Ruhr Uprising
Encyclopedia
The Ruhr uprising was a left-wing workers' revolt in the Ruhr
in March 1920. The uprising took place initially on the occasion of the call for a general strike
issued by the Social Democrat members of the German government in response to the Kapp Putsch
of 13 March 1920:
However the Communists in the Ruhr had previously laid plans for "winning political power by the dictatorship of the proletariat
" in the event of a general strike. After the collapse of the Kapp Putsch, the German government sent in the Reichswehr
(the German army), to crush the ongoing insurgency. In fact, many of the soldiers used were precisely those who had mobilised behind Wolfgang Kapp
and Walther von Lüttwitz
in their putsch.
units that were threatened with disbandment marched into Berlin
. The "Transitional Reichswehr
" refused to protect the legitimate government, whereupon the government fled the city, and the participants in the Putsch declared Wolfgang Kapp
as the new Reich Chancellor. Since the ministerial bureaucracy refused cooperation, however, he could not govern effectively; when a general strike
was declared in protest at the Putsch, he finally gave up on 17 March 1920. The general strike was officially declared as having ended on 22 March.
The first demonstrations were in the Ruhr region on 13 March 1920. For example, in Bochum
, 20,000 people turned out.
At the same time as the Kapp Putsch
, on 14 March 1920 in Elberfeld
a meeting of representatives of the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD), the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
(USPD) and the Social Democratic Party of Germany
(SPD) was held. The left-wing workers parties decided on a spontaneous alliance against the Putschists. The SPD, USPD and KPD drafted a joint appeal to "winning political power by the dictatorship of the proletariat
".
As a consequence of this appeal and in the context of the general strike, a few workers attempted to take over the power of the state on a regional scale. In the larger localities of the Ruhr area, spontaneously formed local "Executive Councils" took over political power. These were mostly dominates by the USPD, with the KPD also participating. The anarcho-syndicalist Free Workers' Union of Germany
(FAUD) was also represented. Worker-soldiers were deployed, who controlled the cities.
The Red Ruhr Army, whose strength was estimated at approximately 50 000 members judging by the rifles that were later confiscated, managed to prevail over the forces of the state in the area in a very short time.
On 17 March 1920, units of the Red Ruhr Army near Wetter
attacked an advance party of the Freikorps Lichtschlag
under Hauptmann Hasenclever, who upon being asked had identified himself as a supporter of the new Kapp government. They took the enemy force's weapons, captured 600 Freikorps members and occupied Dortmund
.
On 20 March 1920 in Essen, a Central Committee of the Workers Councils
was formed, the latter being in the process of taking power in parts of the Ruhr. Another central organ was in Hagen.
The Zitadelle Wesel was attacked on 24 March.
The legitimate government, newly returned to office, issued an ultimatum, demanding that the Workers Councils put an end to the strike and the uprising by 30 March and 2 April respectively; the Councils did not comply with this.
The attempt to settle the conflict at the negotiating table in the Bielefeld Agreement failed ultimately due to the unauthorized actions of the regional military commander, Oskar von Watter
.
The consequence was the renewed proclamation of a general strike. More than 300,000 miners (about 75 percent of the work force in mining) joined this. The communist uprising brought Düsseldorf
and Elberfeld into the hands of the communists. Until the end of March the whole Ruhr area was taken.
Those involved in the uprising, who were often world war veterans, even received wages from the Workers Councils. They often operated in small groups, transporting themselves by bicycle. The former stronghold in Wesel was also besieged, but here the Ruhr Army experienced its first defeat.
The structure of the Ruhr Army was, like the political demands and positions of the different Workers Councils, very heterogeneous and subject to frequent changes. In general, one can make out a strong difference between East and West. The USPD-dominated eastern Ruhr area organised and armed itself earlier, but did not support a continuation of armed actions against the newly restored Reich government. On the other hand, the mobilization was slower in the trade union-dominated western Ruhr area, but later the continuation of the uprising found greater support here.
On 2 April 1920, Reichswehr units marched into the Ruhr area to suppress the uprising. Interestingly, this force also contained units that had supported the Putsch only days previously, such as the Marine-Brigade von Loewenfeld.
With the support of the Reich government, the uprising was suppressed by General Watter, approaching from the north. Based in Münster, his staff led the civil war in the Ruhr area on the orders of the government, in which units of the Reichswehr and Freikorps suppressed the Ruhr Army.
There followed death sentences as well as mass executions. Those who were carrying weapons at the time of their arrest, were shot—including the wounded. On 3 April 1920 Reichspräsident Friedrich Ebert
forbade these summary trials, to prevent the worst. On 12 April 1920 General von Watter forbade his soldiers from engaging in "unlawful behaviour".
The Reichswehr stopped itself only at the Ruhr, as the British occupation forces were threatening to occupy the Bergisches Land
due to a breach of the Versailles Treaty.
After the end of the fighting, the participants in the uprising had lost rather more than 2000 lives, the Reichswehr and Freikorps about 273 lives.
Ruhr
The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany , a right tributary of the Rhine.-Description:The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet...
in March 1920. The uprising took place initially on the occasion of the call for a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
issued by the Social Democrat members of the German government in response to the Kapp Putsch
Kapp Putsch
The Kapp Putsch — or more accurately the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch — was a 1920 coup attempt during the German Revolution of 1918–1919 aimed at overthrowing the Weimar Republic...
of 13 March 1920:
- "Throttle the reactionary clique! Fight with every means for the maintenance of the RepublicWeimar RepublicThe Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. Lay aside all petty discord. There is only one way to prevent the return of Wilhelm II:-
- Paralyze all economic activity!
- No hand dare more!
- No proletarian dare help the military dictatorship!
- General strike all down the line!
-
- PROLETARIANS UNITE!
- DOWN WITH THE COUNTER-REVOLUTION"
-
-
However the Communists in the Ruhr had previously laid plans for "winning political power by the dictatorship of the proletariat
Dictatorship of the proletariat
In Marxist socio-political thought, the dictatorship of the proletariat refers to a socialist state in which the proletariat, or the working class, have control of political power. The term, coined by Joseph Weydemeyer, was adopted by the founders of Marxism, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, in the...
" in the event of a general strike. After the collapse of the Kapp Putsch, the German government sent in the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
(the German army), to crush the ongoing insurgency. In fact, many of the soldiers used were precisely those who had mobilised behind Wolfgang Kapp
Wolfgang Kapp
Wolfgang Kapp was a Prussian civil servant and journalist. He was a strict nationalist, and a nominal leader of the so-called Kapp Putsch.-Early life:...
and Walther von Lüttwitz
Walther von Lüttwitz
Walther von Lüttwitz was a German general known for his involvement in the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch.Lüttwitz was born in Bodland near Kreuzburg in Upper Silesia. During World War I, Lüttwitz held several high military ranks...
in their putsch.
History
On 13 March 1920, right-wing FreikorpsFreikorps
Freikorps are German volunteer military or paramilitary units. The term was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards. Between World War I and World War II the term was also used for the paramilitary organizations that arose during...
units that were threatened with disbandment marched into Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. The "Transitional Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
" refused to protect the legitimate government, whereupon the government fled the city, and the participants in the Putsch declared Wolfgang Kapp
Wolfgang Kapp
Wolfgang Kapp was a Prussian civil servant and journalist. He was a strict nationalist, and a nominal leader of the so-called Kapp Putsch.-Early life:...
as the new Reich Chancellor. Since the ministerial bureaucracy refused cooperation, however, he could not govern effectively; when a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
was declared in protest at the Putsch, he finally gave up on 17 March 1920. The general strike was officially declared as having ended on 22 March.
The first demonstrations were in the Ruhr region on 13 March 1920. For example, in Bochum
Bochum
Bochum is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany. It is located in the Ruhr area and is surrounded by the cities of Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Herne, Castrop-Rauxel, Dortmund, Witten and Hattingen.-History:...
, 20,000 people turned out.
At the same time as the Kapp Putsch
Kapp Putsch
The Kapp Putsch — or more accurately the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch — was a 1920 coup attempt during the German Revolution of 1918–1919 aimed at overthrowing the Weimar Republic...
, on 14 March 1920 in Elberfeld
Elberfeld
Elberfeld is a municipal subdivision of the German city of Wuppertal; it was an independent town until 1929.-History:The first official mentioning of the geographic area on the banks of today's Wupper River as "elverfelde" was in a document of 1161...
a meeting of representatives of the Communist Party of Germany
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
(KPD), 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) and 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) was held. The left-wing workers parties decided on a spontaneous alliance against the Putschists. The SPD, USPD and KPD drafted a joint appeal to "winning political power by the dictatorship of the proletariat
Dictatorship of the proletariat
In Marxist socio-political thought, the dictatorship of the proletariat refers to a socialist state in which the proletariat, or the working class, have control of political power. The term, coined by Joseph Weydemeyer, was adopted by the founders of Marxism, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, in the...
".
As a consequence of this appeal and in the context of the general strike, a few workers attempted to take over the power of the state on a regional scale. In the larger localities of the Ruhr area, spontaneously formed local "Executive Councils" took over political power. These were mostly dominates by the USPD, with the KPD also participating. The anarcho-syndicalist Free Workers' Union of Germany
Free Workers' Union of Germany
The Free Workers' Union of Germany was an anarcho-syndicalist trade union, which existed from the renaming of the Free Association of German Trade Unions on September 15, 1919 to its official disbandment in January 1933 after the Nazis came into power, although many of its members continued to be...
(FAUD) was also represented. Worker-soldiers were deployed, who controlled the cities.
The Red Ruhr Army, whose strength was estimated at approximately 50 000 members judging by the rifles that were later confiscated, managed to prevail over the forces of the state in the area in a very short time.
On 17 March 1920, units of the Red Ruhr Army near Wetter
Wetter (Ruhr)
Wetter is a town in western Germany and belongs to the area of Ruhr area and the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Wetter belongs to the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis. The river Ruhr flows through the urban area and separates the district of Altwetter from the districts of Esborn,...
attacked an advance party of the Freikorps Lichtschlag
Freikorps Lichtschlag
The Freikorps Lichtschlag was a paramilitary unit in Germany that was established on 14 December 1918 just after the end of World War I.After the German Revolution of 1918–1919, the corps command of the VII. Armeekorps based in Münster under General Oskar von Watter began to establish Freikorps...
under Hauptmann Hasenclever, who upon being asked had identified himself as a supporter of the new Kapp government. They took the enemy force's weapons, captured 600 Freikorps members and occupied Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
.
On 20 March 1920 in Essen, a Central Committee of the Workers Councils
Workers' council
A workers' council, or revolutionary councils, is the phenomenon where a single place of work or enterprise, such as a factory, school, or farm, is controlled collectively by the workers of that workplace, through the core principle of temporary and instantly revocable delegates.In a system with...
was formed, the latter being in the process of taking power in parts of the Ruhr. Another central organ was in Hagen.
The Zitadelle Wesel was attacked on 24 March.
The legitimate government, newly returned to office, issued an ultimatum, demanding that the Workers Councils put an end to the strike and the uprising by 30 March and 2 April respectively; the Councils did not comply with this.
The attempt to settle the conflict at the negotiating table in the Bielefeld Agreement failed ultimately due to the unauthorized actions of the regional military commander, Oskar von Watter
Oskar von Watter
Oskar Freiherr von Watter was a German Lieutenant General, and came from an old Pomeranian noble family....
.
The consequence was the renewed proclamation of a general strike. More than 300,000 miners (about 75 percent of the work force in mining) joined this. The communist uprising brought Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
and Elberfeld into the hands of the communists. Until the end of March the whole Ruhr area was taken.
Those involved in the uprising, who were often world war veterans, even received wages from the Workers Councils. They often operated in small groups, transporting themselves by bicycle. The former stronghold in Wesel was also besieged, but here the Ruhr Army experienced its first defeat.
The structure of the Ruhr Army was, like the political demands and positions of the different Workers Councils, very heterogeneous and subject to frequent changes. In general, one can make out a strong difference between East and West. The USPD-dominated eastern Ruhr area organised and armed itself earlier, but did not support a continuation of armed actions against the newly restored Reich government. On the other hand, the mobilization was slower in the trade union-dominated western Ruhr area, but later the continuation of the uprising found greater support here.
On 2 April 1920, Reichswehr units marched into the Ruhr area to suppress the uprising. Interestingly, this force also contained units that had supported the Putsch only days previously, such as the Marine-Brigade von Loewenfeld.
With the support of the Reich government, the uprising was suppressed by General Watter, approaching from the north. Based in Münster, his staff led the civil war in the Ruhr area on the orders of the government, in which units of the Reichswehr and Freikorps suppressed the Ruhr Army.
There followed death sentences as well as mass executions. Those who were carrying weapons at the time of their arrest, were shot—including the wounded. On 3 April 1920 Reichspräsident 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...
forbade these summary trials, to prevent the worst. On 12 April 1920 General von Watter forbade his soldiers from engaging in "unlawful behaviour".
The Reichswehr stopped itself only at the Ruhr, as the British occupation forces were threatening to occupy the Bergisches Land
Bergisches Land
The Bergisches Land is a low mountain range region within the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, east of Rhine river, south of the Ruhr. The landscape is shaped by woods, meadows, rivers and creeks and contains over 20 artificial lakes...
due to a breach of the Versailles Treaty.
After the end of the fighting, the participants in the uprising had lost rather more than 2000 lives, the Reichswehr and Freikorps about 273 lives.
See also
- History of the Ruhr DistrictHistory of the Ruhr DistrictThe actual boundaries of the Ruhr district differ slightly according to the source but a good working definition is to define the Lippe and Ruhr as the northern and southern boundaries respectively, with the Rhein the western boundary, stretching to the East as far as Hamm.In the Middle Ages, local...
- Hans MarchwitzaHans MarchwitzaHans Marchwitza was a German writer, proletarian poet, and communist.- Life :Marchwitza was the son of miner Thomas Marchwitza and his wife Thekla Maxisch, and was born in Scharley near Beuthen in Upper Silesia. Already at fourteen years old Marchwitza was working underground in the mines...
- Wilhelm ZaisserWilhelm ZaisserWilhelm Zaisser was a German communist politician and the first Minister for State Security of the German Democratic Republic .- Life :...
- Cuno strikesCuno strikesThe Cuno strikes were nation-wide strikes in Germany against the government of Reich chancellor Wilhelm Cuno in August 1923. The wave of strikes demanded and helped bring about the resignation of the Cuno government on August 12, 1923, just nine months after it began...