About the German revolution

[Tower of Bebel]

Yélow :star: ,

In several weeks I'm about to talk to my fellow comrades about the revolutionaire periode in German history: 1917 - 1923.
Each week we come together and discuss. The discussing is about an introduction. Each weak someone introduces something new.
Afterwards we discuss our agenda.

I'm not very familiar with the revolutionary struggles in Germany,
and so do many comrades that I know of. Is there someone who can tell me more about:
1 the role of the Spartakusbund (Spartacus league) during the revolution.
2 the role of the worker's councils (soviets in Russian).
3 the role of Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht and their party.
4 the role of the reactionairy forces.
5 the significance of the German revolution to Lenin, Trotsky and the 3rd Internationale.
6 If there was any: the influence of Stalin on the Germans at the end or just after the revolution.

I know it's a lot, so good links are also apreciatied :) .
As I told I need this for an introduction. It can take 30 min, or an hour (maximum).

[Tower of Bebel]

Anyone? :(

[Janus]

http://www.revleft.com/dev/index.php?showt...rman+revolution (http://www.revleft.com/dev/index.php?showtopic=61509&hl=german+revolution)
http://www.revleft.com/dev/index.php?showt...rman+revolution (http://www.revleft.com/dev/index.php?showtopic=41419&hl=german+revolution)
http://www.revleft.com/dev/index.php?showt...rman+revolution (http://www.revleft.com/dev/index.php?showtopic=30239&hl=german+revolution)
http://libcom.org/tags/german-revolution-1918
http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/germ.../18rev1918.html (http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/germany/lectures/18rev1918.html)


the role of the Spartakusbund (Spartacus league) during the revolution.
It sought to incite a general uprising by circulating subversive literature and through direct action. In 1919, they tried to seize control of Berlin but were crushed by the police and right-wing forces.


the role of the worker's councils (soviets in Russian).
Worker's councils arose throughout Germany during the German revolution as workers seized power throughout the country from the old monarchy and military order.


the role of Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht and their party.
See the material about the Spartacists. Luxembourg was one of the co-founders of the Spartacist League and though she argued against the Spartacist Uprising, she took part in it and was murdered as a result.


the role of the reactionairy forces.
The major reactionary forces consisted of the right wing who crushed the worker's movement and were helped at times by Ebert and government soldiers.


the significance of the German revolution to Lenin, Trotsky and the 3rd Internationale.
The Bolshevik revolution had an influence on the German Revolution and it certainly seemed to its detractors that that was where Germany was headed as well.

[Ander]

It might be in your interest to become familiar with this period of German history in general instead of only the Spartakist uprising.

This was during the rule of the Weimar Republic, a regime which came to power near the very end of WWI. Many nationalist and patriotic Germans despised this government because they believed it had stabbed them in the back (this would eventually lead to Hitler's rise to power).

There were many uprisings during these time and from both sides of the political spectrum. Kapp's putsch was an example of a far-right coup attempty which failed. Also, you may want to know about the incident in which Bavaria was proclaimed an independent socialist republic. This did not last long however, as it was crushed by the government and right wing paramilitaries.

[Tower of Bebel]

Thank you.

[Ander]

By the way, something I forgot to mention was that many Germans became disillusioned with the Weimar Republic because they surrendered in WWI and accepted the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles.

I found an interesting site here. (http://http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERweimar.htm) This subsection I linked you to contains information about Germany during the Weimar Republic and is very straight to the point.

Hope I could help! :)

[The Grey Blur]

People have covered all the main points but I thought I should add this - Trotsky made the analogy that the Spartacist Uprising was the German Revolution's "July Days", that the radicalised rank-and-file moved ahead of the leadership and non-worker masses, leading to defeat. Except in Germany there was no chance for an October.

[Y Chwyldro Comiwnyddol Cymraeg]

it was defeated by the Freikops - rightwing anti-communist ex-WW1 army. The Weimar goverment asked them to help them and instead of them aresting Rosa Luxemburg they killed her :(
The revolution captured Berlin and thus forced the goverment to meet in a smaall town - Weimar hence the name.
The Reightag (parlimentaey building) was burt down apparentley by a communist boy from Holland: Van der Lubbe. The Nazis used this to bann the communists from the voting on wether Hitler should rule as chancellor withuot the parliment and banned their newspapers. Sorry i dont know the name of this in English. But the fire that was started in 20 places couldnt have been done by 1 man. could it???? Nazi conspiricy