1. The Political Spectrum in Weimar Germany
Centre
Moderate left
Moderate right
Extreme left
Extreme right
People’s Party (DVP)
Supporters: Middle class, mainly businessmen
Policies: Support any policies that promote trade and industry (and made them some money)
Social Democratic party (SDP)
Supporters: Mostly working class
Policies: believed everyone was equal. Wanted democracy and reforms to help ordinary working class Germans
Centre Party (Zentrum)
Supporters: Catholics from all classes (Germany was a largely Catholic country)
Policies: Supported beliefs and interests of the Catholic church
German Democratic Party (DDP)
Supporters: Middle class, for example lawyers and writers etc.
Policies: Believed in individual freedom - rights to hold peaceful meetings, form societies, freedom of speech and so on
Communist Party (KPD)
Supporters: Working classes
Policies: Thought Germany should be a Communist country run by workers’ councils, not parliament
National Socialist German Workers party (NSDAP)
Supporters: Unemployed, mainly ex-soldiers. Some support from upper classes who feared Communism
Policies: wanted to return Germany to a strong country. Wanted a strong government led by one man and hated idea of democracy. Hated Communism.
Independent Socialists (USPD)
Policies: It was a Marxist party that sought change through parliament and social progressive programs.
National Party (DNVP)
Supporters: middle classes and groups who feared communism (like big business)
Policies: Make Germany strong, promote traditional values.