Volksverein

A large and important organization of German Catholics for the purpose of opposing heresies and revolutionary tendencies in the social world, and for the defence of Christian order in society.

HISTORY

This association was the last one established by Ludwig Windthorst. After the close of the Kulturkampf new problems confronted the Catholic population of Germany. Owing to the political union of Germany and its protective commercial policy from 1879, German economic life was greatly strengthened, and trade and manufactures received an unheard-of development. The increase of manufacturing on a large scale, the partial change of many country towns into manufacturing centres, the crowding together of human beings in the manufacturing districts, all these changes made questions of social needs of increasing importance. Catholics felt strongly the necessity of protection against the revolutionary Social Democracy which was based upon undisguised materialism. The Social Democrats, in anticipation of the overthrow of the laws against Socialism, were making preparations for the establishment of a well-organized association throughout Germany, even among the Catholic population. Windthorst, the leader of the German catholics, saw clearly that it was not sufficient for the Centre party, the representative of German Catholics, to be the only champion of legislation in favour of the workingman; the public also must be won over to the support of social reform. At this time the Catholic people were especially inclined to listen to such proposals. The decree of the young Emperor William (February, 1890), the pope's letter to the Archbishop of Cologne (April, 1890), and the pastoral letter of the Prussian bishops issued at their meeting at Fulda had all been received with joy by the Catholics of Germany. For these reasons Windthorst thought a Catholic social organization should be founded which was to include the whole of Germany. During the deliberations of the committee of organization Windthorst demanded with all the force of his personal influence an organization that should oppose above all the Social Democrats; moreover, the end to be sought in questions of social economics should be the encouragement and exercise of right principles.

The draft of a constitution, which Windthorst wrote while ill, was adopted at the meeting held on 24 Oct., 1890, for the establishment of