Spartacist Rebellion

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  • Created by: LBlack
  • Created on: 30-05-17 17:28

Spartacist Rebellion

Causes

  • Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg were left wing socialists who founded and led the KPD (German communist party)
  • They wanted to make Germany a Communist state like Russia and wanted to continue the German Revolution.
  • The Weimar Government was ruled by the SPD (a central left party) and the president was Ebert
  • The Spartacists were unhappy with the Government making deals with the conservative military and wanted them overthrown
  • 24th December 1918  the Spartacist started to occupy buildings
  • 5th January 1919 they started an armed takeover of Berlin.  50,000 people joined the fight
  • Ebert called 3,000 Freikorps to come to Berlin and crush the rebellion

Effects

  • 100 Spartacists and 17 Freikorps were killed after 3 days of fighting
  • Luxemburg and Liebknecht were killed
  • Ebert had regained control of Berlin but had to heavily rely on Right wing Freikorps - undermining credibility
  • Similar rebellion happened in Munich and the Freikorp were used to defeaated it as well

Overall summary

The hope of a communist state and the dislike for the central German government led to the Spartacists attempting to cease power but with the help of the rightwing Freikorps the revolution was put down but the credibility of the state was starting to be quaestioned 

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