German National People's Party
독일국가인민당
A national-conservative party of the Weimar Republic whose programme combined nationalism, monarchism, antisemitism and völkisch elements. At first hostile to the republic, it supported the Kapp Putsch of 1920, but from the mid-1920s it joined governments. After Alfred Hugenberg became chairman in 1928 it returned to extreme nationalist positions; in January 1933 it entered a coalition government with the NSDAP and dissolved itself in June.
In depth
The DNVP was founded on 24 November 1918 and existed until June 1933. It succeeded the German Conservative Party, the Reich and Free Conservative Party, the Fatherland Party and a number of smaller national-conservative and partly antisemitic groups, and some members of the National Liberals' right wing also joined. Its first chairman was Oskar Hergt, and leading figures of its early years included Karl Helfferich and Alfred von Tirpitz. It accepted women's suffrage, which most conservatives had opposed.
It was supported mainly by East Elbian landowners, nobles and former officers of the old army and navy, but also drew votes from professionals, civil servants, farmers and parts of the workers and white-collar employees. Membership grew from about 350,000 in 1919 to about 950,000 in 1923. After gains in the Reichstag elections of May and December 1924 it took part in several coalition governments, including the Luther cabinet of 1925.
After the 1928 election defeat the press magnate Alfred Hugenberg became chairman and the party returned to extreme nationalism; from 1930, cooperating with the NSDAP, it lost influence. On 30 January 1933 it formed a coalition government with the NSDAP, and its deputies voted for the Enabling Act of 24 March 1933. Renamed the German National Front in early May, it dissolved itself in June, its deputies joining the NSDAP group.