Left vs Right Extremism in Post-WWI Germany

Kiel Mutiny

Naval mutiny in Germany, sparked worker protests.

Social Democratic Party (SPD)

Largest party in Reichstag, reformist, 1 million members.

Friedrich Ebert

Chancellor and SPD leader, improved worker conditions.

Spartacist Uprising

January 1919 demonstrations in Berlin for revolution.

KPD

Communist Party, aimed for workers' revolution.

Spartakusbund

Far-left group seeking Soviet republic in Germany.

Rosa Luxemburg

Leader of Spartacist League, advocated for revolution.

Karl Liebknecht

Co-leader of Spartacist League, pushed for uprising.

Freikorps

Paramilitary groups used to suppress left-wing uprisings.

Gustav Noske

Defense minister who enlisted Freikorps against revolution.

Wolfgang Kapp

Led Freikorps in attempted coup against Ebert.

DNVP

German National People's Party, right-wing political party.

NSDAP

National Socialist German Workers' Party, Nazi party.

Suppression of Revolution

Government actions against leftist uprisings in 1919.

Police Brutality

Violent repression of protests, notably during Spartacist Uprising.

Kapp Putsch

1920 coup attempt by right-wing factions against government.

Weimar Republic

German government post-WWI, faced extreme political challenges.

Left-Wing Threat

Communist movements aimed to overthrow the Weimar government.

Right-Wing Threat

Freikorps and DNVP sought to undermine leftist movements.

Militarism

Support for military power and influence in politics.

Traditionalism

Advocacy for maintaining traditional social structures.

Liberalism

Political ideology favoring individual freedoms and democracy.

Communism

Political ideology advocating for classless society.