The BVP was founded on November 12, 1918 in Regensburg on the initiative of Georg Heim, who represented the farming classes as a member of the Catholic Center Party in Bavaria. The foundation of the BVP marked a departure from the old-fashioned style of political parties made up of dignitaries in which the agenda was set by the nobility and clergy. In particular, the BVP’s program called for the boosting of federalism.
The BVP emerged as the strongest party in Bavaria from the first state elections but was unable to govern alone. After the Kapp Putsch on March 14, 1920, it immediately put an end to the coalition with the SPD and Democrats, instead joining forces with the latter, the League of Bavarian Farmers (BB) L and the German nationalist Bavarian Central Party. Having long tolerated the excessive behavior of the militias, the BVP was not without blame for the rise of political radicalism on the right which came to a head in the Hitler putsch.
A fundamental opponent of the SPD, the new State Premier Heinrich Held, formed a coalition with the German Nationals and the Farmers’ League in 1924. His initiative to improve the balance of finance between the Reich and the federal states did not meet with much success. Although the BVP rejected the Young Plan, it did not take part in the right-wing referendum against it.
After the Farmers’ League left the government in July 1930 in response to the slaughter tax, Held was only able to govern by issuing emergency decrees. The BVP’s attitude towards the Nazi Party was not consistent. While it clearly opposed the Nazis in all elections, some members of the BVP leadership, especially in 1932, wanted to keep the option open of entering into a potential coalition with the Nazi Party in Bavaria and also at Reich level.
Franz von Epp was appointed Reich Commissioner for Bavaria by the National Socialists on March 9, 1933. Despite Held’s removal from power, the BVP parliamentary group in the Reichstag approved the Enabling Act on March 23, 1933. State Premier Siebert was appointed on April 12 and had BVP Reichstag deputy Eugen Graf von Quadt join his cabinet as a minister. Interior Minister Wagner wanted the party eliminated entirely, however, and had BVP functionaries intimidated by arrests. On July 4, 1933 von Quadt declared that the BVP was ceasing its activities.
