Frontsozialismus der tat: War experience as the foundation of corporatism in the stahlhelm veterans’ league

Alessandro Salvador*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The article focuses on the political development of the Stahlhelm - Bund der Frontsoldaten. Born as a self-defence league of conservative inspiration, the Stahlhelm developed into an important national ex-servicemen organization in Weimar Germany. Its ideological background was rooted in the concept of the Fronterlebnis, the experience of trench warfare. In its political development, the Stahlhelm tried to translate the brotherhood and the sense of discipline and hierarchy experieced by the soldiers in the trenches into civilian life. The result was the conceptualization of an organic state, based on nationalist principles and a corporative economy. By acquiring ideas from the German right-wing movements and Italian Fascism, the Stahlhelm became one of the most important political subjects of the Weimar Republic, always keeping the center of their activities in the ideological heritage of the war.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationNew Political Ideas in the Aftermath of the Great War
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages109-127
Number of pages19
ISBN (Electronic)9783319389158
ISBN (Print)9783319389141
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01 Jan 2016

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