Weimar Paramilitary Groups
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Weimar Paramilitary Groups
Paramilitary groups were formed throughout the Weimar Republic in the wake of Imperial Germany's defeat in World War I and the ensuing German Revolution. Some were created by political parties to help in recruiting, discipline and in preparation for seizing power. Some were created before World War I. Others were formed by individuals after the war and were called "Freikorps" (Free corps). The party affiliated groups and others were all outside government control, but the Freikorps units were under government control, supply and pay (usually through army sources). After World War I, the German Army was restricted to 100,000 men, so there were a great number of Imperial German Army soldiers suddenly de-mobilized. Many of these men were hardened into a ''Frontgemeinschaft'', a front-line community. It was a spirit of camaraderie that was formed due to the length and horrors of trench warfare of World War I. These paramilitary groups filled a need for many of these soldiers who ...
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Paramilitary
A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carry out duties that a country's military or police forces are unable or unwilling to handle. Other organizations may be considered paramilitaries by structure alone, despite being unarmed or lacking a combat role. Overview Though a paramilitary is, by definition, not a military, it is usually equivalent to a light infantry force in terms of strength, firepower, and organizational structure. Paramilitaries use "military" equipment (such as long guns and armored personnel carriers; usually military surplus resources), skills (such as battlefield medicine and bomb disposal), and tactics (such as urban warfare and close-quarters combat) that are compatible with their purpose, often combining them with skills from other relevant fields such a ...
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Kurt Von Schleicher
Kurt Ferdinand Friedrich Hermann von Schleicher (; 7 April 1882 – 30 June 1934) was a German general and the last chancellor of Germany (before Adolf Hitler) during the Weimar Republic. A rival for power with Hitler, Schleicher was murdered by Hitler's SS during the Night of the Long Knives in 1934. Schleicher was born into a military family in Brandenburg an der Havel on 7 April 1882. Entering the Prussian Army as a lieutenant in 1900, he rose to become a General Staff officer in the Railway Department of the German General Staff and served in the General Staff of the Supreme Army Command during World War I. Schleicher served as liaison between the Army and the new Weimar Republic during the German Revolution of 1918–1919. An important player in the Reichswehr's efforts to avoid the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles, Schleicher rose to power as head of the Reichswehr's Armed Forces Department and was a close advisor to President Paul von Hindenburg from 1926 onward. F ...
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Swastika
The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. It continues to be used as a symbol of divinity and spirituality in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It generally takes the form of a cross, the arms of which are of equal length and perpendicular to the adjacent arms, each bent midway at a right angle. The word ''swastika'' comes from sa, स्वस्तिक, svastika, meaning "conducive to well-being". In Hinduism, the right-facing symbol (clockwise) () is called ', symbolizing ("sun"), prosperity and good luck, while the left-facing symbol (counter-clockwise) () is called ''sauwastika'', symbolising night or tantric aspects of Kali. In Jain symbolism, it represents Suparshvanathathe seventh of 24 Tirthankaras (spiritual teachers and savio ...
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Marinebrigade Ehrhardt
The Marinebrigade Ehrhardt, also known as the Ehrhardt Brigade, was a Freikorps unit of the early Weimar Republic. It was formed on 17 February 1919 as the Second Marine Brigade from members of the former Imperial German Navy under the leadership of Hermann Ehrhardt. The Brigade was used primarily in the suppression of the Bavarian Soviet Republic and the First Silesian Uprising, both in the first half of 1919. In March 1920, faced with its imminent disbanding by orders of the government in Berlin, the Marine Brigade was one of the main supporters of the Kapp Putsch that tried to overthrow the Weimar Republic. After the putsch failed and the Brigade was disbanded in May, many of the former members formed the secret Organisation Consul under Ehrhardt's leadership. Before it was banned in 1922, it carried out numerous assassinations and murders in a continuation of the attempts to overthrow the Republic. Formation and structure On 27 January 1919, during the Revolution ...
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Bund Oberland
The ''Freikorps Oberland'' (also ''Bund Oberland'' or ''Kameradschaft Freikorps und Bund Oberland'') was a voluntary paramilitary organization that, in the early years of the Weimar Republic, fought against Communist and Polish insurgents. It was successful in the 1921 Battle of Annaberg and became the core of the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA) in Bavaria while several members later turned against the Nazis. The group was founded in April 1919 by Rudolf von Sebottendorf, president of Thule Society. The cabinet of Johannes Hoffmann (SPD) had fled from Bavarian Soviet Republic to Bamberg. Major Albert Ritter von Beckh (1870–1958) assumed military control. Most of the volunteers came from Bavaria, and therefore the symbol of the Edelweiß was chosen. Its direct precursor was the "Kampfbund" within Thule Society, which also was against the Bavarian Soviet republic. In May 1919 Freikorps Oberland fought against the Bavarian Soviet Republic. Elements of the Freikorps, combined with Fr ...
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Freikorps Oberland
The ''Freikorps Oberland'' (also ''Bund Oberland'' or ''Kameradschaft Freikorps und Bund Oberland'') was a voluntary paramilitary organization that, in the early years of the Weimar Republic, fought against Communist and Polish insurgents. It was successful in the 1921 Battle of Annaberg and became the core of the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA) in Bavaria while several members later turned against the Nazis. The group was founded in April 1919 by Rudolf von Sebottendorf, president of Thule Society. The cabinet of Johannes Hoffmann (SPD) had fled from Bavarian Soviet Republic to Bamberg. Major Albert Ritter von Beckh (1870–1958) assumed military control. Most of the volunteers came from Bavaria, and therefore the symbol of the Edelweiß was chosen. Its direct precursor was the "Kampfbund" within Thule Society, which also was against the Bavarian Soviet republic. In May 1919 Freikorps Oberland fought against the Bavarian Soviet Republic. Elements of the Freikorps, combined with Fr ...
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Wilhelm Reinhard (SS)
Wilhelm Reinhard (18 March 1869 in Forsthaus Lutau, Kreis Flatow – 18 January 1955 in Dortmund) was an officer of the Schutzstaffel during World War II. He held SS number 274,104 and was an ''SS-Obergruppenführer'' with date of rank from 31 December 1941.''Dienstalterslisten der SS'', NSDAP Revised edition (20 April 1945) Awards and decorations *1914 Iron Cross 2nd class, 14.09.1914 *1914 Iron Cross 1st class, 24.12.1914 *Pour le Mérite The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by Frederick the Great, King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Or ..., 27.08.1917 See also * List SS-Obergruppenführer References External links * 1869 births 1955 deaths People from Złotów County People from West Prussia SS-Obergruppenführer Members of the Reichstag of Nazi Germany Sturmabteilung personnel Recipients of the Pour le Mérite ...
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Walther Von Lüttwitz
Walther Karl Friedrich Ernst Emil Freiherr von Lüttwitz (2 February 1859 – 20 September 1942) was a German general who fought in World War I. Lüttwitz is best known for being the driving force behind the Kapp–Lüttwitz Putsch of 1920 which attempted to replace the democratic government of the Weimar Republic with a military dictatorship. Early life Lüttwitz was born on 2 February 1859 in the city of Bodland near Kreuzburg O.S. in Upper Silesia, then part of Prussia (now Bogacica, Poland). His father was Ernst von Lüttwitz (1823–92), an ''Oberförster'' ("head forest warden"), ''Hauptmann'' (captain) and ''Deichhauptmann'' ("overseer of dikes"). His mother was Cecile (1835–1910), the daughter of Heinrich Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz. Military career Lüttwitz received his military training in 1878–87, finishing as an officer. He then attended the '' Kriegsakademie'' in 1887–90. Between 1890 and 1912 he served in various army commands. In 191 ...
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Georg Escherich
Georg Escherich (born 4 January 1870 in Schwandorf - died 26 August 1941 in Munich) was a German politician, representative of the Bavarian People's Party. By profession he was a forester.Tim Kirk, ''Cassell's Dictionary of Modern German History'', 2002, p. 112 In 1919 he became head of the Bavarian ''Einwohnerwehren'', anti-communist home guard groups set up by General Ludwig Maercker. The following year Escherich organised his supporters into the 'Orgesch' (from 'Organisation Escherich), an anti-Semitic paramilitary group. This new group quickly established links with the Heimwehr in Austria and gave weapons to the units commanded by Richard Steidle and Walter Pfrimer. Escherich was a close ally of Rudolf Kanzler, the leader of 'Orka', who was also close to the Heimwehr.Philip Rees, ''Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890'', 1990, p. 205 The Orgesch was disarmed and disbanded on the orders of the Allies in 1921 as part of wider moves against the private arm ...
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Ludwig Maercker
Georg Ludwig Rudolf Maercker (21 September 1865 in Baldenburg – 31 December 1924 in Dresden) was a German general of World War I. Following the Armistice of 1918 that saw the end of fighting and of the Bolshevik revolution that led to the creation of the Soviet Union, there were many examples of disturbances throughout Germany. Maercker suggested the formation of ''Freikorps'' (Free Corps) to suppress these and a number of formations formed themselves, usually around individual army officers. After leaving the ''Freikorps'', Maercker became active in ''Der Stahlhelm'' group and was the president of the Saxony chapter. In 1924, Maercker together with Theodor Duesterberg Theodor Duesterberg (; 19 October 1875 – 4 November 1950) was a leader of '' Der Stahlhelm'' in Germany prior to the Nazi seizure of power. Background Born the son of an army surgeon in Darmstadt, Duesterberg entered the Prussian Army in 18 ... was a leader of the anti-Semitic fraction within the ''Stahh ...
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Nationalism
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a in-group and out-group, group of people),Anthony D. Smith, Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History''. Polity (publisher), Polity, 2010. pp. 9, 25–30; especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation's sovereignty (self-governance) over its homeland to create a nation-state. Nationalism holds that each nation should govern itself, free from outside interference (self-determination), that a nation is a natural and ideal basis for a polity, and that the nation is the only rightful source of political power. It further aims to build and maintain a single national identity, based on a combination of shared social characteristics such as culture, ethnicity, geographic location, language, politics (or the government), religion, traditions and belief ...
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Right-wing Politics
Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authority, property or tradition.T. Alexander Smith, Raymond Tatalovich. ''Cultures at war: moral conflicts in western democracies''. Toronto, Canada: Broadview Press, Ltd, 2003. p. 30. "That viewpoint is held by contemporary sociologists, for whom 'right-wing movements' are conceptualized as 'social movements whose stated goals are to maintain structures of order, status, honor, or traditional social differences or values' as compared to left-wing movements which seek 'greater equality or political participation.' In other words, the sociological perspective sees preservationist politics as a right-wing attempt to defend privilege within the ''social hierarchy''."''Left and right: the significance of a political distinction'', Norberto Bobbio an ...
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