Bavarian People's Party

The Bavarian People's Party (German: Bayerische Volkspartei; BVP) was a mainly Catholic Christian democratic political party in the German state of Bavaria during the Weimar Republic. It began after the end of the German Empire in 1918, when it split from the larger Centre Party to focus more on Bavarian traditions and values.

The BVP became very important in Bavarian state politics, with every leader of the state government from 1920 coming from the party. However, on the national level, it stayed a smaller group, getting only about three percent of the votes in national elections.

The party stopped existing shortly after the Nazi seizure of power in early 1933. After World War II, it was not started again, and many of its supporters joined the new Christian Social Union in Bavaria, a centre-right party that still exists today.

Founding

After Germany lost World War I and a big change called the German Revolution of 1918–1919 began, some important people from Bavaria decided to start a new political group. They called it the Bavarian People's Party, and they started it in a city named Regensburg on November 12, 1918. They wanted to make sure Bavaria had more control over its own matters and they did not like some of the changes happening at the time, which were led by another group called the Social Democratic Party.

The Bavarian People's Party believed in a system where decisions were made closer to the people, not just by one big government. They also wanted women to be able to vote and wanted ways for people to have more say in big decisions. The leaders of this party were mostly from churches, old noble families, and everyday people.

Electoral results

The BVP had many members and chapters, and it was the most popular party in Bavarian state elections during the Weimar Republic. It worked with other parties, like the Bavarian Peasants' League and the Bavarian Middle Party, to help lead the government. The BVP leaders served as minister president four times: Gustav Ritter von Kahr, Hugo Graf von Lerchenfeld, Eugen von Knilling, and Heinrich Held.

At the national level, the BVP joined with another party for elections and helped create important laws. Later, they sometimes competed but then worked together again. The BVP had ministers in many national governments, with Erich Emminger serving as a top leader.

Political activity

The Bavarian People's Party had strong leaders who helped keep Bavaria safe during a difficult time in Germany. One leader, Kahr, tried to protect Bavaria from outside troubles but had to leave his job in 1921.

Later, a new group called the Bayernwacht was created to support the party. This group stopped working in 1933. Under leaders like Heinrich Held and Fritz Schäffer, the party worked to improve Bavaria’s economy and infrastructure. The party also made decisions in national politics, such as supporting Paul von Hindenburg for president in 1925.

Rise of the Nazi Party and end of the BVP

The rise of the Nazi Party starting in 1930 did not affect the Bavarian People's Party (BVP) as much as other parties, because the BVP had strong support in rural Catholic areas. Even though many of its members were arrested after the Nazis took power in January 1933, the BVP decided to end its activities on July 4, 1933. The leaders who had been arrested were then let go.

Successor parties

After the Second World War, two new parties were created: the Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Bavaria Party. These parties share some ideas with the old Bavarian People's Party (BVP), but they are not directly connected to it as continuing the same organization.

From 1945, the CSU included many people who supported German nationalist ideas in Bavaria. This included the Bavarian Middle Party, which was linked to a nationalist group called the German National People's Party, as well as some members from the Bavarian Peasants' League and urban middle classes. The Bavaria Party also had supporters from both the BVP and the Peasants' League.