Omar Bennett
The Freikorps, or Free Corps, were paramilitary militias that first appeared in Germany in December 1918 in the aftermath of World War I and during the German Revolution of 1918-1919. They were composed primarily of World War I veterans, ex-soldiers, unemployed youth, and other discontents, led by ex-officers and other former military personnel. These groups were formed to fight on behalf of the government against the German communists attempting to overthrow the Weimar Republic, but many Freikorps members also despised the Republic and were involved in assassinations of its supporters. They were anti-communist, patriotic, nationalistic, and radically conservative or proto-fascist.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Composition | Ex-soldiers, unemployed youth, and other discontents |
| Leadership | Ex-officers and other former military personnel |
| Number | More than 65 corps |
| Political leanings | Nationalistic, radically conservative, protofascist, anti-communist, and anti-socialist |
| Activities | Putting down left-wing revolts, political assassinations, fighting miniature wars, plundering, and terrorism |
| Members | 500,000 formal members and 1.5 million informal participants |
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What You'll Learn
- The Free Crops, or Freikorps, were anti-communist paramilitary units
- They fought against communism and helped crush the uprising of workers or socialists
- Freikorps were mustered to fight on behalf of the Weimar Republic government
- The Weimar Republic was the German state from 1919 to 1933
- The Freikorps aided the Nazis in their rise to power
The Free Crops, or Freikorps, were anti-communist paramilitary units
The Freikorps were raised as paramilitary militias in the aftermath of World War I and during the German Revolution of 1918-1919. They consisted partially of World War I veterans and were mustered to fight against the German communists attempting to overthrow the Weimar Republic. The Freikorps were well-known during the Weimar Republic for their anti-communist stance. They were also involved in the assassinations of the Republic's supporters and later aided the Nazis in their rise to power.
The term 'Freikorps' first appeared during the War of the Austrian Succession and especially during the Seven Years' War when France, Prussia, and the Habsburg monarchy engaged in petty warfare while conserving their regular regiments. The Freikorps were also used by Frederick II of Prussia during the Seven Years' War. They were also employed by various nations, including the Dutch Republic, which raised "Vrij compagnieën" (Free Companies) consisting of volunteers and French deserters.
During the Weimar Republic, the Freikorps were used by the tenuous German government under Friedrich Ebert, the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), to quell socialist and communist uprisings. Gustav Noske, the Minister of Defence and an SPD member, also relied on the Freikorps to suppress the Marxist Spartacist uprising, resulting in the execution of communist leaders Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg in 1919. The Freikorps played a significant role in crushing the Bavarian Soviet Republic, a short-lived and unrecognized socialist-communist state in Bavaria during the German Revolution of 1918-1919.
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They fought against communism and helped crush the uprising of workers or socialists
The Freikorps were a group of World War I veterans who opposed communism and sought to overturn the Treaty of Versailles through violence and coercion. They were formed in response to the perceived threat of socialist and communist revolutions in Germany and were supported by right-wing politicians and military leaders, who saw them as a way to maintain order and defend the country. The Freikorps were also involved in assassinations of supporters of the Weimar Republic and later aided the Nazis in their rise to power.
During the early years of the Weimar Republic, the German government under Friedrich Ebert, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), used the Freikorps to quell socialist and communist uprisings. In January 1919, 100,000 workers went on strike in Berlin, hoping to establish a communist state in Germany. The Freikorps were called into action and brutally crushed the uprising, known as the Spartacist Revolt. They also suppressed the Marxist Spartacist uprising, culminating in the summary executions of revolutionary communist leaders Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg on 15 January 1919.
In April 1919, the Communist Party of Germany, led by Eugen Levine, seized power in Bavaria and established the Bavarian Soviet Republic, an unrecognized socialist-communist state that lasted from 12 April until 3 May 1919. In response, Gustav Noske, the Minister of Defence and a member of the SPD, sent various Freikorps brigades to Bavaria, totalling some 30,000 men. Despite encountering little Communist resistance, the Freikorps acted with brutality and violence, executing a dozen workers they claimed were communists and interrupting a meeting of the St Joseph Society, a local Catholic organization.
The Freikorps also crushed leftist uprisings that rolled across the country in 1919, in cities such as Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Westphalia, Brunswick, and Leipzig. They engaged in "White Terror", acting with maximum brutality and committing arbitrary arrests and killings that exceeded the "Red Terror" perpetrated by left-wing groups.
In March 1920, when the Weimar Government attempted to disband the Freikorps, they responded by marching on Berlin and declaring that they had seized the government, installing a new right-wing chancellor, Wilhelm Kapp. This event, known as the Kapp Putsch, was short-lived as the Weimar Government encouraged the workers of Berlin to strike, paralyzing the city and restoring the republic within days.
In summary, the Freikorps fought against communism and played a significant role in crushing uprisings of workers and socialists during the Weimar Republic era. They were utilized by the German government to suppress revolts and were later disbanded due to their growing autonomy and involvement in political assassinations.
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Freikorps were mustered to fight on behalf of the Weimar Republic government
The Freikorps were paramilitary militias that first appeared in Germany in December 1918, in the aftermath of World War I. They were composed of ex-soldiers, unemployed youth, and other discontents, and were led by ex-officers and other former military personnel. The term 'Freikorps' referred to various paramilitary organizations that were established in Germany following its defeat in the war. These groups were formed by radical right-wing nationalists and were particularly active during the German Revolution and the early years of the Weimar Republic.
The Freikorps were ostensibly mustered to fight on behalf of the Weimar Republic government against German communists attempting to overthrow the republic. The Weimar Republic was facing significant socialist and communist uprisings, and the Freikorps were used to quell these revolts. The Freikorps were supported by right-wing politicians and military leaders, who saw them as a way to maintain order and defend against perceived threats. These leaders provided financial support, weapons, and recruitment assistance.
However, despite their initial support for the Weimar Republic, many Freikorps members despised the republic and its supporters. They were anti-communist monarchists who saw the Weimar Republic as a threat to their ideals. They were involved in the assassinations of prominent left-wing figures, including the journalist Kurt Eisner and the anarchist Gustav Landauer. The Freikorps were also responsible for the extrajudicial executions of revolutionary communist leaders Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.
In March 1920, the Freikorps supported the Kapp Putsch, a failed attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic and restore the monarchy. This event marked a turning point, as the Weimar Republic began to view the Freikorps as a threat. The Freikorps were officially disbanded in 1920-1921, but many of their members went on to join right-wing political parties, including the Nazi Party. The Freikorps provided a significant number of the original members of the Nazi Stormtroopers (SA) and other far-right formations.
In summary, the Freikorps were initially mustered to fight on behalf of the Weimar Republic government against communist and socialist uprisings. However, despite this initial alignment, the Freikorps ultimately came to oppose the Weimar Republic, contributing to a climate of political instability during this period. Their legacy lived on through their influence on right-wing politics and their role in the rise of the Nazi Party.
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The Weimar Republic was the German state from 1919 to 1933
The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German state from 1919 to 1933. It was a constitutional republic for the first time in history and is also referred to as the German Republic. The period's informal name is derived from the city of Weimar, which hosted the constituent assembly that established its government. The Weimar Republic had a semi-presidential system.
The end of the First World War (1914–1918) left Germany in a dire state. The country was exhausted, and the awareness of imminent defeat sparked a revolution, leading to the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II. This resulted in the proclamation of the Weimar Republic on 9 November 1918 and a formal cessation of hostilities with the Allies by the Armistice of 11 November 1918.
The Weimar Republic was a time of political turmoil, economic hardship, and social and artistic transformation. It witnessed significant developments in film, literature, art, and science. The country experienced its version of the ""Roaring Twenties," with cities like Berlin becoming centres of social liberalism and cultural vibrancy. However, the Great Depression severely impacted Germany, leading to high unemployment and social and political unrest.
The Weimar Constitution, created in 1919, extended voting rights to all men and women over the age of 20 and established a parliamentary republic with the Reichstag elected by proportional representation. While it provided a foundation for democratic development, the constitution was criticised for its system of proportional representation and the extensive powers granted to the president.
During the Weimar Republic, private paramilitary groups known as Freikorps, or Free Corps, played a significant role in suppressing leftist uprisings. These anti-communist units, constituted by war veterans, helped crush the revolts of workers and socialists. The fall of the Munich Soviet Republic to these right-wing units contributed to the growth of far-right and anti-Semitic movements in Bavaria, including the Nazi Party.
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The Freikorps aided the Nazis in their rise to power
The Freikorps were paramilitary militias that first appeared in Germany in December 1918 after World War I. They were composed of ex-soldiers, unemployed youth, and other discontents, and led by ex-officers and former military personnel. The Freikorps were nationalistic and proto-fascist, and they were used to put down left-wing revolts and uprisings in various German cities. They were also responsible for the killing of numerous left-wing figures, including the journalist Kurt Eisner and the anarchist Gustav Landauer. The Freikorps attempted to overthrow the Weimar government and restore the monarchy in what became known as the Kapp Putsch in March 1920.
Despite initially being sanctioned and supported by figures such as Defense Minister Gustav Noske and General Paul von Hindenburg, the Freikorps were eventually viewed as a threat. Their activities were supplanted by regular army and police work, or assumed by new units of the Nazis and other political parties. However, many members of the Freikorps went on to join right-wing political parties, including the Nazi Party. The Freikorps found appeal in the Nazi Party's marriage of military and political life, as well as its radical nationalism.
The Freikorps, therefore, played a significant role in the rise of the Nazis to power. They provided a symbol of nationalism and anti-communism that resonated with the German people, engaged in violent suppression of left-wing opposition, and contributed key members to the Nazi Party leadership.
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Frequently asked questions
The Free Corps, also known as the Freikorps, were constituted by a war veterans organisation. They were anti-communist paramilitary units that fought against communism in the Weimar Republic.
The Weimar Republic was the German state from 1919 to 1933. It was a constitutional republic for the first time in history. The period's informal name is derived from the city of Weimar, which hosted the constituent assembly that established its government.
The Free Corps aimed to fight against communism in the Weimar Republic. They were used by the German government to quell socialist and communist uprisings. They also despised the Republic and were involved in the assassinations of its supporters.
