Tradition und Leben
Encyclopedia
Tradition und Leben e.V. (TuL), = “Tradition and Life,” is a monarchist organisation in Germany
. It was registered in January 1959 in Cologne
. Prior to that, a constitutional assembly took place in the autumn of 1958. Tradition und Leben exists to provide a rallying-point for all German royalists and supports all former German ruling houses.
Shortly after World War II
, monarchists got together under the motto “Letters for Tradition und Leben.” They followed partly the tradition of monarchist organisations and personalities from the time of the Weimar Republic
(1919–1933), especially the “Bund der Aufrechten,” founded in November 1918, and partly the older German traditionalist Völkisch movement
of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Tradition und Leben is thus linked with the oldest organisations of its kind and the most important in Germany
.
The aim of Tradition und Leben is summed up by its motto: “We crown democracy!” indicating the desire for a modern, democratic
kingdom. Members of Tradition und Leben believe that Germany should become a democratic parliamentary monarchy. Each June, the organization’s representatives are among those who lay a wreath at former Kaiser Wilhelm’s mausoleum
at Huis Doorn
, on the anniversary of his death. Doorn was his residence-in-exile in the Netherlands
.
Tradition und Leben supports hereditary monarchy
as the best guarantee for the performance of duty and the exercise of responsibility for the political well-being and the physical environment for each succeeding generation. Among other principles espoused by the organization:
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It was registered in January 1959 in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. Prior to that, a constitutional assembly took place in the autumn of 1958. Tradition und Leben exists to provide a rallying-point for all German royalists and supports all former German ruling houses.
Shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, monarchists got together under the motto “Letters for Tradition und Leben.” They followed partly the tradition of monarchist organisations and personalities from the time of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
(1919–1933), especially the “Bund der Aufrechten,” founded in November 1918, and partly the older German traditionalist Völkisch movement
Völkisch movement
The volkisch movement is the German interpretation of the populist movement, with a romantic focus on folklore and the "organic"...
of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Tradition und Leben is thus linked with the oldest organisations of its kind and the most important in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The aim of Tradition und Leben is summed up by its motto: “We crown democracy!” indicating the desire for a modern, democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
kingdom. Members of Tradition und Leben believe that Germany should become a democratic parliamentary monarchy. Each June, the organization’s representatives are among those who lay a wreath at former Kaiser Wilhelm’s mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
at Huis Doorn
Huis Doorn
Huis Doorn is a small manor house that lies outside of Doorn, a small town near Utrecht, in the Netherlands. The 15th-century house was rebuilt in the late 18th century in a conservative manner and, in the mid-19th century, a surrounding park was laid out as an English landscape garden...
, on the anniversary of his death. Doorn was his residence-in-exile in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Tradition und Leben supports hereditary monarchy
Hereditary monarchy
A hereditary monarchy is the most common type of monarchy and is the form that is used by almost all of the world's existing monarchies.Under a hereditary monarchy, all the monarchs come from the same family, and the crown is passed down from one member to another member of the family...
as the best guarantee for the performance of duty and the exercise of responsibility for the political well-being and the physical environment for each succeeding generation. Among other principles espoused by the organization:
- The principle of the separation of the head of stateHead of StateA head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, parliamentParliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, and the executive.
- GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
shall remain a federal state with monarchies and republics having equal rights under it. Dynasties should return to the throne in those German states where the people desire it. The interests of the Länder and the state are to be represented in a system of two houses.
- MonarchyMonarchyA monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
guarantees solidarity between State and Land and thus strengthens the European idea.
- The monarch represents the interests of the people, being unrelated to party politics, and promotes public welfare.
- The Monarchy shall support integration within EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and play its part in peace and public welfare.
- The aim of creating a modern and democratic kingdom shall be reached by peaceable means. Tradition und Leben guarantees this approach.
- The rightful claimant is the head of the House of Hohenzollern, Georg Friedrich of Prussia.