Council of the People's Deputies
Encyclopedia
The Council of the People's Deputies was the name given to the government of the November Revolution in Germany
from November 1918 until February 1919.
During this period, the main achievements of the Council were the organization of the cease-fire on the 11th of November, 1918, the General Convention from the 16th-20th of December, 1918, and the preparation for the elections for the National Assembly
(Nationalversammlung) on January 19, 1919.
The Council was formed on November 9, 1918 after the abdication
of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the declaration of the Republic
. A coalition between the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD – Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) and the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
(USPD, Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) made up the council. Until the 29th of December, 1918 there were 3 members from the SPD (Friedrich Ebert
, Philipp Scheidemann
, Otto Landsberg
) and 3 from the USPD (Hugo Haase
, Wilhelm Dittmann, Emil Barth
).
On the 29th, the USPD pulled out of the Council. The main point of contention was the Ebert-Groener pact
, which failed to democratize the control of the army, though there were several other points on which members of the USPD felt they had been ignored. The council was filled out with 2 more SPD members, Gustav Noske
and Rudolf Wissell
. On February 13, 1919, the Council gave up power to the Government of Scheidemann, which had been elected by the Weimar National Assembly (Weimar Republic
).
Council of the People's Commissioners on Archology.org
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
from November 1918 until February 1919.
During this period, the main achievements of the Council were the organization of the cease-fire on the 11th of November, 1918, the General Convention from the 16th-20th of December, 1918, and the preparation for the elections for the National Assembly
Weimar National Assembly
The Weimar National Assembly governed Germany from February 6, 1919 to June 6, 1920 and drew up the new constitution which governed Germany from 1919 to 1933, technically remaining in effect even until the end of Nazi rule in 1945...
(Nationalversammlung) on January 19, 1919.
The Council was formed on November 9, 1918 after the abdication
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the declaration of the Republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
. A coalition between the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD – Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) and the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany was a short-lived political party in Germany during the Second Reich and the Weimar Republic. The organization was established in 1917 as the result of a split of left wing members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
(USPD, Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) made up the council. Until the 29th of December, 1918 there were 3 members from the SPD (Friedrich Ebert
Friedrich Ebert
Friedrich Ebert was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany .When Ebert was elected as the leader of the SPD after the death of August Bebel, the party members of the SPD were deeply divided because of the party's support for World War I. Ebert supported the Burgfrieden and...
, Philipp Scheidemann
Philipp Scheidemann
Philipp Scheidemann was a German Social Democratic politician, who proclaimed the Republic on 9 November 1918, and who became the second Chancellor of the Weimar Republic....
, Otto Landsberg
Otto Landsberg
Otto Landsberg was a German jurist and politician.-Life:Landsberg was born in 1869 in Rybnik in the Province of Silesia. After passing the Abitur in 1887 in Ostrowo, he moved to Berlin to study law. In 1895, having passed the First and Second State Examination , he opened a lawyer's office in...
) and 3 from the USPD (Hugo Haase
Hugo Haase
Hugo Haase was a German politician, jurist and pacifist.-Biography:Haase was born in Allenstein , Province of Prussia, the son of Jewish shoemaker and small businessman, Nathan Haase, and Pauline née Anker. He studied law in Königsberg and established himself as a lawyer...
, Wilhelm Dittmann, Emil Barth
Emil Barth
Emil Barth was a German Social Democratic metal worker who became a key figure in the German Revolution of 1918....
).
On the 29th, the USPD pulled out of the Council. The main point of contention was the Ebert-Groener pact
Ebert-Groener pact
The Ebert–Groener pact or sometimes called The Ebert-Groener deal was an agreement between Friedrich Ebert , and Wilhelm Groener , 2 days before the official end of World War I...
, which failed to democratize the control of the army, though there were several other points on which members of the USPD felt they had been ignored. The council was filled out with 2 more SPD members, Gustav Noske
Gustav Noske
Gustav Noske was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany . He served as the first Minister of Defence of Germany between 1919 and 1920.-Biography:...
and Rudolf Wissell
Rudolf Wissell
Rudolf Wissell was a German politician in the Social Democratic Party of Germany . During the Weimar Republic, he held office as the Minister for Economics and the Minister for Labour.Wissell was a member of the SPD from 1888, and belonged to the right wing of the party...
. On February 13, 1919, the Council gave up power to the Government of Scheidemann, which had been elected by the Weimar National Assembly (Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
).
External links
International Institute of Social HistoryCouncil of the People's Commissioners on Archology.org