Free-minded Union

The Liberal Association ( FVG, also FrVgg ) was a liberal party in the German Empire, which was in 1893 emerged from a split from the German - liberal party and in 1910 merged into the Progressive People's Party. Personnel she stood in the tradition of the Liberal Union, which had in turn split off in 1880 by the National Liberal Party. The FVG was initially a classic of dignitaries, transformed but no later than with the view of the National Social Club 1903 members of a party.

Formation

The existing from the beginning, intra-party tensions between the left wing of the former Progressives and the right wing of the former secessionists occurred on May 6, 1893 the surface, as in the Reichstag Georg von Siemens and five other members of the German - liberal faction in contrast to the group majority voted for an army bill of Chancellor Leo von Caprivi. The party leader Eugen Richter demanded that success with the fraction exclusion of the six dissenters. A few days later told other former secessionists as Ludwig Bamberger, Theodor Barth, Heinrich Rickert and Karl Schrader, as well as a group of old progressives to Albert Hanel their party outlet and formed with the defector to Liberals Association. In many, especially in terms of staffing the new grouping was linked to the tradition of the Liberal Union in the early 1880s. The remaining left wing of the party to judge constituted itself, however, as a Liberal People's Party.

Since it came through the parliamentary majority to dissolve the Reichstag after the rejection of the Caprivi 's army bill, the development phase of the new party ran parallel to the election campaign of the parliamentary election in 1893. Freisinnige The Association stressed particularly liberal goals. However, the party split had shaken the confidence of voters in total in the left-wing liberalism, so that the two parties together significantly weaker sections as the German - Liberal Party in previous elections. Of the total 37 seats of the two left-liberal groups, which accounted for only 13 Liberal Association At the general election in 1890 the Liberals were able to win even 66 seats.

Organization and politics to 1903

Due to the general election, it came only after an official founding meeting. Here, the faction leader made ​​it clear that the union did not want so much to be a united party but rather a liberal electoral association. Therefore, there was not a new party program; Instead, the programmatic demands of the German Radical Party from 1884 retained its validity for the time being. Although there was a membership fee, a fixed organization, there was hardly, and the union had no statutes. Most local organizations of the German Radical Party had joined the Free Radical People's Party. In the result, the number of local associations remained low. It was a bit larger the number of Election Committee. In many constituencies the union, however, was not represented at all. In 1903 there were about 1,000 party members.

The regional focus of the party were in northern Germany and in Ostelbien. In Bremen it was in 1893 even the strongest party. Nearly two-thirds of seats was won in the territories east of the Elbe.

In contrast to liberals People's Party, the Liberal Association supported the naval and colonial policy of the German government, so they approached the content of the National Liberal Party. While there have been approaches for association with the National Liberals; to this, it did not come, however.

Association with the National Social Association

Of great importance of the port of the National Association of Social Friedrich Naumann was the Liberal Association in 1903. Program which changed the character of the association term. The social problems of the industrial age now played a greater role. The aim was to overcome along the lines of Joseph Chamberlain, the antagonism between the bourgeoisie and the workers. In addition to the solution of the social question as such was hoped thus the possibility of another outer display of power in Germany in the age of imperialism. The local chapters of the National Social association also got a stronger organizational structure. The local clubs unfolded particularly during election campaigns and led a significant activity in the remaining time events for political education of its members. Politically, too, won the local organizations of weight, so the party leadership gained influence over the Reichstag, and the local associations made ​​claims on party days. The goal to develop into a people's party, was not achieved. In 1909, the party numbered only about 9,000 members.

Merger of the left-liberals parties

In 1905 there was a meeting of members of the two liberal parties and the German People's Party, to discuss a renewed merger of the (left - ) liberal parties. He came to draw up a program based on a minimum consensus. To a closer cooperation came during the election campaign for the general election in 1907. The three parties were thereafter the Bülow- block and formed in the Reichstag a fraction. However, this policy had resulted in the Free Radical Association for the elimination of some critic Theodor Barth, Rudolf Breitscheidstraße and Hellmut von Gerlach. Their Democratic Association had no meaning and disintegrated soon.

In 1910, then the Progressive People's Party was founded as a merger of the left-liberal parties.

Significant members

• Ludwig Bamberger
• Theodor Barth
• Gertrud Bäumer
• Rudolf Breitscheidstraße
• Lujo Brentano
• Max Broemel
• Hellmut von Gerlach
• Otto Gildemeister
• Georg Gothein
• Albert Hanel
• Helene Lange
• Franz Liszt
• Karl Mommsen
• Theodor Mommsen
• Friedrich Naumann
• Hermann Pachnicke
• Hugo Preuss
• Heinrich Rickert
• Richard Roesicke
• Karl Schrader
• Gerhart von Schulze- Gaevernitz
• Georg von Siemens