The German Revolution

Germany in WW1

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1918 Sept, Germany faced threat of invasion
Ludendorff persuaded Kaiser to turn 2nd Reich into virtual parliamentary democracy
Power given to a civilian government with Reichstag support
2 motives: better peace, shift blame
'Stab in the back myth'

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Oct 1918, new gov = revolution from above
initiated by ruling class
Prince Max of Baden
Some reforms, but not sufficient
HISTORIOGRAPHY: LAYTON, natural response to events "It would be an exaggeration to see these as a constitutional revolution. The forces that had dominated Imperial Germany were still in position by the end of the month."
Lee agrees: "Revolution from above is a less appropriate description of this process than, say, evolution accelerated by necessity."

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Lots of unrest in Germany - defeat, shortages etc
Kiel Naval base mutiny
workers'/ soldiers'/ sailors' councils set up
Max gave chancellorship to Ebert and Kaiser fled 9th NOV
Scheidemann declares republic from one balcony, Liebknecht declares soviet republic from another
Constitutional monarchy collanpsed
11th Nov ARMISTICE
HISTORIOGRAPHY: Ruth Henig argues councils "came into being spontaneously in an effort to speed up the end of the war and to defend the interests of the local community against unpopular measures ordered by government officials."
M Hughes "it is more accurate to talk of a potential revolution that ran away into the sand rather than the genuine article."
S Lee - too much continuity with past

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LEFT WING: Sparticists (v v v left wing), USPD (independents), SPD (moderate)
Splits meant left wing not united
Spartacist revolt Jan 1919 - Liebknecht and Luxemburg killed plus 100 others in 3 days street fighting
Crushed by Freikorps
Supported Ebert because of Ebert Groener pact (10th Nov 1918)
Meant army would support gov if general retained authority
Also Stonnes-Liegen pact between industrialists and trade unionists
ZAG (central workers association) established and 8 hour day - soothed discontent among workers
Eberts strong actions +divisions and lack of strategy in left = no revolution
HISTORIOGRAPHY: West German historians in Cold War - Ebert did right thing, East German - Ebert betrayed revolution
Now - eg Kolb - Ebert overestimated threat from left, but acted to safeguard situation

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Hugo Preuss plus committee wrote it
Lots of Germans uncomfortable with democracy, and this was quite democratic - lots of freedom etc etc
BUT retained some authoritarian aspects: president could override constitutional rights in emergency, army stayed the same, civil service stayed the same, judges stayed the same
Small parties could exploit it AND was a coalition gov
HISTORIOGRAPHY: Streseman "the ordinary people have no affection for Ebert. the truth is the Germans do not want a president in a top hat...he has to wear a uniform and a fistful of medals."
Lees "the base was the previous constitution, modified by the October reforms and given a republican superstructure."
Fischer: "hodgepodge of principles drawn from Socialist and liberal agendas."

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