The Spartacist Revolt
In January 1919, the Weimar Government led by President Friedrich Ebert and his Social Democratic Party, was challenged by a group of revolutionaries called the Spartacists.
The aims of the Spartacists
The Spartacists were communists, who wanted Germany to be run by the working classes. They believed that power and wealth should be shared equally among the population.
They wanted to replicate the Russian Revolution (1917)An uprising led by the Bolshevik party under Lenin. The Bolsheviks were committed to the ideas of Karl Marx and believed that the working classes should liberate themselves from the economic and political control of the ruling classes. The Bolshevik Party's popularity was given a strong boost in 1917 by a number of factors including: ongoing economic problems, Russia's involvement in World War One, the election of Soviets (councils elected by workers) and the failing popularity of the Provisional Government that took over after Tsar Nicholas II. of 1917 by:
- overthrowing the central government
- establishing soviets (workers’ and soldiers’ councils) in place of central government in German towns and cities
- using violent methods
The Spartacists were led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.
The revolt
In January 1919, 100,000 workers went on strike and demonstrated in the centre of Berlin. This demonstration was taken over by the Spartacist leadership. Newspaper and communication buildings were seized and the demonstrators armed themselves. However, many protesters returned home frustrated at the lack of planning by the Spartacists.
The Government, which had moved to Weimar to avoid the violence, employed the Freikorps to put down the rising. The Freikorps were ex-army soldiers who hated the communists. Over 100 workers were killed, even those who surrendered, during what became known as ‘Bloody Week’.
The aftermath
- Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg were arrested and brutally murdered by the Freikorps.
- The communists and many of Germany’s working class developed a hatred of the Social Democrats.
The Spartacist Revolt had serious repercussions for the Weimar Government. When its power was threatened by a growing Nazi Party, the Communist and Social Democrat parties could not set aside their differences.