Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten
| Steel Helmet, League of Frontline Soldiers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten | |||
| Existence |  Weimar Republic (1919–1933).jpg){kind=small} German Reich (1933–1935) West Germany (1951–1960)
| ||
| Type | German veteran's interests | ||
| Location | Germany | ||
The Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten (English: Steel Helmet, League of Frontline Soldiers), also known in short form as Der Stahlhelm (English: The Steel Helmet) or Stahlhelmbund, was one of the many paramilitary organizations that arose after the defeat of World War I in the Weimar Republic. It operated, in general, as the armed branch of the German National People's Party (DNVP) so it was placed generally at DNVP gatherings in the position of (armed) Protector of the Hall (Saalschutz). Theodor Duesterberg (2. Bundesführer) and Franz Seldte (1. Bundesführer) were the founders.
Contents
History
1919 to 1933
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The Stahlhelm was founded on 13 September 1919 partly by Franz Seldte in the city of Magdeburg (the first ideas were written on 13 November 1918 by Seldte). Its journal, Stahlhelm, was edited by Hans-Jürgen Graf von Blumenthal, later hanged for his part in the July 20 plot. The organization was a rallying point for nationalistic and anti-Weimar elements. Within the organization a worldview oriented toward the prior imperial regime predominated. Jewish veterans were denied admission and formed a separate Reichsbund jüdischer Frontsoldaten.
From 1924 on, in several subsidiary organizations, new recruits and veterans with front line experience would provide a standing armed force in support of the Reichswehr beyond the 100,000 allowed by the Treaty of Versailles. With 500,000 members in 1930, the Stahlhelm was the largest paramilitary organization of Weimar Germany. Financing was provided by the Deutscher Herrenklub, elements of the Ostlbien landed gentry, and like-minded entrepreneurs.
Although the Stalhelm was officially a non-party entity and above party politics, after 1929 it took on an anti-republican and anti-democratic character. Its goals were a German Dictatorship, the preparation of a Revanchist program, and the direction of local anti-parliamentarian action. For this reason its members distinguished themselves from the NSDAP as "German Fascists".
Among their further demands were the establishment of a Greater Germanic People's Reich, struggle against Social Democracy, the "mercantilism of the Jews" and the general liberal democratic worldview, and attempted without success to place candidates favorable to the politics of a German expansion to the East.
In 1929, the Stahlhelm joined the Peoples Initiative Against the Young-Plan to demonstrate against the Young Plan. The Stahlhelm joined the DNVP, NSDAP under Adolf Hitler and Alldeutscher Verband to form the Harzburger Front, which was a united right-wing front against the Weimar Republic. In the presidential elections of 1932, Theodor Duesterberg was the Stalhelm candidate.
1933 to 1945
Disarmament Incident in Braunschweig
A raid with the intention of disarmament by the SA on Stahlhelm in Braunschweig that took place on 27 March 1933 is characteristic of the pressure applied by the NSDAP on Stalhelm in this period, the so-called Stahlhelm Putsch.
Seldtes Joins the SA
In January 1933, Bundesführer Seldte became Reichsminister for Labor (Reichsarbeitsminister) in Hitler's cabinet. In April 1933, he joined the SA, where he would become SA-Obergruppenführer.
Gleichschaltung 1934
After their assumption of power, there were massive attempts by the NSDAP to integrate Stahhelm into the Party, finally succeeding in 1934 in the "voluntary Gleichschaltung" (synchronization). In March 1934, the Stahlhelm was renamed Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher Frontkämpferbund (Federation of the National Socialist Frontline-Fighters; NSDFB) and integrated into the Sturmabteilung and, on 7 November 1935, it was dissolved by the Party, who feared its fundamentally monarchist character.
- On 7 November 1935, Adolf Hitler asked Franz Seldte to dissolve the "NSDFB (Stahlhelm)" because the conditions for the continuation of the "Stahlhelm" no longer existed with the founding of the Wehrmacht. The Fiihrer wrote to party comrade Seldte in a friendly, comradely tone, albeit firmly. On the same day, Seldte confirmed receipt of the letter and reported the dissolution of the federation.
After 1945
In 1951, the Stahlhelm Bund der Frontsoldaten was re-created in Cologne. A year later, in 1952, even before his release from prison, Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring was elected as leader federal of the nationalist association,[1] a post he kept till his death in 1960.
See also
References
- ↑ Bund der Frontsoldaten' wahlt Kesselring zum Prasidenten, National Zeitung, 8 August 1952.
