Learning Objectives:• To understand how and why extremist groups opposed

the government• To analyse the impact of the various uprising’s in the

Weimar Republic’s early years.

The Rise of Radicalism

Starter

What does this cartoon represent and how is it linked to the Treaty of Versailles? • Key terms and phases

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

Start of the Revolution

Think back to our first lessons. Germany made one last suicidal attempt to attack the British at sea. Where was it and what was the resulted impact? 25 October 1918 – Kiel

Mutiny

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

Start of the Revolution

2 Nov 1918 – mutiny spread to army and workers. Set up workers council.

Next 6 days for cities all over Germany to fall6 Nov – Hamburg7 Nov – Cologne8 Nov – Frankfurt, Leipzig and Munich 9 Nov - Berlin.

LEFT WING

RIGHT WINGCENTRE

Where on the political spectrum do you think these councils would lie? Who was the leading party that took control of Germany?

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

Start of the Revolution

Communists take over in Bavaria.

She was declared a Republic by the newly elected Kurt Eisner (USDP)

Where did the USDP stand on the political spectrum?

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

The Rise of Radicalism

While it could be seen that there was a socialist movement throughout Germany, some were more radical than others.

From what we have studied so far who is represented in this cartoon?

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

The Spartacists

The Spartacist League was formed in 1915 by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebkneckt after they left the SPD because they were angry that the SPD was supporting WW1.

The Spartacist League – named after Spartacus (famous gladiator who led a revolt in ancient Rome).

Rosa Luxemburg

Karl Leibkneckt

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

The KPD

In 1918, some of the Spartacists, including Leibkneckt

and Luxemburg, formed the German Communist Party (KPD).

During the 1920s the KPD

were often referred to as

the Spartacists.

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

The Freikorps

How did the army feel about the

W.R. signing the armistice?

Where do you think that sat on

the political spectrum?

Who were the Freikorps?Many soldiers had returned from the war massively disillusioned with the German government and hugely suspicious of left-wing political beliefs. 

The Spartacists did not believe that Ebert (the President) and his party, the Social Democrats, would serve the best interests of the German working people.

They decided to

rise up on 5 January

1919

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

Unhappy with the WR

Rosa Luxemburg

Karl Leibneckt

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

Uprising

What buildings did the Spartacists seize?

Extreme members of the Spartacists seized the HQ of the government’s newspaper and telegraph bureau.

They tried to organise a general strike.

How do you think the Freikorps felt

about the Communists?

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

What next?

Ebert and the government left Berlin for the safety of Weimar. They left the Freikorps to deal with the Spartacists.

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

What next? • By 15 January the

Spartacists were crushed.• Luxemburg and

Leibkneckt were arrested and were shot on their way to prison.

• Over a 4 month period thousands of communist supporters were killed by the Freikorps.

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

Reaction!

• Government had now been put in the hands of the army and the Freikorps.

• Undermined the position of the Social Democrats as the representatives of the working class.

• Many left-wing parties (like the USPD and KPD) refused to work with the SPD (the government) ever again, even when faced with the treat of Hitler and the Nazi’s

Why did this shock Ebert and what impact do you think this had on Ebert’s Government?

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

The Kapp Putsch

• Who was Wolfgang Kapp and who did he lead?

• What term in the TOV lead to them uprising?

• Who did the Government seek for support in order to crush the uprising?

LO: To understand how and why extremist groups opposed the government

The Kapp Putsch

• Freikorp units had to be disbanded – under the terms of Versailles – the government had little use for the Freikorps now the communist threat was over

• Several units tried to seize power, angry that a government they despised was trying to disband them

• They marched on Berlin, unhindered by the regular army

• The government was forced to flee to Dresden, calling on the people of Berlin to strike to cripple the Kapp putsch

• The coup collapsed within days as public services stopped working