When WWI veterans saved Germany from communism

99 years ago today in 1919, German WWI veterans put down a communist uprising in the city of Berlin.

Following the conclusion of World War One, Germany was in turmoil. Hoping to take advantage of this tragic situation, socialists and communist groups started a post-war revolution attempting to take control of the country. On January 4th, the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, who had previously founded and led the leftwing “Spartacist League” attempted to take over the city of Berlin.

 Hardened veterans of the Freikorps still armed with their military equipment from WWI fought the communists, taking the city back street by street. The leaders of the uprising were found and executed. And shortly after this event, Germany held a constitutional convention rejecting communism and creating the Weimar Republic.

[Online References]

(http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/spartacist-uprising-berlin )

(http://weimarandnazigermany.co.uk/1919-spartacist-uprising/ )

(https://www.marxists.org/subject/germany-1918-23/ )

(https://www.bundestag.de/blob/189772/8b9e17bd8d64e64c8e3a95fc2305e132/november_revolution-data.pdf )

Images from the event:

(https://gottmituns.net/2012/12/22/british-steel-mk-iv-tank-in-berlin-germany-1919/ )