FDP Hesse

FDP Hesse (FDP Hessen) is the state affiliate of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in the German federal state of Hesse. It was established in the post-war period, with its founding assembly held on 29 December 1945 in Frankfurt am Main, where Georg Ludwig Fertsch was elected as the first state chairman. The party was officially licensed by the American military authorities on 11 January 1946 under the name LDP (Liberal-Democratic Party – State Association Greater Hesse). In December 1948, the Hessian LDP merged with twelve other liberal state associations from the three western occupation zones to form the national FDP. The party's most notable electoral success came in the 1950 Hessian state election, where it won 31.8% of the vote—the best result ever achieved by the Liberals in any state election. This result was largely due to a joint list with the Bund der Heimatvertriebenen und Entrechteten (BHE), which attracted many displaced persons. In the 1954 election, the FDP ran separately and received 20.5%. Since then, the party has been a continuous presence in Hessian politics, participating in various coalitions and opposition roles. Today, FDP Hesse operates through local and district associations across the state. Its core themes, as presented on its official website, include "World's Best Education," "Politics That Can Count," "Self-Determined in All Life Situations," and "Progress Through Own Performance." The party maintains an active social media presence and publishes current news and positions. Its current leadership includes Johanna von Trotha, elected General Secretary in 2026, and honorary chairman Jörg-Uwe Hahn. The party is headquartered in Hesse and remains an active political force in the state.

The FDP Hesse is the state association of the Free Democratic Party in the federal state of Hesse. It achieved its best result ever for the Liberals in a state election in 1950 with 31.8% of the vote. Prehistory: Liberal parties in Hesse The Liberals were the first to organize as a party in the 1860s. Organized in the Progressive Party, under August Metz they achieved an overwhelming majority in the Second Chamber of the Estates of the Grand Duchy of Hesse in 1862. However, the split of the Liberals into several parties had already begun in Hesse. The National Liberal Party, still a minority in 1862, dominated the state parliament from 1872 until the end of the Empire, albeit with continuously declining numbers of deputies. In the Weimar Republic, this division continued. In the state parliament of the People's State of Hesse, two liberal parties were represented with the DDP and the DVP. However, their share of votes fell from a combined 30% in 1919 to 18% in 1927. In the 1930s, the Liberals fell back to the level of splinter groups until the Nazi seizure of power made liberal political work in Germany impossible. Founding On 19 September 1945, with Proclamation 2 by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the state of Greater Hesse was formed. With the decision of the military government of 23 November 1945, the party was allowed to work at the state level. This was preceded by the occupation authorities' permission of 27 August 1945 to form parties at the district level. Subsequently, a nationwide network of local and district associations was formed. For example, the Frankfurt district association was founded in early September 1945 as the "Liberal Democratic Party" and appointed Georg Ludwig Fertsch as its chairman. On 28 September 1945, the military government granted approval. On 29 December 1945 in Frankfurt am Main, the founding assembly of the state association took place. Representatives of the liberal district associations elected Georg Ludwig Fertsch as the first state chairman of the Hessian LDP. On 11 January 1946, the FDP in Hesse was approved by the American military authorities under the name LDP "Liberal Democratic Party – State Association Greater Hesse". From the decline of the liberal parties in the Weimar Republic, the conclusion had been drawn that all liberal forces should gather in one party. However, a high proportion of Liberals decided against the LDP and in favor of the CDU, which saw itself as an interdenominational collection party also in the liberal tradition. In the Consultative State Committee appointed on 19 February 1946, each of the four approved parties SPD, CDU, KPD and LDP had twelve members. However, this did not correspond to the majority ratios in the population, as the following elections showed. In the local elections in early 1946, the LDP managed to achieve outstanding results in individual locations. For example, under Karl Theodor Bleek in Marburg, the LDP achieved over 40% of the vote. However, in the broader area, the number of candidates and local associations was too small to achieve an election victory. In the election to the Constitutional Advisory State Assembly, the Liberals received 6 of 90 mandates and could only exert limited influence. In addition, there were internal power struggles. On 1 June 1946, the state party conference decided to confirm Georg Ludwig Fertsch as party chairman but to commission August-Martin Euler to represent the state association externally. Thus disempowered, Georg Ludwig Fertsch resigned on 21 June 1946 and Euler became his successor. In the 1946 Hessian state election, the LDP almost doubled its vote share from 7.9% to 15.7% and became the third strongest force in the state parliament. In December 1948, the LDP of Hesse merged with the 12 other liberal state associations of the three western occupation zones to form the FDP. Under Euler, the Hessian Liberals positioned themselves as opposition and took national and anti-socialist positions against the policies of the state government. Since at the same time the CDU pursued a comparatively left-wing policy compatible with the goals of the SPD, the Hessian FDP succeeded in binding large parts of the voters who supported the CDU in other states. The FDP formed a right-wing collection movement and was able to integrate large parts of farmers and the commercial middle class. In addition, the CDU in Hesse was largely regarded as a "Catholic" party at that time and, despite its interdenominational claim, could only reach a few Protestant voters of the conservative and national spectrum. The triumph of 1950 and the opposition period In the 1949 federal election, the FDP benefited from this policy. Nationwide it received 11.9% of the vote, in Hesse 28.1%. An even greater success was achieved in the 1950 Hessian state election: 31.8% of voters chose the FDP list, which remains its best result in a state election to this day. However, a political decision was primarily responsible for this result: the FDP ran together with the Bund der Heimatvertriebenen und Entrechteten (BHE) on a joint list under the name FDP. Hesse had taken in a disproportionately large number of displaced persons after the Second World War. A large proportion of these displaced persons voted for the joint list operating under "FDP". In the state parliament, the parties separated again. A parliamentary group of the FDP with 13 members and one of the BHE with 8 members were formed. In the 1954 Hessian state election, the FDP and GB/BHE ran separately. The FDP achieved 20.5%, the GB/BHE 7.7%. The FDP was nevertheless able to enlarge its parliamentary group with 21 deputies. The SPD formed a coalition with the GB/BHE and the FDP remained in opposition. In 1956, the FDP split. Max Becker was elected Hessian FDP chairman. August-Martin Euler resigned...

• State of Greater Hesse formed by Proclamation 2 of General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

• Founding assembly of the FDP Hesse state association in Frankfurt am Main; Georg Ludwig Fertsch elected first state chairman.

• FDP Hesse officially licensed by American military authorities as LDP 'Liberal Democratic Party – State Association Greater Hesse'.

• Georg Ludwig Fertsch resigns; August-Martin Euler becomes state chairman.

• In the Hessian state election, LDP doubles its vote share from 7.9% to 15.7%, becoming third strongest force.

• LDP Hesse merges with 12 other liberal state associations to form the national FDP.

• In the federal election, FDP receives 11.9% nationwide and 28.1% in Hesse.

• FDP Hesse wins 31.8% in the Hessian state election, its best result ever, running jointly with BHE.

• FDP runs separately and receives 20.5%; remains in opposition.

• FDP splits; Max Becker elected Hessian FDP chairman; August-Martin Euler resigns.

• Johanna von Trotha elected General Secretary of FDP Hesse at state party conference in Gießen.

Liberal state political party branch

1. 1FDP Hessen official websitefdp-hessen.de
2. 2FDP Hesse - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3FDP Hessen - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org