutschlands the Sopade in 1934 published the Prague Manifesto, penned by Rudolf Hilferding. This document called for the revolutionary overthrow of the Hitler regime.