Farmers' League
The Agrarian League ( czech Německý svaz zemědělců ) was a political party in Czechoslovakia 1919-1938.
After the collapse of the Habsburg monarchy were formed in many places the newly created Czechoslovakia local political peasant organizations. On November 17, 1918 formed in Bohemian Leipa the Agrarian League. The first chairman was Joseph Jannausch. The name was based on the former Federation of German farmers Bohemia, which had built its turn, the German Confederation of farmers.
The Agrarian League expanded rapidly from the whole of Bohemia. Organizational base was to support the rural district associations and the organizational skills of the former social democratic activists Jannausch. In Northern Bohemia peasants' councils were formed as part of the revolution, the organization in which passed the party. In September 1919 there were over 2,000 local government organizations (there were in Bohemia 2,746 German municipalities).
End of February 1919 was held the first state convention. The newly elected chairman was Franz Krepek. The state convention adopted a party program, were made in the important policy decisions. Thus, the landowners were expelled from the party and align the program to the target group of small farmers and farm workers out. So an end to the command economy was required and supported a land reform. The party turned out so clearly in contrast to the former German Agrarian Party, which had also represent the interests of the large landowners. She competed with it in the country especially with the DSAP to this clientele, but was clearly anti- socialist.
In Moravia and Silesia the party building had not been so successful by far, as in Bohemia. The previously separate national associations were summarized on the first Nazi Party to the Nazi Party of the Federation of farmers. Reich Chairman Franz Peterle was.
In the elections for the House of Representatives in 1920 11 mandates were achieved (the party had 3.9 % of the vote (absolute 241 747 votes) retained). 1925, the number of voters increased to 571 765 (5.4%) and the number of deputies on 24 1929 there were 396 454 votes (5.4% ) and 16 seats. In the 1935 elections, the party still received 142 399 (1.73 % ) of the votes and 5 seats.
While initially formed the Czech parties a government without German participation, this coalition broke up 1926. At the formation of the new Czech-German government under Prime Minister Antonín Švehla ( Czechoslovak Agrarians ) in the year 1926, the federal government was involved. This government included the German Minister Robert Mayr- Harting ( Christian Social ) as Minister of Justice and Franz Spina ( Agrarian League ) as the Minister of Public Works.
Chairman
- Franz Krepek (1920-1925)
- Franz Spina (1925-1936)
- Gustav Hacker (1936-1938)