Theme 1 Political Parties in Weimar Germany

SPD (Socialist Party)

Supported mainly by working class Germans. One of its leaders was the first President of the Weimar Republic, Ebert. It was a moderate social democratic party, and was hostile to the Communist Party (KPD)

Zentrum (Centre Party)

The party that represented German Catholics. It was right of centre on the political spectrum, socially conservative, and hostile to Communism due to religious reasons.

DDP (Democratic Party)

A liberal, middle class party.

DVP (Peoples' Party)

A moderate conservative party, just right of centre. One of its leaders was Gustav Stresemann, a leading figure in the Weimar Republic.

DNVP (Nationalist Party)

A conservative right-wing party led by Alfred Hugenberg, representing industrialists and landowners. It moved to the right in the late 1920s/early 1930s.

KPD (Communist Party)

Wanted to overthrow the Weimar Republic and destroy the Capitalist system. Had links to the USSR.

NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party)

An extreme nationalist and anti-semitic party opposed to democracy, led by Adolf Hitler. Attempted to overthrow the Weimar Republic in 1923.