Free-minded Union
Encyclopedia
The Free-minded Union was a liberal
party
in the German Empire
that existed from 1893 to 1910.
. When chancellor
Leo von Caprivi
presented an army bill in parliament on 6 May 1893, seven Free-minded representatives, among them Georg von Siemens
, decided to accept the motion. Consequently, Eugen Richter urged successfully the expulsion of the deviants. Other moderate party members, including Ludwig Bamberger
and Theodor Barth
, left voluntarily, and formed the Free-minded Union. The left liberal wing of the Free-mindeds, loyal to Richter, assembled in the Free-minded People's Party
The new party focused on classically and economically liberal positions. In the federal election 1893 it won 13 seats. The union was initially more a loose electoral alliance than a real party. Its organisational structure was very weak. Its stronghold were in northern and eastern Germany.
Together with the governing National Liberal Party
and unlike the German Free-minded Party, the Free-minded Union supported the Imperial Navy
arms race and the German colonial
policy.
, led by the parson Friedrich Naumann, merged into the Free-minded Union. This brought new members, including Hellmut von Gerlach
, to the party. Both the organisational structure and the programmatical outlook changed from this incident on. Influenced by the ideas of Joseph Chamberlain
, the party tended now to compassion towards the masses of the working class, but also tried to strengthen the German national position outwards by closing the ranks of the middle and working classes. This was compatible with the union's liberal nationalist line. The gain of the National Socials' local structures led to a development of a loose notables' association towards a members' party. However, the party could not really win the support of the working class and did not become a major party.
. In 1907, the three parties drafted a common electoral program for the elections to the Reichstag. Afterwards, they formed a common parliamentary group, which was part of the pro-government imperialist Bülow
-Bloc together with the conservatives and National liberals. The party's own left wing and pacifist faction, including Theodor Barth
, Hellmut von Gerlach
, Rudolf Breitscheid
, and feminist Helene Lange
, were discontent with this step and left to form the Democratic Union
.
In 1910 the Free-minded Union, Free-minded People's Party and German People's Party merged into the Progressive People's Party
.
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
party
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 German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
that existed from 1893 to 1910.
Emergence
Inside its predecessor, the German Free-minded Party there have always been tensions between the leftist and the moderate wing. Another contentious point was the personalist style of leader Eugen RichterEugen Richter
Eugen Richter was a German politician and journalist.-Career:Born as the son of a combat medic, Richter attended the Gymnasium in his home town of Düsseldorf. Since 1856, he studied Law and Economics at the Universities of Bonn, Berlin and Heidelberg, that he finished with a law degree in 1859...
. When chancellor
Chancellor of Germany
The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
Leo von Caprivi
Leo von Caprivi
Georg Leo Graf von Caprivi de Caprera de Montecuccoli was a German major general and statesman, who succeeded Otto von Bismarck as Chancellor of Germany...
presented an army bill in parliament on 6 May 1893, seven Free-minded representatives, among them Georg von Siemens
Georg von Siemens
Georg von Siemens was a German banker and liberal politician.He was born on 21 October 1839 in Berlin. Georg von Siemens is a nephew of the inventors and industrialists Werner, William, and Carl von Siemens...
, decided to accept the motion. Consequently, Eugen Richter urged successfully the expulsion of the deviants. Other moderate party members, including Ludwig Bamberger
Ludwig Bamberger
Ludwig Bamberger was a German economist, politician and writer.-Early life:Bamberger was born in a Jewish family in Mainz.After studying at Gießen, Heidelberg and Göttingen, he entered law.-Career:...
and Theodor Barth
Theodor Barth
Theodor Barth was a German liberal politician and publicist. He was a member of the Reichstag between 1881 and 1884, between 1885 and 1898, and between 1901 and 1903.-Career:...
, left voluntarily, and formed the Free-minded Union. The left liberal wing of the Free-mindeds, loyal to Richter, assembled in the Free-minded People's Party
The new party focused on classically and economically liberal positions. In the federal election 1893 it won 13 seats. The union was initially more a loose electoral alliance than a real party. Its organisational structure was very weak. Its stronghold were in northern and eastern Germany.
Together with the governing National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Germany)
The National Liberal Party was a German political party which flourished between 1867 and 1918. It was formed by Prussian liberals who put aside their differences with Bismarck over domestic policy due to their support for his highly successful foreign policy, which resulted in the unification of...
and unlike the German Free-minded Party, the Free-minded Union supported the Imperial Navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
arms race and the German colonial
German colonial empire
The German colonial empire was an overseas domain formed in the late 19th century as part of the German Empire. Short-lived colonial efforts by individual German states had occurred in preceding centuries, but Imperial Germany's colonial efforts began in 1884...
policy.
Merger with the National-Social Association
In 1903, the electoral unsuccessful, social liberal and progressive Christian National-Social AssociationNational-Social Association
The National-Social Association was a political party in the German Empire, founded in 1896 by Friedrich Naumann.In the second half of the 19th century Germany underwent a rapid industrialization, which was connected with rising social problems...
, led by the parson Friedrich Naumann, merged into the Free-minded Union. This brought new members, including Hellmut von Gerlach
Hellmut von Gerlach
Hellmut Georg von Gerlach was a German journalist and politician.-Life:Hellmut von Gerlach, the son of landowner Max von Gerlach, was born in Mönchmotschelnitz in Silesia. He studied law at the universities of Gent, Strasbourg, Leipzig, and Berlin, and was a member of the Verein Deutscher Studenten...
, to the party. Both the organisational structure and the programmatical outlook changed from this incident on. Influenced by the ideas of Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
, the party tended now to compassion towards the masses of the working class, but also tried to strengthen the German national position outwards by closing the ranks of the middle and working classes. This was compatible with the union's liberal nationalist line. The gain of the National Socials' local structures led to a development of a loose notables' association towards a members' party. However, the party could not really win the support of the working class and did not become a major party.
Merger into the Progressive People's Party
From 1905 on, the Free-minded Union cooperated increasingly with the other left liberals, Free-minded People's Party and the German People's PartyGerman People's Party (1868)
The German People's Party was a German liberal party created in 1868 by the wing of the German Progress Party which during the conflict about whether the Unification of Germany should be led by the Kingdom of Prussia or Austria-Hungary supported Austria.The party was most popular in Southern Germany...
. In 1907, the three parties drafted a common electoral program for the elections to the Reichstag. Afterwards, they formed a common parliamentary group, which was part of the pro-government imperialist Bülow
Bernhard von Bülow
Bernhard Heinrich Karl Martin von Bülow , named in 1905 Prince von Bülow, was a German statesman who served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for three years and then as Chancellor of the German Empire from 1900 to 1909.Bülow was described as possessing every quality except greatness...
-Bloc together with the conservatives and National liberals. The party's own left wing and pacifist faction, including Theodor Barth
Theodor Barth
Theodor Barth was a German liberal politician and publicist. He was a member of the Reichstag between 1881 and 1884, between 1885 and 1898, and between 1901 and 1903.-Career:...
, Hellmut von Gerlach
Hellmut von Gerlach
Hellmut Georg von Gerlach was a German journalist and politician.-Life:Hellmut von Gerlach, the son of landowner Max von Gerlach, was born in Mönchmotschelnitz in Silesia. He studied law at the universities of Gent, Strasbourg, Leipzig, and Berlin, and was a member of the Verein Deutscher Studenten...
, Rudolf Breitscheid
Rudolf Breitscheid
Rudolf Breitscheid, was a leading member of the Social Democratic Party and a delegate to the Reichstag during the era of the Weimar Republic in Germany....
, and feminist Helene Lange
Helene Lange
Helene Lange was a pedagogue and feminist, and a symbol of the Women's Movement in Germany.-Education and pedagogy:...
, were discontent with this step and left to form the Democratic Union
Democratic Union (Germany)
The Democratic Union was a German political party in the German Empire.The Union was founded in 1908 by former members of the Freeminded Union . The party demanded full equal voting rights for all, and a strict separation of Church and State...
.
In 1910 the Free-minded Union, Free-minded People's Party and German People's Party merged into the Progressive People's Party
Progressive People's Party (Germany)
The Progressive People's Party was a liberal party of late Imperial Germany. It was formed in 6 March, 1910 as a merger of Freeminded People's Party, Freeminded Union, and German People's Party in order to unify the various liberal groups represented in parliament...
.
External links
- Freisinnige Vereinigung 1893-1910, website of the Deutsches Historisches MuseumDeutsches Historisches MuseumThe German Historical Museum , DHM for short, is a museum in Berlin devoted to German history and defines itself as a place of enlightenment and understanding of the shared history of Germans and Europeans....
(German Historical Museum), in German