Extremist Threats and Uprisings

Extremist Threats and Uprisings

Spartacist Uprising - 5th January 1919

• Spartacists were communists.
• They did not believe that Ebert and the Weimar government would serve the interests of the German working people.
• Lead by Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebneckt.
• Uprising in Berlin.
• Seized headquarters of the government's newspaper and the telegraph bureau and tried to organise a general strike.
• It was badly organised and received little support from the people of Berlin.
• Freikorps were used to support the Spartacists.
• Leaders were arrested and shot whilst being transported to prison.

Why were they important?

• Their uprising showed how unstable the Weimar Republic was.
• The new republic was dependant on the support of the army. They had to promise not to change the…