The Iron Front (German: Eiserne Front) was a German paramilitary organization in the Weimar Republic which consisted of social democrats, trade unionists, and democratic socialists. Its main goal was to defend social democracy against what was seen as anti-democratic, totalitarian ideologies on the far-right and far-left. The Iron Front chiefly opposed the Sturmabteilung (SA) wing of the Nazi Party and the Antifaschistische Aktion wing of the Communist Party of Germany. Formally independent, it was intimately associated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). The Three Arrows, originally designed for the Iron Front, became a well-known social democratic symbol representing resistance against monarchism, Nazism, and communism during the parliamentary elections in November 1932. The Three Arrows were later adopted by the SPD itself.
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ultimately the goal in reading history of anti fascist movements is to take bits and pieces of what they did well, what they did wrong, and synthesize a new vision for what a modern anti fascist coalition might look like in 2025.
those criticizing IF are making valid contributions, but we should be cautious not to throw the baby out with the bath water. IF wouldn’t work today under same core ideologies and strategies they used then. but it’s still inspiring to know that some courageous folks did band together (albeit unsuccessfully) to resist forces that became the Nazi war machine. and there are many others to learn from.
we can do better though, we must do better if things really are headed the same direction globally as they were in 1932. I hope not.
On January 30, 1933, the day Hitler was appointed Chancellor, the KPD asked the Iron Front, the SPD, the general trade union association ADGB and their organisations, and the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold to declare a general strike against Hitler. The Iron Front declined, issued a call on February 2 to “all comrades of the Reichsbanner and the Iron Front”, warning against participating in “wild actions organised by irresponsible people”, and exhorted members to “turn all Iron Front events into powerful rallies for freedom”.[7]
Big oof there Iron Front. Because within two months…
On March 3, the Iron Front planned a march in Kassel, but was hindered by regular police. On May 2, all trade unions, with which the Iron Front was closely allied, were finally abolished, together with all trade union structures.[8] Until the mid 1930s and in some cases until the war years, some local branches of the Iron Front and the former trade union organisations continued with resistance, mostly by spreading leaflets, organizing secret meetings, and carrying out acts of sabotage.[9]
TBH, their first big failure reminds me of current US Democrats, who seem to think there’s still room to play fair when the opposition is blatantly cheating in the open.
Unlike IF, though, I don’t think Democrats have the spine to carry out acts of sabotage or even organize secret meetings, should Trump become an emperor. But boy, can they waggle a finger in a sternly worded tweet!
The primary objective of the Democratic Party as a whole is to run damage control against progressive movements and interests on behalf of the Owner Class. They are faithless mercenaries, not revolutionaries or even principled statesmen.
They will be relegated to the dustbin of history in the coming months and years, they have nothing to offer MAGA nor the American people. A few salvageable people maybe, but not many.
Iron Front and SPD did more to help the Nazis than hinder them. Beginning with enlisting the Freikorps to crack down on the Communists.
Plus they lost.
At least call to the Italian and French resistances.
I feel like this symbolism won’t be appreciated here because of how many self-described leftists and communists of varying stripes post on Lemmy, to which the Iron Front was opposed.
Also the Iron Front and the SPD ultimately failed to do anything meaningful to stop the Third Reich.
See also, https://www.ironfrontusa.org/
