Political Assassinations And The Freikorps (1919-24) Flashcards
When was Matthias Erzberger assassinated and why?
August 1921
How many political murders between 1919 and 1923?
376
How did the judiciary treat cases of left vs right assassinating?
27/354 rightist cases were punished
17/22 leftist cases punished
Many accused Weimar judges of allowing political terrorism to occur
Who did OC try and murder?
Philip Scheidemann
Did much of OC take part in the murders?
No, the bulk of the members had no knowledge of the murders
Where was the organisation consul formed from?
Elements of the Erhardt naval brigade - once once of the biggest and most efficient units of the Freikorps
How did Erhardt become the creator of the OC?
Played a leading role in the failure of the Kapp Putsch so his freikorps unit was dissolved by the government
He wanted to continue to promote the military and political aims of the Freikorps so he established an illegal organisation, the OC
What were the bylaws to be part of OC?
Any ‘national thinking’ German ‘Aryan’
- former Freikorps and war veterans, especially from former Ehrhardt Brigade, were preferred
What were the aims of OC?
. Combatting of everything anti national and international (Jewry)
. Constitution based on federal principles
. Make disarmament impossible
. Provoke a leftist uprising
Why was Mathias Erzberger murdered?
. Led decision to sign the armistice and sign the TOV
. Germany’s representative on the reparations committee
How was Erzberger murdered and how did hatred towards him continue after his death?
. Assassinated in the Black Forest by two OC members
. His widow continued to receive abusive letters
What were patriotic leagues?
Groups of right-wing nationalists that were committed to the elimination of politicians who were associated with the ‘betrayal’ of Germany
- often formed out of old Freikorps units
Why was Matthias Erzberger murdered?
. He had led the delegation for the signing of the armistice and signed the TOV
. Germany’s representative on the reparations Committee
How were the actions of OC so brutal even beyond the assassinations?
Even after Erzberger was buried, his widow continued to receive abusive letters, including threats to defile his grave
When was Walter Rathenau murdered and by who?
24th June 1922 by 4 members of OC, with a hand grenade for extra measure
Why was Rathenau murdered?
. Leading minister in the weimar government
. Participated in signing of TOV
. Negotiated with allies to try and improve TOV terms
. For being a Jew (clearly early signs of anti-semitism but not widespread at all)
How did the German public respond to the murder of Walter Rathenau?
. Following day after his death, 700k protestors lined in the streets of Berlin
. The value of the mark fell as other countries feared the repercussions of not having Rathenau in government
Clearly this far right nationalism wasn’t a popular idea yet
How did the Weimar Republic try to crack down on extremist organisations?
July 1922 - Reichstag passes a law for ‘the protection of the republic’
- severe penalties on those involved in conspiracies to murder
- banned extremist organisations
- OC forced to disband (wasn’t very effective as judges needing to enforce it were right-wing sympathisers)
