Grassi, Josef Mathias - Luise von Mecklenburg-Strelitz

The "Queen Louise League" (German: ''Königin-Luise-Bund'', often shortened to ''Luisenbund'') was a German pro-

monarchic A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy) ...

women's organization. It was established in 1923 during the time of the

Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...

and lasted until the first years of

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. This organization was inspired on the figure of

Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Luise Auguste Wilhelmine Amalie; 10 March 1776 – 19 July 1810) was Queen of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III. The couple's happy, though short-lived, marriage produced nine child ...

, Queen of

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...

, who was held in reverence by many Germans of the time. The ''Bund Königin Luise'' had a youth branch - the ''Kinderkreis'' ("Children Circle"). The Queen Louise League as an organization had

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...

ic overtones built around the veneration of the former Prussian queen as a

role model A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people. The term ''role model'' is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton, who hypothesized that individuals compare themselves ...

for all German women. She became idealized for her feminine virtues, her determination and her love for her country, as well as for her beauty and the fact that

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

, portrayed as an "enemy of everything German", hated her. The league's ideals were distilled into a booklet named ''ABC für unsere Arbeit'' ("ABC for our Work") which every member had to know by heart. Like many of the emergent

nationalistic Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: T ...

movements of the time, this organization was highly structured, with local branches all over Germany.

History

The Queen Louise League was politically very close to far-right German parties of the time, like the

German National People's Party The German National People's Party (german: Deutschnationale Volkspartei, DNVP) was a national-conservative party in Germany during the Weimar Republic. Before the rise of the Nazi Party, it was the major conservative and nationalist party in Wei ...

(DNVP) and also the paramiitary ''

Der Stahlhelm ' (German, 'The Steel Helmet, League of Front-Line Soldiers'), commonly known as ''Der Stahlhelm'' ('The Steel Helmet'), was a German First World War veteran's organisation existing from 1918 to 1935. It was part of the "Black Reichswehr" and ...

'' organization from its establishment. Many wives of ''Der Stahlhelm'' members belonged to the Queen Louise League and they were, like their husbands, strongly opposed to democracy and in favor of

German re-armament German rearmament (''Aufrüstung'', ) was a policy and practice of rearmament carried out in Germany during the interwar period (1918–1939), in violation of the Treaty of Versailles which required German disarmament after WWI to prevent Germa ...

. After the ''Machtergreifung'', the takeover of the government of Germany by

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

, the Queen Louise League was initially welcomed by the

Nazi party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...

as an ally. There were strong bonds between both movements owing to their common extremely conservative ideology and solid

German nationalism German nationalism () is an ideological notion that promotes the unity of Germans and German-speakers into one unified nation state. German nationalism also emphasizes and takes pride in the patriotism and national identity of Germans as one na ...

. Campaigning along with the

brownshirts The (; SA; literally "Storm Detachment") was the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for Nazi ralli ...

for a "Greater Germany" with expanded borders and "freedom from weight of the reparations", the League's members had taken active part in parades and events organized by the Nazis even before their accession to power. The Queen Louise League shared as well with the ''

Reichskolonialbund The Reichskolonialbund (RKB) ( en, Reich Colonial League) was a collective body that absorbed all German colonial organisations during the time of the Third Reich. It was led by Franz Ritter von Epp. The Reichskolonialbund was active between 193 ...

'' the demand for the return of the former German colonies. Despite its ideological affinity with most of the Nazis' nationalistic ideals, the Queen Louise League was disbanded by the Nazi government in 1934. The reason was the difference in local practices, be it at the '' Gau'' or national level, which didn't match those wished by the Nazi leadership of the country.Jill Stephenson, The Nazi Organisation of Women, London 1981 Following its dissolution the members and departments of the ''Königin-Luise-Bund'' were integrated into the corresponding branches for women and children of the Nazi Party, like the ''NS-Frauenschaft'' (Nazi Women's League), ''Bund Deutscher Mädel'' (League of German Girls) and its children section into the

National Socialist Schoolchildren's League The National Socialist Schoolchildren's League (Nationalsozialistischer Schülerbund), known under the acronyms NSS and more rarely NSSB, was a Nazi Party organisation for primary school pupils providing a student council and child protection sys ...

(NSS) or the ''Kinderschar'' of the Nazi Women's League.

References

*Bund Königin Luise, ''10 Jahre Freiheitskampf, 1923-1933'', Vaterländischer Verlag, Halle a.d.Saale. Jahrbücher 1932-1934 Bund Königin Luise .

History

See also

References

Further reading