  We show how the introduction of a finite baryon density may trigger
spontaneous parity violation in the hadronic phase of QCD. Since this involves
strong interaction physics in an intermediate energy range we approximate QCD
by a \sigma model that retains the two lowest scalar and pseudoscalar
multiplets. We propose a novel mechanism based on interplay between lightest
and heavy meson states which cannot be realized solely in the Goldstone boson
(pion) sector and thereby is unrelated to the one advocated by Migdal some time
ago. Our approach is relevant for dense matter in an intermediate regime of few
nuclear densities where quark percolation does not yet play a significant role.
