German Revolution

The German Révolution indicates a series of events in 1918 and 1919, resulting in the fall of the German Empire and the installation of the Weimar Republic.

One can fix his beginning the October 30th 1918, when sailors of Kiel refuse to install, and his end the August 11th 1919, when the constitution of the Weimar Republic is adopted.

One calls sometimes “German Revolution” only the events of November 1918, or contrary the unit to the process of 1918 with 1924. Moreover, one uses in German the term " Novemberrevolution".

Chronology

1918

• January 28th: Beginning of a general strike of the German workmen for “the early conclusion of a peace without annexation”, for the lifting of the state of siege (in place since the beginning of the war), for the release of the political prisoners, and for the democratization of the institutions. The strike lasts 6 days and gathers until a million workers.

• 15 - April 17th: Strikes with Berlin.

October 1918

• October 1st: The League Spartakiste (Spartakusbund) calls with the revolution and the formation of " councils ouvriers".
• October 3rd: max of Bade becomes chancellor. Entry of members of Parliament of SPD and the Zentrum in the imperial government.
• October 25th: Since the platform of the Reichstag, the deputy Otto Rühle (League spartakist) calls with “the abdication of the emperor” and with the “socialist revolution”.
• October 30th: With Kiel, the sailors of two warships refuse to install. Forwarding cannot take place.
• October 31st: 400 sailors mutineers of Kiel are imprisoned.

November 1918

• 1 - November 3rd: Demonstrations of sailors with Kiel for the release of the 400 sailors.
• November 4th: Councils of workmen and soldiers gather 20  000 revolted in Kiel: they ask the release of the 400 sailors and the Abdication of the Empereur. Creation of councils of workmen and soldiers with Stuttgart.
• November 5th: General strike with Kiel. The red flag floats on the city.
• November 6th: General strike with Hamburg. Creation of councils of workmen and soldiers with Hamburg and Bremen.
• the league Spartakiste, USPD and SPD ask for the armistice and the abdication of Guillaume II.
• November 7th: Risings and creation of councils of workmen and soldiers with Munich, Cologne, Hanover, Brunswick…
• the riot drives out the reigning family, the Wittelsbach, of Munich.
• November 8th: Rosa Luxemburg (Spartakiste league) is released from its prison of Breslau. With Berlin, the USPD announces the beginning of a General strike for the following day. Risings and creation of councils of workmen and soldiers with Leipzig, Frankfurt, Dresden… the working council of Munich proclaims the republic, and Kurt Eisner (USPD) is elected president of the council.
• November 9th: The revolution gains Berlin: the majority of the soldiers unite with the demonstrators.
• Vis-a-vis the threat, max of Bade announces of its own boss the Abdication of the Kaiser Guillaume II whereas it in is nothing. After which, he resigns and transmits his post of chancellor to Friedrich Ebert (SPD).
• At 2 p.m., Philipp Scheidemann (SPD) proclaims the German République .
• At 4 p.m., Karl Liebknecht (league Spartakiste) proclaims the free socialist République of Germany .
• the league Spartakiste creates the daily newspaper Rote Fahne (red Flag).
• November 10th: Guillaume II flees in Holland.
• SPD and USPD proclaim the creation of a council of police chiefs of the people, composed of three SPD and three USPD. The League spartakist denounces continuity with the preceding mode, and refuses to belong to this council.
• November 11th: The new capacity signs the Armistice.
• Fine of the First World War.

• November 18th: In an article of the Rote Fahne , Rosa Luxemburg request the abrogation of the Capital punishment.

• November 25th: Conference of the regional governments. The majority support the council and Ebert, but the president of the council of Brunswick, Auguste Merges (league Spartakiste), request the transfer of the capacity to the working councils.
• November 28th: with Berlin, posters invite to kill Karl Liebknecht. Rosa Luxemburg is the subject of attacks anti-semites in the press of right-hand side.

December 1918

• December 6th: The Conseil of the police chiefs of the people convenes elections for a constituent assembly the February 15th 1919.
• For the first time in Germany, the women have the Right to vote.
• December 8th: 150.000 demonstrators with Berlin with the call of the league Spartakiste.
• December 12th: Creation of the " irregular forces " , preserving paramilitary troops.
• 16 - December 21st: Congress of the councils of workmen and soldiers of Reich. SPD there in the majority absolute.
• the Congress “gives” the capacity to the Conseil of the police chiefs of the people. He adopts the revocation of all the officers of the army, and the election of new officers by the soldiers (this measurement will not be applied).
• 23 - December 25th: " Christmas sanglant". Revolt Division of the people (Volksmarinedivision). 3.000 sailors from Kiel rise after the provocation of the chancellor Friedrich Ebert who decides in the form of provocation to stop paying their wages with an aim to them of neutralizing what he considers a revolutionary threat. The insurrectionists make captive Otto Wels and take the palate of the Chancellery the 23. The 24, the army attacks the Division of the people and car. 68 people are wounded or killed among the sailors. The workmen, informed by the noise of the firearms run and the troop is overflowed.
• December 27th: Crisis within the council of the police chiefs: dissension enters SPD and USPD on the policy to be followed.
• December 29th: The three police chiefs USPD resign, in dissension in particular with the bloody repression of demonstrations. They are replaced by three SPD.
• Opening of the congress of foundation of the Communist party of Germany (KPD), around the League spartakist.
• December 30th: The congress of KPD adopts the program suggested by Rosa Luxemburg: all capacity with the working councils, for the " Unit socialist republic of Allemagne".
• December 31st: Against the opinion of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, the congress decides for the Boycott elections with the Constituent one.

1919

January 1919

See also: Revolt of January

• : End of the congress of KPD.

• Election of the power station of coordination of KPD of 12 members (of which Kate Duncker, Hugo Eberlein, Paul Frolich, Leo Jogiches, Paul Levi, Karl Liebknecht, Rosa Luxemburg).
• January 4th: The prefect of police of Berlin, Emil Eichhorn (USPD), places since November 9th, is relieved from there by the Ebert government.
• unit Call USPD and KPD to express the following day against the dismissal of Emil Eichhorn.
• January 5th: Powerful demonstration in Berlin which will mark the beginning of the Révolte of January.
• a revolutionary commission is elected, directed by Georg Ledebour (USPD) and Karl Liebknecht (KPD), having for goal to replace the council of the police chiefs.
• Call to the General strike.
• January 6th: Demonstrations and combat in Berlin.
• January 7th: Strikes with Hamburg and Brunswick.
• the army shoots at the demonstrators with Munich.
• January 9th: Combat with Berlin and Spandau.
• the army shoots at the demonstrators with Dresden.
• January 10th: The army shoots at the demonstrators with Stuttgart.
• the leaders of KPD to Nuremberg are imprisoned.
• Proclamation of the Republic of the Councils to Bremen.
• January 11th: Georg Ledebour (USPD) and Ernest Meyer (KPD) is stopped with Berlin. Rosa Luxemburg (KPD) and Karl Liebknecht (KPD) enters in clandestinity.
• Strike with Leipzig.
• January 14th: Revolted are overcome with Berlin.
• January 15th: Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht is stopped, then assassinated by the irregular forces, on order of Gustav Noske (SPD).
• January 16th: The newspaper of KPD is prohibited.
• January 19th: Elections with the German constituent National Assembly. Boycott of KPD. SPD gains the relative majority.
• January 20th: The murders of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht are known.
• Strikes of protest during three days, 8 days of mourning to Eisenach.
• the state of siege is proclaimed with Hamburg.
• January 24th: The police force shoots at unemployed with Berlin.
• January 29th: Death of Franz Mehring (KPD), biographer of Karl Marx.

February 1919

• February 11th: Friedrich Ebert (SPD) is elected president of the republic by the assembly.
• February 13rd: Formation of the government: majority of ministers SPD, and three catholics (with whom the SPD made alliance).
• February 17th: General strike in the the Ruhr.
• February 21st: Assassination of Kurt Eisner (USPD) by a young aristocrat.
• February 22nd: The state of siege is proclaimed with Munich.
• February 26th: General strike with Leipzig, until the March 10th.

March 1919

• 1 {{er}} - March 3rd: Engagements in Market: 55 dead.
• March 3rd: General strike with Berlin. The strikers require the capacity with the working councils, and the release of the political prisoners (of which Ledebour - USPD). The state of siege is proclaimed (it will last until the December 5th).
• March 5th: Engagements in Berlin.
• March 8th: The revolt of Berlin is crushed by the army.
• March 10th: Leo Jogiches (KPD) is stopped and assassinated in prison.
• 12 - March 15th: Repression in Berlin: 1.200 revolutionists are shot.
• March 31st: General strike in the the Ruhr until the April 28th.

April 1919

• April 3rd: Burden with Breslau.
• April 7th: Proclamation of the Republic of the councils of Bavaria, directed by militants KPD and anarchists. The army attacks the Bavaria.
• April 19th: Renewal of the executive committee of the working councils of Large-Berlin: USPD obtains 47% of the votes, SPD 25%, KPD 16%.

May 1919

• 1 {{er}} - May 4th: The army takes again Munich. End of the Republic of the Councils of Munich. Its leaders will be considered and shot.

June 1919

• June 6th: Eugen Leviné, founding member of KPD, is shot because of its role within the République of the Councils of Munich.

• June 27th: Suppression of the right to strike for the railwaymen.

August 1919

• August 11th: Adoption of the Constitution of Weimar.

• September 18th: Burden with the metallurgists with Berlin.

• October 20th: congress of KPD. The “left”, unparliamentary and anti-trade-union, is excluded; it will form in 1920 KAPD.

• November 7th: Hugo Haase (USPD) is assassinated.

• December 5th: End of the state of siege with Berlin.

• December 12th: The prohibition of the newspaper of KPD is raised.

See too

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