Social Democratic Party of Germany

:SPD redirects here. For other uses, see SPD (disambiguation)

History

Pre-republic

The party considers itself to be founded on May 23, 1863, by Ferdinand Lassalle under the name Allgemeiner Deutscher Arbeiterverein (ADAV, General German Workers' Association). In 1869, August Bebel and Wilhelm Liebknecht founded the Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei (SDAP, Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany), which merged with the ADAV in 1875. Otto von Bismarck had the party outlawed for its pro-revolution, anti-monarchy sentiments in 1878; but in 1890 it was legalized again. As social democrats could be elected as list-free candidates while the party was outlawed, it had continued to be a growing force in the parliament, becoming the strongest party in 1912 (in imperial Germany, the parliamentary balance of forces had no influence on the formation of the cabinet). As a reaction to the prosecution, the Erfurt Program of 1891 was more radical than the Gotha Program of 1875, demanding socialisation of Germany's major industries; still, the revisionism of Bernstein and the increasing loyalty of the party establishment towards Emperor and Reich made it possible that the party under Bebel's successor Ebert supported the war credits. In the 1918 revolution, Ebert sided with the imperial army command against communists, while the workers and the soldiers elected him as head of the revolutionary government.

Related Topics:
May 23 - 1863 - Ferdinand Lassalle - General German Workers' Association - 1869 - August Bebel - Wilhelm Liebknecht - Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany - Otto von Bismarck - 1878 - 1890 - Erfurt Program - Socialisation - Bernstein - Bebel - Ebert

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Weimar Republic

Subsequently, the Social Democratic Party and the newly founded Communist Party of Germany (which consisted mostly of SPD defectors) became bitter rivals, not least because of the legacy of the German Revolution. The leader of the Prussian government in Berlin, socialist Otto Braun, was ousted by military coup on July 20, 1932, and the party was banned by the Nazis in 1933. It takes a certain pride in being the only party that voted against the 1933 Enabling Act.

Related Topics:
Communist Party of Germany - German Revolution - Otto Braun - Nazis - Enabling Act

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Federal Republic

The SPD was recreated after World War II. In West Germany, it was initially in the opposition, but led the federal government under Chancellors Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt from 1969 until 1982. In its 1959 Godesberg Program, the SPD officially abandoned the concept of a class party and Marxist principles (which had been abandoned in practice since 1918) while continuing to stress social welfare programs. Although the SPD originally opposed West Germany's 1955 rearmament and entry into NATO, it now strongly supports German ties with the alliance.

Related Topics:
World War II - West Germany - Chancellors - Willy Brandt - Helmut Schmidt - 1969 - 1982 - 1959 - Godesberg Program - Marxist - NATO

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In the Russian sector which later became East Germany, the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party of Germany were forced to merge to form the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). During the fall of Communist rule in 1989, the SPD was re-established as a separate party in East Germany (1989 as Social Democratic Party, SDP) and then merged with its West German counterpart upon reunification.

Related Topics:
East Germany - Communist Party of Germany - Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) - 1989 - Social Democratic Party

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