Explain the political threats to the Weimar republic from the left and right in the period 1919-1923
Explain the political threats to the Weimar republic from the left and right in the period 1919-1923
There were many on the political right and left in Germany who wanted to see the new Republic overthrown by force, for the right wing the ‘stab in the back’ theory simply strengthened their resolve.
Opposition from the extreme right was very different both in the form and in its extent to that of the extreme left, there was a mixed collection of opponents of the republic but all representatives of the right were drawn together by their belief in anti-democracy, anti-Marxism, authoritarism and nationalism. The first major threat by the right came in the form of the Freikorps, the freikorps became a law unto themselves and they were employed by the government in a crucial role to suppress the threats from the extreme left. However as the freikorps was anti-republican and committed to the restoration of authoritarian rule, they had no respect for the Weimar government.
From 1920 Weimar government tried to control the actions of the freikorps, but a new threat emerged in the form of the ‘Consul Organisation’ this was a right wing group who performed political assassinations. They were notorious because of the assassinations of a number of key republican politicians including Matthias Erzberger, Walther Rathenau and Karl Gareis.
In March 1920 the Freikorps were involved in another attempt to overthrow the government, the Weimar government ordered the disbanding of the Ehrhardt Marine Brigade who was stationed in Berlin. The leader of the brigade was Hermann Ehrhardt, who was the leader of the freikorps. General Luttwitz of the freikorps rejected this disbandment and, on the 13 March, used 5,000 troops from the brigade to seize government buildings in Berlin; this became known as the ‘Kapp Putsch’.
The German army failed and were unwilling to release troops to fight the right wing rebels and the government fled to Stuttgart. The putsch ultimately failed due to
There were many on the political right and left in Germany who wanted to see the new Republic overthrown by force, for the right wing the ‘stab in the back’ theory simply strengthened their resolve.
Opposition from the extreme right was very different both in the form and in its extent to that of the extreme left, there was a mixed collection of opponents of the republic but all representatives of the right were drawn together by their belief in anti-democracy, anti-Marxism, authoritarism and nationalism. The first major threat by the right came in the form of the Freikorps, the freikorps became a law unto themselves and they were employed by the government in a crucial role to suppress the threats from the extreme left. However as the freikorps was anti-republican and committed to the restoration of authoritarian rule, they had no respect for the Weimar government.
From 1920 Weimar government tried to control the actions of the freikorps, but a new threat emerged in the form of the ‘Consul Organisation’ this was a right wing group who performed political assassinations. They were notorious because of the assassinations of a number of key republican politicians including Matthias Erzberger, Walther Rathenau and Karl Gareis.
In March 1920 the Freikorps were involved in another attempt to overthrow the government, the Weimar government ordered the disbanding of the Ehrhardt Marine Brigade who was stationed in Berlin. The leader of the brigade was Hermann Ehrhardt, who was the leader of the freikorps. General Luttwitz of the freikorps rejected this disbandment and, on the 13 March, used 5,000 troops from the brigade to seize government buildings in Berlin; this became known as the ‘Kapp Putsch’.
The German army failed and were unwilling to release troops to fight the right wing rebels and the government fled to Stuttgart. The putsch ultimately failed due to