Social Democratic Party of the Free City of Danzig
Encyclopedia
The Social Democratic Party of the Free City of Danzig was a political party
in the Free City of Danzig
. After the creation of the Free City of Danzig in 1919, the Danzig branch of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD) separated itself from the party, and created the Social Democratic Party of the Free City of Danzig. The new party did however maintain close links with the SPD, and its political orientation (for example its anti-Soviet/anti-communist approach) was largely the same as that of the SPD.
The party participated in coalition government together with bourgeois parties between August 1925 and October 1926, and again between January 1928 and August 1930.
Julius Gehl
was the chairman of the party 1919-1920, after which he became leader of the parliamentary group of the party. Arthur Brill was chairman of the party 1921-1936. Johannes Mau was the secretary of the party.
The party was active in the Danzig trade union
movement (which was nominally independent, but was heavily influenced by the party). Arbeiterjugendbund ('Workers Youth League'), with around 450 members, was the youth wing of the party.
1923 to 1936. Arthur Brill was a member of the Executive of the International between January 1929 and 1936 (he shared his seat with Johann Kowoll
of the German Socialist Labour Party of Poland
between July 1931 and 1934).
On 5 May 1932 a Social Democrat member of the municipal council, Gruhn, was murdered by the leader of the SS district Neuteich (Nowy Staw
), Rudzinski. The "Volksstimme" was banned the next day for a period of three month because it reported about the murder. However, despite repeated banning it became the leading voice of the opposition in Danzig and its number of copies grew from 20.000 in 1929 to up to 40.000 prior to its final ban in October 1936.
After the elections of 1935 the oppositional parties, except of the Polish Party, jointly brought in a charge of electoral fraud to the Danzig High Court and unsuccessfully protested to the League of Nations
. In the aftermath of the German–Polish Non-Aggression Pact Poland did not support an international action and as the foreign envoy of the opposition, Erich Brost
, reports the Polish government often "raised up more goodwill towards the Nazi government than other european countries of that time".
In October 1936 120 politicians of the Social Democratic Party were imprisoned and on 14 October the party was banned.
On 25 May 1937 the Social Democrat politician Hans Wiechmann was killed by the Gestapo
after a visit to the League of Nations' High Commissioner Carl Jakob Burckhardt.
elections the party received:
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 Free City of Danzig
Free City of Danzig
The Free City of Danzig was a semi-autonomous city-state that existed between 1920 and 1939, consisting of the Baltic Sea port of Danzig and surrounding areas....
. After the creation of the Free City of Danzig in 1919, the Danzig branch of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD) separated itself from the party, and created the Social Democratic Party of the Free City of Danzig. The new party did however maintain close links with the SPD, and its political orientation (for example its anti-Soviet/anti-communist approach) was largely the same as that of the SPD.
The party participated in coalition government together with bourgeois parties between August 1925 and October 1926, and again between January 1928 and August 1930.
Organization and leadership
The party organization was modelled after that of SPD. The highest organ of the party was the Party Congress (Parteitag), which was generally held in April every year. The Party Congress elected a Party Presidium and a Control Commission. Party activists were organized in local branch units, which were member organizations of the party. As of the late 1920s, the party claimed a membership of 5,418, out of whom 950 were women.Julius Gehl
Julius Gehl
Julius Gehl was a German social democratic politician. Gehl served as the Chairman of the West Prussian District League of the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
was the chairman of the party 1919-1920, after which he became leader of the parliamentary group of the party. Arthur Brill was chairman of the party 1921-1936. Johannes Mau was the secretary of the party.
The party was active in the Danzig trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
movement (which was nominally independent, but was heavily influenced by the party). Arbeiterjugendbund ('Workers Youth League'), with around 450 members, was the youth wing of the party.
Press
The party published the daily newspaper Danziger Volksstimme ('Danzig People's Voice').International affiliation
The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist InternationalLabour and Socialist International
The Labour and Socialist International was an international organization of socialist and labour parties, active between 1923 and 1940. The LSI was a forerunner of the present-day Socialist International....
1923 to 1936. Arthur Brill was a member of the Executive of the International between January 1929 and 1936 (he shared his seat with Johann Kowoll
Johann Kowoll
Johann Kowoll was a German socialist politician.In his young years, Kowoll had several jobs; as stenographer, office assistant, journalist, cottage worker and machine operator. In 1906 he joined the Free Trade Unions...
of the German Socialist Labour Party of Poland
German Socialist Labour Party of Poland
The German Socialist Labour Party of Poland was a political party organizing German Social Democrats in interbellum Poland.Nominally, the DSAP was founded at a conference in Chorzów on August 9, 1925, through the merger of the Silesia/West Prussia-based German Social Democratic Party of Poland ...
between July 1931 and 1934).
Rise of National Socialism
In late 1930 a new right-wing government was formed in the Free City, with support from the National Socialists. As an opposition party, the Social Democrats formed the Arbeiter-Schutzbund ('Worker Defense League') as its paramilitary force. Arbeiter-Schutzbund had around 4,500 members. However, the capacity of the Social Democratic Party to mobilize anti-fascist resistance was hindered by nationalistic tendencies within the very ranks of the party (for example, anti-Polish prejudices were widespread within the party).On 5 May 1932 a Social Democrat member of the municipal council, Gruhn, was murdered by the leader of the SS district Neuteich (Nowy Staw
Nowy Staw
Nowy Staw is a small town in northern Poland on the Święta river in the Żuławy region, with 3 896 inhabitants . Situated in Malbork County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously assigned to Elbląg Voivodeship . City rights were applied in 1345. The name of the town means New...
), Rudzinski. The "Volksstimme" was banned the next day for a period of three month because it reported about the murder. However, despite repeated banning it became the leading voice of the opposition in Danzig and its number of copies grew from 20.000 in 1929 to up to 40.000 prior to its final ban in October 1936.
After the elections of 1935 the oppositional parties, except of the Polish Party, jointly brought in a charge of electoral fraud to the Danzig High Court and unsuccessfully protested to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. In the aftermath of the German–Polish Non-Aggression Pact Poland did not support an international action and as the foreign envoy of the opposition, Erich Brost
Erich Brost
Erich Brost was a German journalist and publisher.- Biography :Brost was born in Elbing, West Prussia to a Schichau-Werke shipyard worker and a tailor...
, reports the Polish government often "raised up more goodwill towards the Nazi government than other european countries of that time".
In October 1936 120 politicians of the Social Democratic Party were imprisoned and on 14 October the party was banned.
On 25 May 1937 the Social Democrat politician Hans Wiechmann was killed by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
after a visit to the League of Nations' High Commissioner Carl Jakob Burckhardt.
Election results
In the VolkstagVolkstag
The Volkstag was the parliament of the Free City of Danzig between 1919 and 1939.-History:After World War I Danzig became a Free City under the protection of the League of Nations....
elections the party received:
| Year | Votes | % | Seats | % of Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 Free City of Danzig Constituent Assembly election, 1920 Elections to a Constituent Assembly for the Free City of Danzig were held on May 16, 1920. There was a voter turnout of 70%.... |
24,409 | 15.93% | 19 | 15.83% |
| 1923 | 39,755 | 24.12% | 30 | 25.00% |
| 1927 | 61,779 | 33.79% | 42 | 35.00% |
| 1930 | 49,965 | 25.25% | 19 | 26.39% |
| 1933 | 37,882 | 17.69% | 13 | 18.06% |
| 1935 | 37,729 | 16.05% | 12 | 16.67% |