ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the character of Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Labour Party branch life in the interwar period. It explores the strength of the Social Democratic milieu in Germany. The chapter focuses on the development of a party milieu oriented labour movement culture in both parties. It illuminates reasons why the Labour Party's attempt to build a party milieu ultimately remained far behind the milieu orientation of the SPD. The 1920 reorganisation of the Labour Party was of crucial importance for the organisational drive. In particular, the appointment of regional and women organisers for the nine new areas had an often invigorating impact on party organisation. Ordinary party members tended to be overwhelmingly loyal to their leaders in both the SPD and the Labour Party. In Hamburg, the Social Democratic milieu was at heart a broad cultural movement which aimed to educate the Hamburg working class.
