Bavarian People's Party

The Bavarian People's Party (German: Bayerische Volkspartei; BVP) was a Christian democratic political party in Bavaria during the Weimar Republic. It started after the end of the German Empire in 1918, when it split from the larger Centre Party.

The BVP was very important in Bavarian state politics. From 1920, every leader of the state government came from the party. However, it remained a smaller group nationally, getting only about three percent of the votes in elections.

The party stopped existing after the Nazi seizure of power in 1933. After World War II, it was not started again. Many of its supporters joined the new Christian Social Union in Bavaria, which 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 Bavaria to have more control over its own matters.

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 was very popular in Bavarian elections during the Weimar Republic. It worked with other parties, like the Bavarian Peasants' League and the Bavarian Middle Party, to help run the government. Leaders of the BVP 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 make 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 leaders who helped Bavaria during a difficult time in Germany. One leader, Kahr, tried to protect Bavaria 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 roads. The party also helped choose leaders for all of Germany, such as supporting Paul von Hindenburg for president in 1925.

Rise of the Nazi Party and end of the BVP

The Nazi Party became stronger starting in 1930. The Bavarian People's Party (BVP) was not hurt as much as other parties because it had many supporters in rural Catholic areas. After the Nazis took power in January 1933, many BVP members were arrested. In July 1933, the BVP decided to stop its activities. The leaders who were arrested were later released.

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 the same organization.

From 1945, the CSU included many people who supported German ideas in Bavaria. The Bavaria Party also had supporters from the BVP.