ANALYSIS OF AGRARIAN PRESSURE GROUPS IN THE GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-02771R000300040003-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 32
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 19, 2003
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 22, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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22 March 1955
ANALYSIS OF AGRARIAN PRESSURE GROUPS
IN THE GERMAN FEDER1,L REPUBLIC
SUMMARY
Although West German agriculture has reached again
and partly surpassed its prewar level, it is notLap-
able or competit?o with its neighboring countries
b technical backwardness, ea vchiefly 14 long-standing
tariff protection. The influx of immigrants from the
Soviet and Polish zones of occupation has eased the man-
power scarcity, but has also set new tasks in feeding
additional population and settling refugee farmers. The
Federal Government submitted a comprehensive plan to in-
crease agricultural productivity and reduce gradually pro-
tectionist measures (Luebke Plan).
US policy favors, in the interest of West European
defense,'the increase of economic productivity and the
abolition of International trade barriers. There is full
agreemen co erni the ultimate aims cct German agrarian
policy, but frequent disagreement concerning the tempo.
German agriculture is well-organized, chie'ly,in two
big federations, the German Farm~Association, which
is almost,a monopoly representation and only partly out-
weighed by the German Agricultural Soviet and the
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Agricultural Chamber ``under the latter'a intluenc .
They share the professed agrarian goals, but tend in
practical questions to protect the units less able to
meet competition and to slow down transition.
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AGRARIAN PRESSURE GROUPS IN THE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GER?4ANY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
Present Problems of Agrarian Policy in West
Germany
Page
1
II.
US Interest in West German Agriculture
4
III.
The German Agricultural Administration
7
IV.
Agrarian Pressure Groups
11
A.
Agricultural Associations 11
1.
German Farmers Association
11
2.
German Farm Women's Association
15
3.
League of German Farm Youth
16
4.
Federation of German Agricultural
Cooperatives
16
5.
German Agricultural Society
17
6.
Association of Agricultural Chambers
19
7.
Other Agricultural Organizations
20
B.
Political Parties and Agriculture Policy 21
1.
Christian Democratic Union/Christian
Social Union
22
2.
Free Democratic Party
22
3.
All-German Bloc
23
4.
German Party
23
5.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
23
V.
A Selective Bibliography of Recent Works on German
Agrarian Policy
25.
VI.
References
27
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22 March 1955
I. PRESENT PROBLEMS OF AGRARIAN POLICY IN WEST GERMANY
War has left German agriculture in a disastrous condi-
tion. The agrarian policy of the Nazi regime had failed.
it did not prevent the mass exodus of the rural population
to the cities, and German manpower had to be supplanted by
foreign labor. As a result of war attrition the agricul-
tural-inventory was obsolete, the soil exhausted, storage
facilities destroyed and productivity lowered. J In ad-
dition to that, food-surplus regions in the East had been
cut off and a refugee population of 9,000,000 had been
added to West Germany.
During the first post-war years, 1945-1949, US aid
made up for the food and fertilizer deficiency. / After
the currency stabilization and the ensuing industrial re-
covery, the agricultural production, also, improved con-
siderably. However, there remains much to be done. Ger-
man farmers have settled to their old ways. Having been
artificially insulated by protective tariffs and particu-
larly by the full regimentation of the Nazi regime, the
German farmer is not able to compete under world market
conditions. He is to a large extent tradition-bound,
backward in equipment and management. A/
Large.estate ownership in in general no problem in
Western Germany. (Some large estates were divided by
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occupation laws of 192+7). The big problem is rather ex-
cessive fragmentation and scattering of lots, in parti-
cular in Bavaria and Hease', which date back many centuries
from the dividing up of community lands and prevent
mechanization and rational. operation. Still, about 12,000,000
acres, half of the entire area, require consolidation. Al-
though about 30,000 new settlements for immigrants have
been created, about a million of former farmers remain to
be settled.
The danger of a protectionist policy has been generally
understood, and increased productivity and rentability is,
therefore, demanded in economic literature and accepted
as goal by agricultural organizations, political parties
and the government. / Yet, although.the gos,l is shared
by all,? opinions vary about the ways and the speed of its
achievement. The government had to concentrate its at-
tention on the re-establishment of industry and on keeping
down the food-price level and production costs. Hence,
the legislative enactments during the first post-war years
are largely short-term measures without a concerted over-
all program. The presence of Eastern refugees has partly
alleviated the lack of agricultural manpower, but also
raised the problem of their resettlement. The present
Minister for Food, Agriculture and Forests of the Federal.
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German Republic, Heinrich Luebke, submitted a long-term
plan for increasing productivity and rentability of the
West German agriculture in November 1953.
This Luebke Plan consists of measures for rationali-
zation, mechanization and modernization of farm equipment
and farm buildings, improving the quality of food and other
products through expansion of marketing and distribution
facilities, consolidation of fragmentary holdings and
prevention of new fragmentation, increasing the size of
dwarf farm units, increasing the agricultural area through
drainage, irrigation, dike construction and cultivation
of waste lands, improvement of agricultural education and
agricultural extension, and providing for low-interest
agricultural credit. It aims at increasing rentability
by lowering production costs rather than by artificial
price and market controls. ,?f
Federal legislation in 1953 aimed at accelerating
land consolidation, resettlement of refugees and creating
of new homesteads in former waste lands.
The Luebke Plan is supposed to dispense finally of the
still-existing market regimentation and import restrictions.
It has to overcome strong opposition from vested interests,
conservatism and the fact that German agriculture has been
considered more a way of life than an economic enterprise.
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II. US INTEREST IN WEST GERMAN AGRICULTURE
During the first years of occupation US policy in rela-
tion to rood and agriculture was guided by the objective
of preventing "diseases and civil unrest" and to reducing
as much as possible the requirements of direct aid. Dur-
ing the years of the Marshall Plan Aid (EGA, 19+9-51),'
stress was laid on economic integration and reconstruction
of Europe and the liberalization of inter-European trade.
The ensuing Mutual Security Agency (MSA) and Foreign Opera-
tions Administration (FOA) program centers on the defense
effort which requires, in the long run, growth of the West
European production basis, higher living standards, develop-
ment of resources and reduction of unreasonable barriers
between the European countries. 8J Parallel to that runs
the interest of the US economy in West Germany as the
second largest buyer of its agricultural products.
The Office of the Militar3r Government for Germany
(OMGUS) and later the Office of the High Commissioner for
Germany (HICOG) had within its Office for Economic Affairs
a Division of Food and Agriculture. This Division acted
later simultaneously as a part of the Economic Cooperation
Administration (ECA), Special Mission for Germany, which
was superqeded in 1952 by the MSA and in 1953 by the FOA.
4
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The Division to still in operation and headed by the Agri-
cultural Attache, John J. Haggerty. 10 In the framework
of the Organization of European Economic Cooper~ion (OEEC;,
the Americana have pressed for trade liberalization, to
which German agriculture could only reluctantly concede.
In January 1955 the quota for free grain import was raised
from 60 per cent to 75 per cent. According to the New
York Times of 4 March 1955, Germany agreed at-the Genes
agreement on Tariffs and Trade Conference (GATT) in Geneva
to,abolish its import controls on farm products by 1960. 11
The US contribution to the rehabilitation of the West
German agriculture has been extraordinarily great and has
been generally recognized by many German writers. After
direct aid by subsidies, in the form of seed goods and
fertilizers, ECA counterpart funds were widely used on
American advice, thus raising agricultural productivity,
as for instance the promotion of new methods and techniques
for improvement of pastures, teed breeding, livestock feed-
ing and disease control, artificial insemination, soil
testing, farm mechanization, agricultural research, educa-
tion-and extension services. American-aid financed a
poultry productivity program and a program to eradicate
bovine tuberculosis.`
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During these days it was US policy to prevent formation
of a monolithic organization like the former Reichsnaehrstand
(Reich Food Estate). It supported the constructive elements
in the program of the German Farmers Association without,
however, letting it go so far as to hinder foreign trade
or to get completely in control of the Federal Ministry. 12
The Food and Agriculture Division of HICOG had in 1950-51
a special consultant on-its staff, Mr. William Lodwick,
who was appointed liaison officer with the German farm
organizations.
US representatives were very critical of the "Green
Pool" plan, advanced by the French Minister Pierre Pimpflin
in March 1951. The plan aimed at the creation of a free,
single market for France and Germany and was widely die-
cussed in Germany. The US position had been that it was
protectionist in character, but that it could be amended. 1v
The agrarian policy of HICOG has been in full agreement
with the final objectives of German agrarian policy, yet
it was frequently at variance over the tempo of their
realization. While the Germans were eager to accept
American technical improvement, particularly modern machinery
and the American agricultural-extension system, they refused
"to Jump with both feet into a free economy" and often con-
.
tinued to practice protectionism and regimentation in a
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way quite distasteful to American economists. These die-
agreements caused friction, but HICOG refrained from using
its veto against such enactments as the market laws even
at a time when it had a right to do it. The American ad-
visers exerted their influence against giving undue prefer-
ence to industry over agriculture and price fixing, and
favored trade liberalization in the frame of the OEEC. j/
III. THE GERMAN AGRICULTURAL ADMINISTRATION
The central agency of the Federal Government Is the
Bundesministerium fuer Ernaehrung, Landwirtechaft and Forsten
(SELF, Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Forests),
consisting of six departments: 1) Administration, 2) Agri-
cultural Production, 3) Foreign Trade and Food Processing
and Marketing, 4) Agrarian Policy, 5) Forestry and Wood
Products, 6) Statistics. 1V It was headed from its
-
incep-tion in September 1949 until October 1953 by Dr. Wilhelm
Niklas (born in 1887 at Traunatein, Bavaria, CDU/CSU).
Al-
though he had accepted the idea that in the long run the
German farmer must face foreign competition and therefore
specialize, he favored slow and cautious transition from
the planned to a free economy. 17 During the second half
of his term of office, ill health forced him to relinquish
day-to-day direction of the Ministry to Dr. Theodor Sonnemann,
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a political appointee and a choice of the leaders of the
German Farmers Association. The latter's uncompromisingly
aggressive defense of the market control system, embodied
in four marketing laws which regimented production, process-
ing grains and feed, sugar, milk and fats, livestock and meat,
won him the reputation of a champion of protectionism and the
nickname of"Dr..Narktordnung" (Dr. Marketing Regulation).
In 1953 Niklas was succeeded on the "green throne" by
the present incumbent Dr. Heinrich Luebke (born in 1894 in
Enkhaven, Westphalia, CPT/CSU, member of the Prussian State
Diet before 1933, Minister of Agriculture in North Rhine-
Westphalia from 1949 to 1952, member of the.Bundeatag from
1949 to 1950, and general manager of the Federation of Agri-
cultural Cooperatives). Luebke is described, as a knowledge-
able, skillful and forceful personality, but of ill health.
He is the author of the Luebke Plan, which envisaces the
entry of German agriculture into a common European market
and aims at cost reduction by rationalization and greater
efficiency, rather than by protectionist measures as sub-
sidies, tax privileges, lowered interest rates, and so
forth, as are demanded by his opponents. The cause of pro-
tectionism, is however, advocated by his own deputy minister,
Dr. Sonnemann,' likewise a forceful personality and sup-
ported by the farmers' organizations. That cooperation
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between them is bad, is no secret. 18 Subsidiary to the
Ministry Is the Auseenhandelastelle fuer Landwirtaohaft
(Foreign Trade Agency for Food and Agricultural Products)
in Frankfurt Main, in charge of procurement of foodstuffs
from abroad, licensing of imports, storage, and so forth.
The following institutions, although technically private
associations have semi-official character: 20
Land-und Hauswirtschaftlicher AuewertuMs-und Informa-
tionadienst (AID, Agricultural and Home Economics
Analysis and Information Service), 'Bad Godesberg,
Heeratrasse 124, has been established through the
initiative of the Food and Agriculture Division of
HICOG And operated largely with US aid. It applies
American methods in dissemination of agricultural-
technical information to German conditions through
pamphlets, periodicals, leaflets, film strips, ex-
hibitions, soundtracks, etc. Dr. Kurt Petrick is
chief.
Kuratorium flier Technik in der Landwirtschaft (KTL,
Society for Agricultural Engineering), Frankfurt/
Main, Soesmaerstrasse 6, is successor to the Rechs-
kuratorium fuer Technik in der Landwirtaohaft, founded
in 1931, which had aimed at overcoming technical
backwardness in German agriculture as compared for
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instance to Holland and Denmark. It established
machinery-advisory stations and technical courses.
After World War II it was revived and is controlled
by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
The ArbeitegemeinsChaft our Foerderung des landwirtachaft-
li~ Bauwesena Association for Improvement of
Agricultural Construction). Frankfurt/Main, Feldbert-
strasse 28.
The Landwirtschaftekaimmrn (Agricultural Chambers), which
have partly official administrative and advisory func-
tions, are treated below under IV (6).
The organizational pattern of the Land (provincial) minis-
tries corresponds roughly to that of the federal ministry.
Agricultural affairs fall in the field of concurrent legis-
lation, that is the Laender (provinces) can legislate, inso-
far as the federation has not acted. However, difficult-lea
sometimes, arise from competence conflicts. 21
Within the, legislative branch the Bundestag has a Com-
mittee for Food, Agriculture and Foreets.and the Bundearat..
an Agrarian Committee (Agrarausschuss). The land legislatives,
diets, also have agriculture committees which control the
provincial administration. 22
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IV. AGRARIAN PRESSURE GROUPS
Outstanding pressure groups affecting the legislative
policies of the government in agricultural matters have
been the farmers, the consumers and the business interests.
Each, of these groups has its representatives in the Bundestag
as well as in professional organizations outside the parlia-
ment.
A. Agricultural Associations
1. Deutsoher Bauernverband e.V.* (DBV, Herman Farmers
Association). Headquarters: Bonn, Koblenzerstraase 121.
President: Dr. Andreas Hermes.
During the Nazi period all peasant associations and all
professional corporations had either been dissolved or in-
corporated in the Reich Food Estate. They were revived in
the various Laender soon after the war and linked together
to the Deutscher Bauernverband, a voluntary federative as-
sociation of over a million members, well organized from
community up to district and land level, aiming at the
monopoly of representation of all agricultural interests.
It has been granted the right of laying a compulsory levy
* e.V., eingetragener Vey means registered association.
it
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on farm property at the rate of DM 1 per DIM 1,000 of assessed
value, which applies to all farmers whether or not they are
members (Law of 5 March 1948, enacted by the Bizonal Economic
Council). Thanks to this privilege the DVB rose rapidly to
become the most influential pressure group. It has placed
some of its people in important government positions, drafted
proposed legislation and pressed for its passage. It also
succeeded in getting its representatives into the administra-
tion and control of the divers quasi governmental agencies
and entered into contact with international agrarian organi-
zations.
Although paying lip service to modernization, it has
concentrated its energies on protectionism, like subsidies,
price supports, tax privileges, and so forth, has opposed
trade liberalization,-having among its members many owners of
small farms of marginal rentability. It thus became trapped
between announced goals and real purposes when it became clear
that the new Agriculture Minister meant business. Basically
its aim is not change at all, but to make the status quo more
comfortable. 24 Thus the opposition against the Luebke
Plan centers with DBV, which has efficient lobbies with the
CDU and the FDP.
The dominant personality in the DBV Is Dr. Andreas
Hermes (born in 1884 in Cologne, former minister of finance
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in the Weimar Republic .and opponent of the Junkers, after
1943 the recognized leader of the anti-Hitler conspiracy
in the Rhineland and proposed minister of agriculture in
the "Provisional Government" of the conspirators of 20 July
1944. / He was in charge of Berlin's food supply after. the
Soviet conquest, but went soon to the West, where he became
one of the founders of the CDU). A very vigorous and capable
personality, he has been instrumental in the development of
the DBV and its president since its inception, although his
views have not been unchallenged by other spokesman of the
organization. His efforts to keep a united agricultural
front are partly jeopardized by the Bavarian federalists
who insist on "State's rights" and by Catholic groups who
.claim the prerogative of youth education. For 1954, the
major objectives of the DBV may be listed as follows:
r
(a) Restoration of .a united agrarian front.
(b) Enactment of party legislation.
(a) Securing of favorable treatment for agriculture
in the major tax reform.
(d) Increasing the availability of funds for financing
land settlement and land consolidation projects.
(e) Enactment of legislation to prevent re-splitting
of land holdings.
(f) Enactment of.fruit and vegetable marketing laws.
13
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The association would be strong enough to thwart the
Luebke Plan if it so desired. In the international field
it Is an active member in the work of International Feddora-
t- ion Agricultural Producers (IFAP), founded 19+9, . and
Confederation europeenne de l'agriculture (CEA), founded
1948. It is.opposed to the "Green Pool," the so-called
Pimpflin Plan, which aimed at an agricultural equivalent
of the Schumann Plan. Every year the DBV stages the
Deutscher Bauerntag (Annual German Farmers Convention) in
connection with a Farm Women's and a Farm Youth Convention.
The DBV has won a dominant position in the Federation
of German Cooper tives (see below), and Dr. Hermes was
made its president in 1949. It also controls the Arfbts-
geemmeinschaft der land-und foretwirtsohaftlichen Arbeitgeber-
verbaende (Federation of Agricultural and Forest Employers
Associations) with the same haadquiirtors, a high level organi-
zation of. all agricultural emplbyer'e' associations for col-
lective bargaining with the employees' organization. At
the same headquarters is.also the office of the Zentralaus-
sc huss ddeerdeutschen Landwirtschaft (Central Committee of
German Agriculture), a coordinating comittee comprising
the four leading agricultural organizations, the Cooperatives,
the DBV, the Agricultural Chambers and the Agricultural Society.
The latter two, however, have kept their independence from
the DBV.
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The opposition of the DVB against trade liberalization,
its protectionist attitudes and monopolistic tendencies
worries considerably the Agricultural Division of HICOG
which--as long as it exerted influence on internal Oar-
man policy--tried,to counter balance its preponderancy
by supporting the Geftan Agricultural Society.
27
2. Deutsaher Landtrauenverband, e.V. (German Farm
Women's Association). Headquarters: Stuttgart, Rote
Buehlstrasse 84. President: Maria Luise Graetin
Leutrum. Membership: 80,000 in 6,700 local groups. Re
founded in 1948.
The Farm Women's Association is affiliated with the
DBV..Its main purpose in education in home economics.
In 1950 HICQO appointed a liaison officer, Mrs. Catharine
Holtzclaw, who arranged leadership training courses using
American experience in that-field. US policy was to encour-
age some independence from the DBV. 2
During 1953 theassociation staged 17,000 lectures,
training courses, demonstrations and study trips; it operates
about 170 community houses for farm women, "Haeuser der
Baeue rin"; it plans community laundries and freezing plants.
The association, however, does not have sufficient funds
of its own and lacks central leadership, remaining, there-
Pore, a-minor influence.
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3. Bund der Deutschen Land u end, e.V. (League: of the
German Farm Youth). Founded in 1949.
The Farm Youth League is also attached to the DVB. Its
aim has been cultivation of rural tradition, revival of the
village community and agricultural education. In the pro-
vincial organizations of Bavaria and Westphalia some con-
flicts arose with the Roman Catholic youth organizations
in 1954. AOJ The central educational institution of the
League is the Farmers College at Fredeburg (North Rhine-
Westphalia) largely established with ECA counterpart funds.
4. Deutacher Raiffeisenverband, e.V. (Federation of
German Agricultural Cooperatives). Headquarters: Bonn,
Koblenzerstrasse 121 (see DBV). President: Dr. Andreas
Hermes. Membership: About 3,300,000 in 23,600 cooperatives.
The German agricultural cooperative organization is an,,
old organization with a tradition of long standing. It had
been founded by Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen, whoet name it
has carried since 1849. The cooperatives, based on self-
help and community autonomy,formed in 1930 a Reichaverband
of about 40,000. They were incorporated by the Nazi Regime
into the Reichanaehrstand and revived in 1948. The Deutsche
Raiffeisenverband comprises all kinds of rural cooperatives
as credit,, purchase, production and sales cooperatives.
16
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The cooperatives situated in the East Zone (about 6,000)
continue to exist, but were fused with the Vereinigung der
gegenseltigen Bauernhilfe (VdgB, Association of Mutual
Farmers Aid) and, having lost all vestiges of autonomy,
are centrally directed "democratic mass organizations."
The Federation handles an ever-growing portion of the
total farm purchase of seeds and fertilizers (60%), 82%
of the milk output in cooperative dairies, a large part
of the butter (74%) and cheese production (50%), as well
as milk canning, the marketing of eggs and livestock, pro-
viding of new storage facilities, etc.
The business of the cooperatives enjoys certain tax
privileges, insofar as it Is exempted from the turnover
tax for transactions between the cooperative and its members.
In the political field the Federation fights for maintenance
of these tax preferences and of its present exemption from
The Federation is controlled by the DVS and has also
cartel legislation., /
joined the IFAD and CEA.
5. Deutsche Landwirtschaftegeselischaft e.V. (DLG,
German Agricultural Society). Headquarters: Frankfurt/Main,
Niedenau 48. President is Karl Lorberg, former state minister.
Membership:, 11,275 (1953).
17
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Founded in 1885 by the writer Max Eyth, according to
the pattern of the Royal Agricultural Society in England,
the German Agricultural Society inaugurated systematic
promotion of agricultural technique in Germany. Since 1887
it arranged agricultural exhibitions in all parts of Germany
and'aided the farmers by consultation concerning farm
buildings, testing of seeds, fertilizers and machinery.. It
was reconstituted in 1948 as a non-political quasi-scientific,
group and again arranges agricultural shows (the latest in
Cologne in June 1953) and regional and national conferences
an the "Green Weekt" in Berlin, 1953). The "DLG quality
seal" and the "DLG wine seal" enjoy increasing recognition.
The DLG is the outstanding rival organization of the DVB
and resisted, partly with the assistance of the Agricultural
Division of HICOG, any encroachment into its own activities. 34/
Other activities of the DLG are: improvement of rural hygiene
and education, construction of community freezing lockeers,
management principles in land consolidation, inter-provincial
trips of live stockbreeders, improvement of food silage,
quality tests of mixed food concentrates, sewage water.
utilization, plant breeding, testing methods for agricultural
machinery, quality improvement of food processing methods,
wasteland cultivation methods, to -ting food for export to'
tropical countries, and so forth.
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The German Agricultural Society has had a close relation-
ship to the Association of Agricultural Chambers and a com-
mon president. The Society tried to prevent the exclusive
domination of the agricultural chambers by the DBV.
6. Verband der Landwirtechaftekamern_e .V. (Associa-
tion of Agricultural Chambers). Headquarters: Frankfurt/
Main, Bodenheimeratrasse 25. President: Karl Lorberg,,
former state minister.
The agricultural chambers have been mentioned above
under the heading of government administration (Sec. III),
because they are assigned some official functions. Their
organization is regulated by law. They are financed by a
compulsory government levy and government subsidies. They
had been first set up in Prussia (1894), later in Bavaria
(1920), were abolished by the Nazis and reestablished after
World War II in some of the laender, with the exception
of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. IV A uniform bill
providing for compulsory establishment of agricultural
chambers in all laender has failed to date to be approved.
They are united in the Association of Agricultural Chambers,
competing with the..DVB, which, however, gained influence in
the local chambers of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia
and Hesse.,?/ They have been active in matters pertaining
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J
to legal proceedings in refugee settlement, land consoli-
dation, advisory services to young farmers, quality improve-
ment of fruit and vegetables by awarding a quality seal,
operation of secondary agricultural schools, control of
bovine tuberculosis, water economy, and so forth. J
7. Other Agricultural Organizations
There exist many other agricultural associations of
far lesser importance e.g.:
Oesamtvertretung _der heimatvertriebenen Landwirtachaft
(Association of Refugee Farmers). Bonn, Argelander-
strasse 171.
Oeselleohaft zur Foerderung der inneren Kolonisation
(Society for the Furtherance of Internal Colonization).
Duesseldorf, Haroldstrasse 3. (Formerly presided by
the present Agricultural Minister Prof. Heinrich
Luebke.
Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Orundbesitzerverbaende (Federa-
tion of Fare. Owners Asuoeiations). Heidelberg,
Bergstrasse 55. Representing the interests of the
larger land owners.
Agrareoziale Oesellschaft, e.V. (Society for Rural
Sociology). .Ooettingen, Hoher Weg 3. President:
Walter Strauss.
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Verb and der Diplomlandwirte and Diplomgaertner, e.V.
(Association of Graduates of Agricultural Colleges).
Frankfurt/Main,, Festhal le .
Verbindungsstelle Landwirtaahaft-Industrie, e.V. (Liaison
Agriculture-Industry). Essen/Ruhr.
Landwirtsehaftlioher Arbeiterverband (Agricultural Em-
ployees Association). Membership: 109,000 (1950).
Is a member of Beutscher aewerkschaftsbund (DaB,
German Trade Union Federation) and aims at representa-
tion of agricultural workers on equal footing with
farm owners.
See' also AID, K TL and ALB, in Section ICI.
B. Political Parties and Agricultural Policy_
The farming population constitutes approximately one-fifth
of the entire West German population, but the number of the
farmer delegates in the Bundestag is much lower. There are
farm representatives in most of the political parties, but
particularly in the CDU/CSU, the FDP and GDR. Thus the
Adenauer coalition includes a substantial farmer represen-
tation, while the SPD,.th*'chief opposition party, has
only a few farmer3 among its delegates. 40
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1. Christlich-Demokratische Union/Christlich-Soziale
Union (CDU/CSU, Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social.
Union). Deputies in Bundestag 1953: 2i4.
The Party, which is developing from the Roman Catholic
Center Party before the Nazi period to an all-comprehensive
party in favor of a free economy, demands special furtherance
of small and medium units in agriculture. In the Thirty
Point Directives of Its Bavarian branch of 1926, the Party
states as its, aims the preservation of a vital peasantry
through price policy, increased productivity, mechanization,
and education. It demands, also, old age penaioris for agri-
cultural workers and promotion of the cooperatives.
The Ministers of Agriculture, Dr. Niklas and Dr. Luebke,
have been recruited from party ranks and the agrarian policy
of the government expresses the program of the CDU.
2. Preis DemokratlhePartel (FDP, Pree Democratic
Party). Deputies in the Bundestag 1953: 48.
The Party claims to be the most consistent advocate of
a free economy against statist tendencies. Its program
demands free peasants on free Soil, legally granted individual
ownership. Agricultural work must be equally treated with
other sectors of the economy. However, the Party expects
the welfareof agriculture not only from increasing productivity,
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but also from a protectionist trade policy and opposition
against the Luebke Plan has come partly from the PDP. As
a representative of industrial circles the party is also
interested in keeping down consumer-price levels. 4
3.
Oesamtdeutsacher Bloc (GDB, All-German Bloc). For-
merly Bund der Heimatvertriebenen und Entrechteten (BHE,
League of Expellees and Disenfrachized). Deputies in
Bundeatag 1953: 27?
Also member of the government coalition, the party
represents expellee farmers from the Soviet and Polish zones.
4. Deutsche Partei (DP, German Party). Deputies in
Bundestag 1953: 15.
Conservative and centralistic, the party represents
farmer interests and is of influence as a member of the
government coalition.
5. Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutachlands (SPD, Social
Democratic Party of Germany). Deputies in Bundectag 1953:
150.
The Social Democratic Party revised its strictly Marxist
agrarian program at the convention of Kiel in 1927 and has
recognized private ownership of land. After World War II,
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the SPD repeatedly denied, particularly at its party con-
vention in Hanover, 1946, any intentions of nationalization
of the land. f It favors land reform by reducing over-
size holdings and promises to support the independent self-
working farmer. Professor Carlo Schmid stated in October
1953, his party favored a large and prosperous farmer
class.:44 Only absentee owners should be expropriated.
However,. the SPD favors far-reaching government control of
marketing and prices, for it represents, together with
the Federation of Labor Unions, predominantly the con-
sumers, interests. It also supports the Association of
Agricultural Workers and Employees in labor relations.
Leading agricultural expert of the SPD in Prof. Dr.
Fritz Bade (born in 1393, a former member of the German
Reichstag and author of the agrarian program of the SPD;.
during World War II he lived in Turkey, later in US; after
World War, II, president of the Institute for World Economy
at Kiel University; member of the Bundestag).
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V. A SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RECENT WORKS ON GERMAN
AMARIAN POLICY
Agartz, Viktor. Sozialdemokratische Wirtschafts olitik
(Social Democratic Economic Policy). Frankfurt, Verlag'der Volksstimme, 1946.
Aktionsprogramm der SPD (Party Platform of the SPD). Bonn,
Asters' Otto. A rarbiblio ra hie (Bibliography of Agriculture).
Hamburg, Agr co a- er ag, Monthly.
Bade, Fritz. Brot fuer ganz Europa (Bread for All Europe).
Hamburg, 1952.
Battelle Memorial Institute. Prospects for the Development
of German , sed on Agricultural ee searcH. o um us,
3Fiio~' , l95 .
Boyers, Wilhelm Friedrich. Landrrirtschaft in der USA mit
unsern Augen gesehen (Americ n r cu tu`ree' Seen with
uur Eyes) . Hamburg, Agricola-Verlag, 1951.
Meinhold, Wilhelm. Grundfragen der A rar olitik (Basic
Problems of Agrar, an Policy). Minden, 19497.
Neide, K. von der. Raiffeisen's Endo in der sowJetisc~~hen
Besatzu szone (The End of theRaai?l'eisen cooperatives
n e 8ova Zone of Occupation). Ed. by the Federal
Ministry for All German Questions. Bonn, 1952.
Neuling9:Willy. Neue Deutsche Agrarpolitik. Tuebingen, Mohr,
Niklas, Wilhelm. Ernaehrun swirtechaft and A rar olitik (Food
Economy and Agrarian Policy). onn,l 4 .
Niklas, Wilhelm. Unser taegliches Brot (Our Daily Bread).
Hamburg, Agrico a- erag, X51.
Roemer, Th. and A. Scheibe. Handbuch der Landwirtschaft
(Manual of Agriculture). rl n-Hammburg, 195T-.
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Schlange-Schoenin en, Hans. Lebendige Landwirtschaft (Agri-
culture Alife). Hanover, 1947.
Schloegl, A. Agr"a olitik, enst and Jetzt (Agricultural
.Policy, Once an Now 3.
Schmidt, Hubert 0. Food and Agricultural Pro rams in West
Germs, i9k9-1951. Ed. by orrice ethe High Z``?x iseioner
for ermany. . nn, 1952 .
Schuettauf, Alexander Werner. Grundfragen der rar olitik
(Basic Problems of Agrarian Policy). un c , sa- r-Ter-lag,
1952.
Strothe, A. Deutsche Agrarpolitik (German Agrariah Policy).
Hanover, 1950.
Weber, Adolf. Agrarpolitik. Rev. by Wilhelm Meinhold.
Berlin, Dunker - an '1ot, 1951.
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VI. REFERENCES
1. Adolf Weber, r ~Aga olitik. Rev. by Wilhelm Meinhold.
Berlin, Dunaker dc, 1951, pp. 38-65.
2. Ibid.
3. Hubert G. Schmidt, Food and Agricultural Programs in
-
1952.
West Germanys, 19 ,Boonn
Webers 2. c1t.s pp. 66-81.
State, HICOG, 1 Annual Agricultural Report, despatch 50,
8 July 1954, nalassirlea.
Schmidt, opt cit.
Webers og. cit .'-
7. State, HICOG, 122 Annual Agricultural Report, 1.e.
8. Schmidt, op. cit.
9. State, Bremen, despatch 228, 2 Jun 54, Unclassified.
10. State, HICOG, 1223 Annual Agricultural Report, l.a.
11. New York Tom, 4 Mar 54.
12. Schmidt, M. cit., p. 18.
13. Schmidt, og. it., p. 46.
14. Schmidt, ,o,g. c1t.,q p. 112.
15. Schmidt, op. cit. p. 49 ft.
State, H1"L ," M_ Annual Agricultural Report.
Mutual Security Agency, Report to on the
.-
Mutual Securit Program ne=December 1
Message from the President-of the United tates Trans-
Report of the u ua our rogr
, m hithe
cover noperations Jan. TO-7056 9 '
16. Handbuch der Bunderepuublik Deutschland, 1254, Koeln-
Ber3 n, Heymann, 1954.
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17. Schmidt, op. it., p. 72.
18. State, HICOG, 1253 Annual Agricultural Report, l.c.
19. Schmidt, 91. Olt-* V. 72.
20. Land-und Hauswirtschaftlicher Informationedienst.
Die Landwirtachaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bad
G do eierg `-
Schmidt, op. cit., p. 166 ff.
21. Schmidt, op. cit.# p.'44.
22. Deutschland Taschenbuch, Tateaehen und Zehlen, ed. by
Hans Joachim von er tz a TTga !e zner, Berlin,
1954.
23. Schmidt, op. cit-a p. 16 ft.
24. State, HICOG, 1953 Annual Agricultural Report, 1.e.
25. J. W. Wheeler-Bennett, The German _Army in Politics,
191 8-19115, pp. 623-24.
26. State, HICOG, 1953 Annual Agricultural Report, 1.c.
27. Schmidt, 22 it., p. 18 and 45.
28. Schmidt, obi. it., p. 48.
29. State, HICOG, 1253 Annual Agricultural Report, 1.e..
30. Ibid.
31. Weber, op;.. cit.,, pp. 280 ft.
32. K. von der Neide, Raiffeisons Ends in der aow etiechen
Be satzun atone . 9d. byThii immInisVerlu-m ruer saint. H
e3' utscFe ragen, Bonn, 1952.
33. State, HICO0,1 53 Annual Agricultural Report, 1.e.
34. Schmidt, 2g. cit., p. 18 and 115.
35. State, HICOG, 1 Annual Agricultural Report, I.e.
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State, HICOG, l Agricultural Report i.o.
Deutschland Jahrbuah,`195's. Klaus Mehnert and Heinrich
Schulte er ):-Xeseg/tubr'," Westverlag, 1954?
Ibid.
'ATtonepr'o$r n der SPD Dortmund 1952, rev. Berlin, 1954.
Christian Science Monitor, 7 Fab 55.
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