Political pressure groups in Germany

- established in 1891

- membership c25,000 - predominantly middle class with 60 reichstag deputies by 1914

- anti-semitic 

AIMS:

- to unite ethnic Germans around the world

- to acquire colonies (working closely wiht the 1882 German colonial League

- to suppress socialism and democracy

- established in 1898

- membership c500,000

AIMS:

- to promote naval espansion

- to develop popular support for the navy

- to put pressure on Reichstag to pass naval bills

- to promote growth of colonies

- Established 1893

- membership c250,000 (over 330,000 by 1913)

- led by Junkers but many were smallholders and tenant farmers

AIMS:

- to protect agricultural interests

- to lobby for tarrif protection to help farmers

- Established 1904

- membership c200,000

- supported by heavy industry

AIMS:

- to curb the growth of socialism through propagandist campaigns

- to promote conservative values

- Established 1895

- members from manufacturing and export industries

- favoured high tariffs to promote exports

AIMS

- to protect manufacturing interests

- to promote exports

- Established 1912

- membership c300,000, with 500 branches by 1914

AIMS

- to promote expansion of the German Army and that part of the economy that supported it

- to pressurise the Reichstag to pass army bills