Artamoshin S.V. The “June club” as the generator of the antidemocratic discourse of the conservative religious elite of the Weimar republic

Abstract: This article focuses on the little studied in Russian historiography political group of Germany – the “June club”, formed in 1919. Its creation was related to the efforts of the conservative elite living in Berlin to develop a new position under the conditions of the monarchy’s overthrow and the proclamation of a democratic republic. The opposition to the Treaty of Versailles, concluded in June 1919, was extrapolated on the entire Weimar system. The “June club” presented a centre for the new conservative direction, known in German historiography as “Conservative revolutionary movement”. This club considered its main aim to be the creation of a new conservative, antidemocratic elite which is associated with a national renaissance of the German state outside of the liberal-democratic system, the formation of the new “third Reich”. The “June club” chose as its political and theoretic leader Moeller van den Bruck, one of the main theorists of the “conservative revolution”. The article analyses the background of the named political organisation, the rather variegated political composition of the club, its main participants, and publication activity. Particular attention is given to the description of the “Political boards on national-political education and training”, created with the aim of politically educating the German youth into the spirit of revolutionary-conservative values.

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