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4 Refugees and political parties, 1945–50

Abstract

The emergence of a 'refugee party' threatened to intensify the conflicts between the expellee and indigenous populations. This chapter analyses the attitude and policies of the political parties to the German refugees and expellees. It explores the tensions which often developed within the parties between refugees and their indigenous counterparts. The chapter focuses on the Social Democratic Party of Germany (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, SPD), the Christian Democratic Union (Christlich-Demokratische Union, CDU)/Christian Social Union (Christlich-Soziale Union, CSU), and the Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP). It evaluates the strenuous efforts of the Communist Party of Germany (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, KPD) to win support among the newcomers, and examines the attitude of radical rightwing parties to the refugees and expellees. The chapter also analyses the newcomers' voting behaviour between 1946 and 1950 in the three main refugee states of Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein.

Abstract

The emergence of a 'refugee party' threatened to intensify the conflicts between the expellee and indigenous populations. This chapter analyses the attitude and policies of the political parties to the German refugees and expellees. It explores the tensions which often developed within the parties between refugees and their indigenous counterparts. The chapter focuses on the Social Democratic Party of Germany (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, SPD), the Christian Democratic Union (Christlich-Demokratische Union, CDU)/Christian Social Union (Christlich-Soziale Union, CSU), and the Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP). It evaluates the strenuous efforts of the Communist Party of Germany (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, KPD) to win support among the newcomers, and examines the attitude of radical rightwing parties to the refugees and expellees. The chapter also analyses the newcomers' voting behaviour between 1946 and 1950 in the three main refugee states of Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of tables vii
  4. List of plates ix
  5. Acknowledgements xi
  6. List of abbreviations xiii
  7. Introduction 1
  8. 1 The origins of the refugee problem 8
  9. 2 The influx of refugees into Germany and its problems, 1945–50 18
  10. 3 Relations between the refugee and native populations, 1945–50 58
  11. Plates 94
  12. 4 Refugees and political parties, 1945–50 99
  13. 5 The integration of the refugees into (West) Germany after 1950 139
  14. 6 The issue of political radicalisation 177
  15. 7 Refugees in the Soviet Occupation Zone/German Democratic Republic 197
  16. Conclusion 234
  17. References 239
  18. Index 261
Refugees and expellees in post-war Germany
This chapter is in the book Refugees and expellees in post-war Germany
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526129802.00012

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of tables vii
  4. List of plates ix
  5. Acknowledgements xi
  6. List of abbreviations xiii
  7. Introduction 1
  8. 1 The origins of the refugee problem 8
  9. 2 The influx of refugees into Germany and its problems, 1945–50 18
  10. 3 Relations between the refugee and native populations, 1945–50 58
  11. Plates 94
  12. 4 Refugees and political parties, 1945–50 99
  13. 5 The integration of the refugees into (West) Germany after 1950 139
  14. 6 The issue of political radicalisation 177
  15. 7 Refugees in the Soviet Occupation Zone/German Democratic Republic 197
  16. Conclusion 234
  17. References 239
  18. Index 261
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