Threats to the Weimar Republic
Spartacist uprising 1919
Spartacist was really just an early name for 'Communists'. At the end of WWI when the Kaiser was overthrown and left Germany Nov. 1918, moderate socialists took over and formed a government. The Spartacist (led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht) wanted a violent Communist revolution and a wiping out of Capitalism but were rejected. In Dec. 1918 the Congress of workmen and soldiers councils rejected radical Communism and Luxemburg/ Liebnecht. In Jan. 1919 Luxemburg/ Liebnecht tried to take over and seize power by force, forcing Communism on Germany, much like the Bolsheviks had done to Russia Nov. 1917, but their Spartacist Revolt in Berlin was crushed by the Socialist government and army troops, both of them were killed.
In January 1919 a left wing uprising occurred in Berlin. Originating in a General Strike of some half a million workers, this demonstration soon turned into a short but bloody uprising that we now call the Spartacist Uprising. The trigger for the uprising was the dismissal of Berlin’s police chief, Emil Eichhorn, on 4th January 1919. Eichorn himself protested, claiming that only the soviet style committee of Berlin could oust him legitimately. The following day, Shop stewards, the KPD (Communist Party) and USPD met. They agreed to work together to oust the Ebert Government. They mobilised their supporters and quickly took control of communication centers and important locations within Berlin. The government briefly negotiated with the revolutionaries. However neither side were willing to make significant concessions in their demands. As the negotiations faltered, the protests became violent. Ebert moved his government to the safety of the town of Weimar and called in a combination of German soldiers and members of the Freikorps (A group mainly of former soldiers). Fully armed and having received training and experience of fighting in the First World War, they were more than a match for the Spartacists. By
Spartacist was really just an early name for 'Communists'. At the end of WWI when the Kaiser was overthrown and left Germany Nov. 1918, moderate socialists took over and formed a government. The Spartacist (led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht) wanted a violent Communist revolution and a wiping out of Capitalism but were rejected. In Dec. 1918 the Congress of workmen and soldiers councils rejected radical Communism and Luxemburg/ Liebnecht. In Jan. 1919 Luxemburg/ Liebnecht tried to take over and seize power by force, forcing Communism on Germany, much like the Bolsheviks had done to Russia Nov. 1917, but their Spartacist Revolt in Berlin was crushed by the Socialist government and army troops, both of them were killed.
In January 1919 a left wing uprising occurred in Berlin. Originating in a General Strike of some half a million workers, this demonstration soon turned into a short but bloody uprising that we now call the Spartacist Uprising. The trigger for the uprising was the dismissal of Berlin’s police chief, Emil Eichhorn, on 4th January 1919. Eichorn himself protested, claiming that only the soviet style committee of Berlin could oust him legitimately. The following day, Shop stewards, the KPD (Communist Party) and USPD met. They agreed to work together to oust the Ebert Government. They mobilised their supporters and quickly took control of communication centers and important locations within Berlin. The government briefly negotiated with the revolutionaries. However neither side were willing to make significant concessions in their demands. As the negotiations faltered, the protests became violent. Ebert moved his government to the safety of the town of Weimar and called in a combination of German soldiers and members of the Freikorps (A group mainly of former soldiers). Fully armed and having received training and experience of fighting in the First World War, they were more than a match for the Spartacists. By