tatkreis

The Tatkreis, or "Action Circle", was a Vlkisch movement which existed during the era of the Weimar Republic. They followed the beliefs of most Vlkisch movements but claimed the current republic "corrupt and sterile beyond repair" and called for "freedom and rebirth" in Germany. The Tatkreis used a combination of nationalism and racism to generate passion within their ranks in a fashion that pre-dated Nazism and was no doubt an influence. The Tatkreis called for an end to capitalism and promoted a neomercantilist ideology, a system which encourages exports and discourages imports and called for German self-sufficiency. This idea was easily received by the citizens of Germany, who lived in a time of depression after World War I and leading up to World War II. The middle-class craftsmen and shopkeepers were a majority in Germany and thus a key demographic. In the 1920s the Tatkreis formed their own publication, Die Tat or "Action". Later Die Tat edited by Hans Zehrer produced a circulation of over 3000. After the rise of the Nazi Party the Tatkreis was dissolved as were other political parties under Nazi rule. The way the Nazi Party truly undermined the Tatkreis was by drawing from their membership as both parties targeted the same types of followers.

Tatkreis

See also