4. Threats From The Left & Right Flashcards
What were the three main left wing groups by 1919
- The moderate socialists (SPD) that were committed to parliamentary democracy
- communists (KPD) who pressed for a workers’ revolution
- USPD who stood for the creation of a radical socialist society, but within a democratic framework
What were the aims of the KPD? How much support did they have?
- A revolution to proceed on Marxist lines with the creation of a one-party communist state - - The major restructuring of Germany both socially and economically
How much support did the KPD have?
10-15% of the electorate and there were continuous revolutionary disturbances - protests, strikes and uprisings
Describe the Spartacist putsch (6)
Who-
Extreme socialists from the USPD. Their leaders were Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht
What-
The Spartacists held a general strike and uprising in Berlin. By 6th January, 100,000 workers were on the street protesting, even taking over newspaper and telegraph offices.
Where-
Berlin
When-
The revolt begins on 4th January 1919 and ends on the 13th January 1919. On 16th January, the leaders of the Spartacists are caught and killed.
Why-
Chancellor Ebert fired Eichhorn, who was the chief of Police in Berlin, much to the dismay of workers, with whom he was popular. The Spartacists saw this as an opportunity to undermine the government and called for a general strike.
Workers also didn’t feel that the changes in Germany had gone far enough
Outline :
Ebert ordered Reichswehr officers to organise the veterans of WW1 into the Freikorps, an extremist right wing organisation, whom Ebert turned on the rioters on 13th January. This ends with the rebels being defeated and the leaders of the Spartacists killed.
Describe the Bavarian uprising (6)
Who;
Communists and anarchists created the unrecognised state.
What:
Communists and anarchists attempted to establish a socialist state, with Ernst Stoker as chief of state.
Where:
Bavaria
When:
May 1919
Why:
State government was anti-Weimar and wanted a communist state
Outcome:
The uprising was crushed by Freikorps after the 3rd May
Describe the Kapp Putsch (6)
Who- Freikorps What- Kapp and Lüttwitz decided to take advantage of the proposal to disband the two brigades of the army. They encouraged 12,000 troops to march on Berlin and seize the main buildings of the capital virtually unopposed. This was because the army refused to fire on the Freikorps. The Freikorps then established a new government. Where- Berlin When- March 1920 Why- By early 1920 there was considerable unease within the ranks of the Freikorps at the demands to reduce the size of the German army and disarm them according to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Outcome - Kapp Putsch only lasts one week. The SPD members of the government had called for a general strike before fleeing the country which lead to the collapse of the putsch because this soon paralysed the capital and quietly spread to the rest of the country
Red Ruhr Rising (6)
Who-
Armed communists and socialists workers who remained on strike after the Kapp Putsch
What-
Ruhr Region declared itself an independent socialist republic and the Red Guard was established as the army of the communist Ruhr state (50,000 men)
Where - Ruhr (heavily industrialised part of Germany due to hydroelectric powers and presence of coal)
When - March 1920
Why - When Ebert, a member of the SPD, called for a general strike, the communists and socialists in the Ruhr successfully managed to take over the government buildings after remaining on strike. The Ruhr remains on strike to get concessions from the government
Outcome - The Ruhrists refused to retract their state after the general strike on 22nd March so therefore the German Army and Reichswehr were sent in and defeated the Red Guard.
Describe the German October (6)
Who -
Attempt by the communists with a series of organised strikes and parades to take over Germany during the hyperinflation crisis. Attempts by communists and trade unionists to exert power
What -
A series of strikes across Germany to try and cripple the government. Called German October to link to the October Revolution in Russia 1917
Where -
All across Germany
When -
Summer 1923
Why -
The proletariat wanted to cripple the government because they were displeased with the Weimar government and the Hyperinflation crisis
Outcome -
The strikes were broken up by the army or else workers went back to work during the Crisis. More of a political movement rather than armed rebellion
Describe the Munich Putsch (6)
Who-
Hitler and the Nazis (members of the NSDAP) were at the forefront and were also supported by Gustav von Kahr, General von Lossow and General Ludendorff, who was a retired general from WW1
Ludendorff’s role was symbolic. He led the putsch and paraded towards the army and walked through them.
What -
Hitler and the SA interrupted the meeting between leading Bavarian politicians including Kahr and threatened the crowd with violence and forced Lossow and Seisser to announce their support for the Nazis.
Where -
Munich, Bavaria
When -
8th November 1923
Why -
The Nazis aimed to overthrow the German government and the ‘November Criminals’ and their Treaty of Versailles. Once they established power for themselves they could overthrow the Weimar government.
Outcome -
Hitler left the beer hall and Ludendorff allowed the politicians to leave. However they immediately renounced their support for the Nazis. The next morning when the Nazis marched to the centre of Munich, the police and army confronted them. The Nazi supporters and SA were scattered.
Hitler was put on trial for treason and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment, but only served 9 months.
Why did the left wing uprisings not succeed ? (4)
- Bad co-ordination. Even during the chaos and uncertainty of 1923 the activities of the extreme left proved incapable of mounting a unified attack on Weimar democracy
- Poor leadership. The repression suffered at the hands of the Freikorps remove some of their ableist and most spirited leaders.
- Concessions. The Weimar played on differences within the extreme left by making concessions which split it
- Repression - The authorities systematically repressed the rebels with considerable brutality
Aims of the extreme right wing (4)
- to destroy the democratic constitution because it was seen as weak, which they believed contributed to Germany’s problems
- to destroy communism, as it was a real threat to traditional values and the ownership of property and wealth
- the restoration of some authoritarian, dictatorial regime
- nationalism
What were the actions of the Freikorps known as ?
White Terror
What were the Freikorps looking to do
they were committed to the restoration of authoritarian rule
Why did the German army not intervene to put down the putsch
Many in the army believed that troops do not fire on troops.
What changes did Seeckt make to the army ?
- He imposed very strict military discipline and recruited new troops increasingly at the expensive of the Freikorps
