Georg von Vollmar

Born Mar. 7, 1850, in Munich; died June 30, 1922, in Urfeld. Figure in the Social Democratic Party of Germany; a leader of the party’s opportunist, reformist wing.

After serving as an officer, Vollmar became the editor of the newspaper Der Sozialdemokrat in 1879; because his editorial line diverged from the revolutionary course of the leadership of the party, Vollmar was forced to resign from the post in 1880. From 1881 to 1887 and again from 1890 to 1918, he was a member of the Reichstag, and he was elected several times to the Bavarian Landtag. In the 1890’s, Vollmar spoke in favor of limiting the activity of the Social Democratic Party only to a struggle for reform. He advocated “state socialism” and called for a coalition of Social Democrats and liberals. During the development of the party’s agrarian program, Vollmar defended the interests of the well-to-do peasants and asserted that the kulaks (Grossbauern) could provide support for the socialist restructuring of the countryside. Vollmar’s opportunist views were criticized by F. Engels, A. Bebel, and, later, V. I. Lenin.