Alsatian Soviet republic
The Alsatian Soviet republic was a transitory Soviet republic founded in the dash of the German Révolution at the end of the First World War in the province of Alsace just after the armistice. It lasted to the entry of the French forces in Alsace on November 22nd, 1918. Its political organization was in the form of Communisme of councils, of inspiration Marxist-antiléniniste. __TOC
Course of the events
At the end of the First World War, the command of the German army centered on the person of the general Erich Ludendorff and the civil government were submitted to back-plate under the terms posed by the Alliés. However, the command of the German imperial Marine, which had played only one minor part in the conflict, gave the order to attack the buildings of the Royal Navy, thus leading the sailors to the mutiny with Kiel. The mutineers took the control of the port - then first military port of Germany - and were quickly joined by the workmen and their trade unions. The revolt was propagated very quickly in all Germany, thus leading to the inversion of monarchy in a few days. Councils of workmen, peasants and soldiers, similar to the Soviets seized the capacity in all the country.
Approximately 15.000 sailors of Alsace and Lorraine were useful in the imperial Navy. Number of them had taken share with the insurrection of Kiel before returning on their premises. While arriving the November 9th 1918 at Strasbourg only one day after the advertisement of the proclamation of the Bavarian Soviet republic, they were accommodated by thousands of demonstrators, places Kléber. It is here, on the principal place of the city, which they established the Council of the Soldiers and Ouvriers. They took the control of the city as of the following day. The red flags were hoisted everywhere in the city, including at the top of the bell-tower of the cathedral.
From Strasbourg, the revolution spread in all the Alsace-Lorraine and of the Soviets were established with Haguenau, Mulhouse, Sélestat, Colmar and in other cities still. The amnesty was declared and the proclaimed Freedom of the press. The workmen are reflected in strike, asking for a rise of the wages, which was satisfied by decree of the Soviets in spite of the protests of the owners of factories. Fearing that the situation did not become unverifiable, the social democrat Jacques Peirotes, president of the Municipal Commission of Strasbourg, required of the French generals to hasten the arrival of the troops, remained on the frontline, in order to restore the law and order. The French soldiers entered the city the November 22nd 1918. The Soviet of Strasbourg stated to have fulfilled its mission and subjected to control French authorities. The decrees proclaimed by the Soviet were immediately repealed, the strikes were stopped by the stopped force and agitators. The " street of the 22-Novembre" of Strasbourg and Mulhouse commemorates the end of these Soviets.
Sources
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Daeninckx, D.: November 11th, 1918: the red flag floats on Strasbourg and Alsace proclaims the Republic of the Soviets… , Amnistia.net, November 10th, 2000. URL accessible to dated July 13rd, 2007.
Works on the subject
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Döblin, A.: Middle-class & soldiers (November 1918) , new
- Eschbach, J.: In the middle of Alsatian Resistance. The combat of Paul Dingler , Bentzinger, 2005
- Troester, J.: November 22nd, 1918: French in Strasbourg , in the Great War Magazine , n°38, December 2002.