A special issue of the German newspaper Berliner Volksbote, dated 19 June 1926, printed in Berlin. The headline states that this is a “Sonder-Ausgabe” – a special issue – calling on the German people not to participate in a referendum in favor of the expropriation of the property of the German nobility for the “Marxists” (the Jews).
The entire issue is devoted to the German referendum that was scheduled to take place on 20 June 1926 on the expropriation of the princes’ property (Fürstenenteignung) for the benefit of the lower classes. After the fall of the monarchy in 1918, an open question remained regarding the property of the royal houses and the German nobility. Left-wing forces – primarily socialists and communists – demanded that the property be expropriated without compensation and transferred to the people. The headline of the issue, “Für wen” – “For whom?” – poses a rhetorical question: to whom does the wealth belong – to the people or to the elites. The caricature presents a contrast between “the people, ” depicted as a greedy Jew with stereotypical features, and an elegant aristocratic figure. The issue asserts that the property of the nobles would not pass to the lower classes after expropriation, but rather to the “Marxists” (the Jews), who exploit the naivety of left-wing organizations in Germany. It portrays the expropriation as “the theft of private property” and its transfer to those unworthy of it, and calls on the newspaper’s readers not to participate in the referendum in favor of the expropriation. “Those of limited means cannot expect any benefit from the referendum; on the contrary, their participation in the referendum contributes to the worsening of the condition of the German people. The reputation of the German people in the world has already been severely damaged by the November Revolution of 1918… If the majority of German voters decide on 20 June that private property is no longer secure, that incited masses can bend the law, then Germany’s reputation will undoubtedly be harmed again… Even if the masses were to gain something from the expropriation of the princes, which is highly unlikely, the damage they cause by plundering private property would be even greater…” The newspaper states that if the expropriation is carried out, the money will go to Jewish families and will never reach those truly in need, even according to the view of those who advocate it. On the back of the issue is an instruction to those who nevertheless choose to participate in the referendum to mark “No” on the ballot.
The referendum on the expropriation of the princes’ property (Fürstenenteignung) in June 1926 was one of the most turbulent and divisive political events of the Weimar Republic period. It set in opposition the principles of social justice of the left against the sanctity of private property upheld by the right and the center. After the German Revolution of 1918, the former royal and aristocratic families (such as the House of Hohenzollern) lost their political power, but their vast property – lands, castles, and art collections – remained the subject of legal and political dispute. Following the period of hyperinflation, the middle and working classes lost their savings, while the former royal houses demanded enormous financial compensation from the state for assets that had been nationalized. The Communist Party (KPD) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) initiated the referendum under the slogan: “Not a single penny for the princes!” The goal was to expropriate the property without compensation and use it for the public good, such as assistance to war victims and the poor. Ultimately, the referendum failed because a “quorum” (minimum threshold) was not reached, according to the law, an absolute majority of all eligible voters (over 20 million people) was required, not merely a majority of those voting. The failure deepened the rift between right and left and weakened the confidence of the lower classes in the institutions of the republic, paving the way for the subsequent rise of extremist forces. The Nazi Party was initially divided on the issue: Adolf Hitler opposed the expropriation, while the “left-wing” faction within the party (such as Gregor Strasser) initially supported it for populist reasons.
Complete issue. [2] pages. Very good condition.
