Extremist Threats

Political Instability and Extremism Between 1919 and 1923

The range of paramilitary groups and examples of political violence also give a good indication of the extremism in German politics at the time.

Left wing: Sparticists

The Spartacists were a left-wing, radical political group of revolutionary activists.
They were led by Luxemburg and Liebknecht.

Left wing: Rot Frontkämpferbund

The Red Front.
They formed in 1924 as the paramilitary wing of the KPD (communist party) to protect its meetings and demonstrations.
The Rot Front replaced a previous paramilitary group, the Proletarian Hundreds, which had been formed to protect KPD meetings in 1923 but then banned.

Right wing: Freikorps and Organisation Consul

The Freikorps were paramilitary groups of nationalist, anti-republican, mainly ex-soldiers. They usually worked with the Army and so sometimes helped the government.
The Organisation Consul were previously a Freikorps group known as the Ehrhardt Brigade. They reformed secretly in Bavaria as the OC after the Kapp Putsch.

Right wing: Stahlhelm, VVD and SA

The Stahlhelm was a right-wing, nationalist, monarchist paramilitary group of mainly ex-soldiers. It acted as ‘security’ for the German National People’s Party (DNVP).
The VVD (United Patriotic Associations of Germany). It was an umbrella organisation to coordinate right wing groups that aimed to overthrow Versailles and the Republic.
The SA (Stürmabteilung) was the paramilitary wing of the NSDAP. It was formed in 1920.

Left Wing Uprisings Between 1919 and 1923

Left wing extremist groups led a number of serious uprisings between 1919 and 1923.

Sparticist Revolt

Communist revolutionaries seized key parts of Berlin 9-15 January 1919. Ebert asked the Army and Freikorps to suppress the revolt.
The leaders, Luxemburg and Liebknecht, were shot by the Freikorps. Ebert’s request split the left-wing. The KPD never forgave him.

Soviet Republic of Bavaria

The Soviet Republic of Bavaria was declared in March 1919. It was brutally put down in May by 30,000 army and Freikorps troops and the Ehrhardt Brigade.
Anyone suspected of involvement in the Soviet was summarily executed.

The Hamburg Rising

In October 1923 the KPD ordered a rising. Only 300 took part, but local people supported them by building barricades and providing food.
The rebels left quietly after a few hours. Nevertheless, about 100 were shot dead, 300 wounded and 1,400 arrested.

1The Weimar Republic 1918-1933

1.1Establishment Of The Weimar Republic 1918-1924

1.1.1Post WW1

1.1.2Weimar Constitution

1.1.3Peace Settlement

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Germany Post WW1

1.1.5Economic Issues

1.1.6Economic Issues 2

1.1.7Social Issues

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Economic & Social Issues

1.1.9Extremist Threats

1.1.10Extremist Threats 2

1.1.11End of Topic Test - Extremist Threats

1.1.12Political Instability & The Invasion of the Ruhr

1.1.13Weimar Government by 1924

1.1.14End of Topic Test - Weimar Government by 1924

1.1.15A-A* (AO3/4) - Germany Post WW1

1.2The 'Golden Age' Of The Weimar Republic 1924-1928

1.2.1Economic Developments

1.2.2Industry & Agriculture

1.2.3End of Topic Test - Economic Developments

1.2.4Social Developments

1.2.5Social Developments 2

1.2.6End of Topic Test - Social Developments

1.2.7Political Parties

1.2.8Political Stability

1.2.9End of Topic Test - Weimar Politics

1.2.10Germany's International Position

1.2.11Germany's International Position 2

1.2.12End of Topic Test - International Position

1.2.13A-A* (AO3/4) - The Weimar 'Golden Age'

1.3The Collapse of Democracy 1928-1933

1.3.1The Impact Of The Depression

1.3.2Politics After The Depression

1.3.3The Appeal Of Extremism

1.3.4End of Topic Test - The Depression & Politics

1.3.5'Backstairs Intrigue'

1.3.6'Backstairs Intrigue' 2

1.3.7End of Topic Test - Backstairs Intrigue

1.3.8Political Developments

1.3.9The State by March 1933

1.3.10End of Topic Test - Political Developments

1.3.11A-A* (AO3/4) - The Collapse of Democracy

2Nazi Germany 1933-1945

2.1The Nazi Dictatorship 1933-1939

2.1.1Hitler's Consolidation Of Power

2.1.2The Terror State

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Consolidation of Power

2.1.4Opposition

2.1.5Propaganda

2.1.6A-A* (AO3/4) - Terror State & Propaganda

2.1.7End of Topic Test - Propaganda

2.1.8Economic Policies

2.1.9Economic Policies 2

2.1.10Impact Of Economic Policies

2.1.11Impact Of Economic Policies 2

2.1.12End of Topic Test - Economic Policies

2.1.13Social Policies

2.1.14Social Policies 2

2.1.15Volksgemeinschaft

2.1.16End of Topic Test - Social Policies

2.1.17A-A* (AO3/4) - Economic & Social Policies

2.2The Racial State 1933-1941

2.2.1The Radicalisation Of The State

2.2.2Anti-Semitism

2.2.3Development Of Anti-Semitic Policies

2.2.4Development Of Anti-Semitic Policies 2

2.2.5End of Topic Test - Anti-Semitism

2.2.6Treatment of the Jews in the Early Years of War

2.2.7Deportation & Anti-Semitism Evaluation

2.2.8End of Topic Test - Early Treatment of the Jews

2.2.9A-A* (AO3/4) - The Racial State

2.3The Impact Of War 1939-1945

2.3.1Home Front

2.3.2Impact On Society

2.3.3Impact On Society 2

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Impact of the War

2.3.5War Economy

2.3.6War Economy 2

2.3.7Policies Towards The Jews & Untermenschen

2.3.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Impact of the War

2.3.9End of Topic Test - War Economy

2.3.10Opposition

2.3.11Opposition 2

2.3.12Nazi State by 1945

2.3.13End of Topic Test - Opposition

2.3.14A-A* (AO3/4) - Opposition & The State in 1945

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