Page "Social Democratic Party of Germany" Paragraph 3

The SPD was established as a Marxist party in 1875.

However, the SPD underwent a major shift in policies reflected in the differences between the Heidelberg Program of 1925, which " called for the transformation of the capitalist system of private ownership of the means of production to social ownership ", and the Godesberg Program of 1959, which aimed to broaden its voter base and move its political position toward the centre.

After World War II, under the leadership of Kurt Schumacher, the SPD re-established itself as a socialist party, representing the interests of the working class and the trade unions.

With the Godesberg Program of 1959, however, the party evolved from a socialist working-class party to a modern social-democratic party working within capitalism.