Stahlhelm-Fraktion

Stahlhelm-Fraktion or Steel Helmet-Faction is the hard-line or right-wing faction of a political party, most notably the German CDU.^[1][2][3][4] The term refers to the hawkish, i.e. pro-military positions often taken by such groups and comes from the Stahlhelm, the steel helmet historically used by German soldiers. It was originally used of pro-military extremist politicians in the Weimar Republic who were members of the Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten.^[5]

References

1. Ted Galen Carpenter, NATO at 40: Confronting a Changing World, Washington, DC: Cato Institute, 1990, ISBN 0-669-21698-4, p. 259: "The CDU-CSU is badly split over SNFs. Its Gaullist wing (the so-called Stahlhelm Fraktion) has argued that with the INFs gone, West Germany is dangerously singularized by the presence of U.S. SNFs. . . . The Stahlhelm Fraktion favors removing the SNFs and moving toward a closer Franco-German military relationship."
2. Sebastian Fischer and Christine Xuân Müller, "Die Neo-Kons proben den Aufstand" (The Neo-Cons Test Resistance), Der Spiegel February 2, 2006 (German): "Legendär die Aussprüche der sogenannten Stahlhelm-Fraktion in der CDU" (The statements of the so-called Stahlhelm-Fraktion in the CDU [are] legendary), introducing a series of quotations on immigration.
3. "Vier Abtrünnige stürzen Ypsilanti" (Four Defectors Dethrone Ypsilanti), Frankfurter Rundschau November 3, 2008 (German): "Der rechte SPD-Parteiflügel ermögliche es, dass 'Vertreter der Stahlhelm-Fraktion der CDU weiter auf der Regierungsbank Platz nehmen dürfen'" (The right wing of the SPD is making it possible for "representatives of the Stahlhelm-Fraktion of the CDU to be able to take places in the government again").
4. "Kaputtes Heer: Ex-Minister zerlegen die Darabos-Politik" (Washed-Up Army: Ex-Ministers Dissect Darabos Policies), Die Presse February 11, 2010 (German): "Der Vertreter der 'Stahlhelm-Fraktion' der ÖVP" (The representative of the "Stahlhelm-Fraktion" of the ÖVP).
5. James M. Diehl, Paramilitary Politics in Weimar Germany, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1977, ISBN 0-253-34292-9, p. 264: "Stahlhelm leaders hoped to form a sort of Stahlhelm party within the [DNVP and DVP] parties, a bloc of Stahlhelm deputies who could force the two conservative parties to take more intransigent positions. The attempt to create a Stahlhelm Fraktion failed miserably."