Alfred Hugenberg at the Founding of the "Harzburg Front" in Bad Harzburg (October 11, 1931)

The Harzburg Front was an effort by the Right to consolidate opposition to the Brüning government. Publisher and German National People’s Party [Deutschnationale Volkspartei or DNVP] leader Alfred Hugenberg (left center) planned to use the mass rally held in Bad Harzburg in October 1931 as a platform to organize a shadow cabinet under his leadership that would unite the Right behind a single candidate in the upcoming presidential election. Although the rally was attended by the full spectrum of right-wing organizations, parties, and personalities, a united national opposition largely failed to materialize there. Determined to avoid making any political commitments and to withhold support on the question of a presidential candidate, Hitler used the occasion to demonstrate the growing strength and independence of the National Socialist party.

The photograph shows (from left center to right) Alfred Hugenberg, Prince Eitel Friedrich von Preußen, and DNVP Reichstag delegate Otto Schmidt-Hannover.

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