of the
Social Democratic Party of Germany, with
Three Arrows symbol representing resistance against monarchism, Nazism and Communism, and with the slogan "Against
Papen (monarchist candidate),
Hitler (Nazi candidate),
Thälmann (Communist candidate)." The Iron Front was formed on 16 December 1931 in the
Weimar Republic by the
Social Democratic Party (SPD), along with the
Allgemeiner Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (ADGB), the
Allgemeiner freier Angestelltenbund (AfA-Bund), and the
Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold, and
workers' sport clubs. The Iron Front was an "extraparliamentary" There was a positive response to the formation of the Iron Front from reenergised rank and file SPD supporters. Thousands signed up to the "Iron Book" to show their allegiance. Many of the tactics that were effectively used by the Nazis and communists were adopted by the Iron Front as their propaganda and political communication matured, and marches were held with banners, flags and music. Designed so as to be able to easily cover
Nazi swastikas, the meaning of the three arrows has been variously interpreted. Some say they stood for unity, activity, and discipline, The symbol was used on a
November 1932 Reichstag election poster of the SPD to represent opposition to the
Nazi Party (Nazism), the
Communist Party (communism), the
German National People's Party (monarchism) as well as other reactionary groups. The Iron Front was regarded as an anti-communist "
social fascist terror organisation" by the KPD, which considered the SPD their main adversary. In response to the formation of the Iron Front, the KPD founded its own activist wing,
Antifaschistische Aktion (Antifa), which opposed the social democrat SPD and the fascist NSDAP. Opposition to the KPD and concerns around losing supporters to the communists meant there was no unity in the fight against Hitler and the NSDAP. Even as they prepared for the worst-case scenario of a Hitler chancellorship, the two groups refused to collaborate. Most Iron Front leadership preferred a strategy of restraint, waiting for the crisis to deepen and hoping political infighting would bring the cabinet down rather than calling for mass protests and a general strike at a time of high worker unemployment and growing KPD support. On January 30, 1933, the day Hitler was appointed chancellor, the KPD asked the Iron Front, 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", warned against participating in "wild actions organised by irresponsible people", and exhorted members to "turn all Iron Front events into powerful rallies for freedom". Wary of communist plots and fearful of being stabbed in the back, the Iron Front preferred to put their faith in the institutions of the state and its constitution whilst awaiting the desired changes in KPD leadership that could make collaboration between the two leftist parties possible. No direct discussions between the two groups of leaders ever took place, however, as Hitler's grip on power strengthened, particularly following the
Reichstag Fire of 27 February 1933. Hitler's appointment as chancellor caused widespread anger among social democrats across the big cities in Germany, prompting the SPD to organise rallies and campaign for the March 1933 election on "radical economic slogans with stirring calls for freedom and democratic rights" despite suffering censorship and police repression caused by the Nazis. On May 2, all trade unions, with which the Iron Front was closely allied, were abolished along with all trade union structures. 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 to resist, mostly by spreading leaflets, organizing secret meetings, and acts of sabotage. ==Legacy==