German People's Party

This page is about the German People's Party which existed between 1918 and 1933. For the party with same name, which existed between 1868 and 1910, see German People's Party (1868).

The German People's Party (Deutsche Volkspartei, or DVP) was a liberal-nationalist party that was founded by the more right-wing elements of the old National Liberal Party in the early days of the Weimar Republic, led by Gustav Stresemann.

The party was generally thought to represent the interests of the great German industrialists. Although the party was initially part of the right-wing opposition to the Weimar Coalition, Stresemann gradually led it into cooperation with the parties of the center and left. After Stresemann's death in 1929, the DVP gradually moved back towards the right.

The party's dispute with the Social Democrats in 1930 over unemployment benefits led to the break-up of the Grand Coalition government of Hermann Müller. In the election of June 1930, the DVP was one of the biggest losers, losing most of its parliamentary support. The People's party was ultimately abolished after the Nazi take-over in 1933.

Former elements of the DVP were involved in the creation of the Free Democratic Party after the Second World War, although the FDP is much more to the center than the DVP.

See also

*Liberalism
*Contributions to liberal theory
*Liberalism worldwide
*List of liberal parties
*Liberal democracy
*Liberalism in Germany