1. HST 332: Age of Dictators, Europe 1850-1914
German Revolution
HST 332: Age of Dictators, Europe

2. Outline Internal politics during the Great War November 1918
January 1919
The Myth of November

3. Internal politics during the War
Unity of the parties.
“I know no parties, only Germans.”
Even Social Democrats vote for war.
Breech within SPD in 1917.
Independent Social Democratic Party.
Spartakus. (Luxemburg and Liebknecht)

4. Internal politics during the War
Polarization over war aims.
Complaints of parties, military and Kaiser.
Effect of the Russian Revolution.
Berlin strikes in January 1918, over 1/2 million workers take part.
Failure of the March 1918 offensive.
Public and government remain in the dark.

5. Fall 1918 July 1918 - allied offensive begins.
August 22 - “black day” of the German army.
September 14 - Austria-Hungary seeks armistice.
September 26 - Bulgaria capitulates, Romanian front collapses, unrest in Vienna, Ludendorff informs government that he needs an immediate armistice.

6. Fall 1918
October 4 - Prince Max of Baden appointed Chancellor, asks Woodrow Wilson for an armistice.
October 26 - Max responds to American demands for reform, Ludendorff resigns, Wilhelm Groener new army chief, Kaiser leaves for the Front.

7. November 1918
November 4 - navy mutinies in Kiel, sailors set up a soviet. This spreads throughout Germany, in Berlin supported by Independent SPD and Spartakists.
November 7 - Majority SPD demands Kaiser’s abdication, is supported by the Berlin garrison.

8. November 1918
November 9 - Kaiser abdicates. Max asks Majority Social Democrats Friedrich Ebert and Phillip Scheidemann to form a new government.
Scheidemann announces new Republic, Liebknecht (Spartakist) proclaims soviet Republic. Groener and army accept Ebert as provisional leader.
Ebert schedules an election to write a new constitution.

9. January 1919
December Spartakists create a German Communist Party (DKP) with Luxemburg and Liebknecht as leaders.
January 11 - DKP stages coup in Berlin.
Constituent Assembly flees to Weimar, Ebert asks Groener for assistance.
“Ebert-Groener pact”
Spartakist revolt crushed, leaders murdered.

10. Was this a revolution? Depends on your definition and perspective.
Monarchy was overthrown and a democratic republic was put in its place.
Major social and economic reforms.
It was however, a democratic, not a socialist revolution.
Major elements of the old order remained.

11. The Myth of November Berlin November transfer of power to Ebert
Mandate from Prince Max, 11/9;
Forms coalition with USPD based on soviets; Council of Peoples’ Deputies, 11/10
Congress of Peoples’ Deputies calls for election of a National Assembly
Dec. 28, USPD leaves coalition
January Communist coup
Successful anti-SPD demonstration on January 5 convinces Communists to launch a coup-d’etat

12. November in Berlin Rebels of the Berlin garrison
Schiedemann proclaims the Republic
Naval mutineers

13. January in Berlin Communist Red Guard on parade
Karl Liebknecht at a rally
Red Guards
Rosa Luxemburg

14. The Myth of November Munich
November 7, seizure of power by USPD under leadership of Kurt Eisner, Red Guard formed
In January elections, SPD emerges as largest party
February 21, assassination of Eisner
March 17, SPD-led government installed
April 7, Soviet Bavaria proclaimed by USPD, gov’t to Bamburg; Communists take over on April 13
April 27-May 3, anarchist Ernst Toller leads Soviet; put down by Freikorps

15. November in Munich
Eisner leading a popular demonstration
Kurt Eisner

16. First Munich Soviet Proclaimed by Workers and Soldiers Council
Dominated by members of USPD
Power limited to Munich
Launch series of measures unpopular with the middle class
Central committee of the first Soviet

17. Second Munich soviet
Eugen Leviné sent by DKP in Berlin to put backbone into revolt
Inspired by Hungarian example and supported by Russian money
Middle class hostages taken
Unpopular with local radicals and USPD
Eugen Leviné

18. 3rd Munich soviet
April 27, Ernst Toller (USPD) and Erich Mühsam (anarchist) seize power
Schwabing lunatics
Hope to negotiate with the Bamberg government
Overthrown by Freikorps on May 3
Erich Mühsam
Ernst Toller

19. Bavarian aftermath

20. The Myth of November
The Nazis conflated November and January in Berlin, November and April in Munich into a common happening.
The Weimar parties, the politicians, the unions – all manipulated by Jews – brought Germany to disaster.
If Germany were to be great again, it would need to deal with these traitors and overthrow the system they created to make Germany weak.