German Federation for Land Reform

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The German Federation for Land Reform was a social reform association with the aim of land reform . It was founded in 1898, renamed Bund Deutscher Bodenreformer in the same year , and ceased operations during the Second World War (around 1942/43). At first, the German land reformers saw themselves as part of the international single tax movement of the American social reformer Henry George .

history

A predecessor organization was the German Federation for Land Property Reform from 1888, chaired by Heinrich Wehberg (1888–1890) and the factory owner Heinrich Freese (1890–1898). The new association was initiated in 1898 by Adolf Damaschke . Damaschke remained chairman until his death in 1935.

The federal government sought a legal reform of land ownership and land taxation. The club's program was:

“The Bund Deutscher Bodenreformer sees the land question as the essential part of the social problem. He advocates that the land, this basis of all national existence, be placed under a right that promotes its use as living quarters and workshops, that makes any abuse with it impossible, and that the increase in value that it can gain without work of the individual, makes it usable as far as possible to the people as a whole. "

Adolf Damaschke had dealt with the speculative terrestrial companies that were particularly active in the expansion of Berlin. Like Adolf Wagner , Damaschke demanded a special tax on the increase in the value of real estate. The profits (rent) made through growth and not through work should become social property. He and the Federation of Land Reformers therefore demanded a tax on the basic rent in order to skim off the pension profits. Such a redistribution of pension income should alleviate social tensions and allow socialism and individualism to converge.

In 1898 the association had 140 members. The maximum number is estimated at 60,000 - 65,000 members in 1920. In 1934 it had 7,600 individual members. Membership consisted primarily of the middle class and the educated middle class. Teachers, civil servants, local politicians, doctors, clergymen, lawyers, journalists and officers were often represented. There were also numerous associations, authorities, communities and other collective members.

The organization published the “Land Reform - Deutsche Volksstimme” (published 1889 to 1941) and the “Jahrbuch der Bodenreform” (published 1905–1942) as the association's organs. Damaschke published the soil reform brochure series "Soziale Zeitfragen". Around 90 issues were published from 1899 to 1933.

Politically, the federal government was close to the National Social Association , parts of the center, the National Liberals and the anti-Semitic German Social Reform Party . Opponents were the SPD , Liberals and the Conservatives.

In the Weimar Republic, the federal government received support from the parties of the Weimar coalition (SPD, Zentrum, DDP) and the CSVD . Little support came from the KPD , DNVP and NSDAP . The economic party was an outspoken opponent .

The union could only achieve a few partial successes. It was possible to enforce a land reform article in the Weimar constitution with §155. On this basis, the Reichsheimstätten Act was passed in 1920 . But there was no fundamental reorganization of land law.

However, during the Weimar Republic, supported by unions and civil servants' associations on the basis of the Federation of German Soil Reformers, the Heimstätten movement emerged as a self-help movement. Building cooperatives and savings banks were founded. Further supporters were the interest groups of the tenants and the war participants and survivors of the war.

Opponents of the land reformers were the Central Association of German House and Landowners, the Federation of Farmers and the Protection Association for Property and Real Estate.

The organization largely adapted to the regime during the Nazi era . After 1945 there was no re-establishment.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ This designation Bund Deutscher Bodenreformer was used in the subtitle of the magazine Die Volksstimme since 9th year, 5th July 1898, No. 13/14, in the content already since 9th year, 5th April 1898, No. 7. See Die Volksstimme, 1898 .
  2. ↑ factor pricing III. Rent, land prices. In: Concise dictionary of economics. Vol. 2 Education to financial equalization. Stuttgart, 1980 p. 564

swell

  • Adolf Damaschke: Tasks of community politics , 9th edition, Jena 1920.
  • Adolf Damaschke: The land reform. Fundamental and historical information on recognizing and overcoming social hardship , 20th edition, Jena 1923.
  • Adolf Damaschke: From my life , Leipzig 1924.
  • Adolf Damaschke: turning point. Out of my life. Second volume , Leipzig 1925.
  • Adolf Damaschke: A struggle for socialism and nation. The struggle for land for every national comrade , Dresden 1935.
  • Adolf Damaschke: History of the national economy. A first introduction , 2nd volume, 14th edition, Jena 1929.
  • Heinrich Freese: National land reform. Second edition of the book “Land reform, its past and its future” , Berlin 1926.

literature

  • Ruchla Broniatowska: The land reform movement in theory and practice. Presented on the basis of land reform tax policy. Noske, Borna-Leipzig 1931 (Leipzig, Univ., Diss., 1931).
  • Klaus Hugler, Hans Diefenbacher: Adolf Damaschke and Henry George. Approaches to a theory and policy of land reform. Metropolis-Verlag, Marburg 2005, ISBN 3-89518-496-9 .
  • Diethart Kerbs , Jürgen Reulecke (ed.): Handbook of the German reform movements. 1880-1933. Hammer, Wuppertal 1998, ISBN 3-87294-787-7 .
  • Wolfgang Schmierer : Federation of German soil reformers. In: Gerhard Taddey (Hrsg.): Lexicon of German history. People, events, institutions. From the turn of the times to the end of the 2nd World War. 2nd revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 1982, ISBN 3-520-80002-0 , p. 178.
  • Michael Silagi: Henry George and Europe. On the genesis of the European land reform movements. Etana, Munich 1973 (at the same time: Munich, Univ., Diss.).

Web links