The Soviet Republic of Saxony (
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
: Sächsische Räterepublik) was a short-lived, unrecognised socialist state during the
German Revolution of 1918–19 based in
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
. Its short history was marred by political strife, violence, and strikes. It ended after the Freikorps took over
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
and was restored in 1920, only to be overthrown by the Weimar chancellor in 1923.
Founding
The Soviet Republic of Saxony was proclaimed after the abdication of
Frederick Augustus III of Saxony
en, Frederick Augustus John Louis Charles Gustav Gregory Philip von Wettin
, image = Friedrich August III van Saksen.jpg
, caption = Frederick Augustus III (1914)
, succession = King of Saxony
, reign = 15 October 1904 – ...
on November 19, 1918. The king's abdication left a power vacuum that
USPD
The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, USPD) was a short-lived political party in Germany during the German Empire and the Weimar Republic. The organization was establis ...
and
SPD
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, ; SPD, ) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany.
Saskia Esken has been t ...
workers' councils soon filled. These councils founded the new state around the cities of
Dresden
Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...
and
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
with some influence in the other Saxon states.
The republic, although a Soviet, was not a de facto independent state. The republic did not have a real government. It was de jure led by the leaders of the official
Free State of Saxony. In turn, the republic was only able to began collectivization and nationalization efforts without government intervention in the areas the workers' councils controlled. The USPD and SPD constantly conflicted with each other. The leader of the USPD, Richard Lipinski, and the leader of the SPD, Georg Gradanuer were at the front of the division. Throughout the republics short history there was open violence between both parties, and they drifted further apart. In February, after Gradanauer's government was elected, it declared a state of emergency. The USPD in Leipzig refused to allow the government to push for a state of emergency, and troops were brought to Leipzig and destroyed the local councils there. The two parties would continue to fight with each other until the republic had ended.
Labor Unrest and Freikorps Invasion
After the crushing of the
Spartacist uprising
The Spartacist uprising (German: ), also known as the January uprising (), was a general strike and the accompanying armed struggles that took place in Berlin from 5 to 12 January 1919. It occurred in connection with the November Revolutio ...
and the many uprisings in the northwest of Germany, the soviet republic had come into contact with the Soviets in the
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
and the
Hungarian Soviet Republic
The Socialist Federative Republic of Councils in Hungary ( hu, Magyarországi Szocialista Szövetséges Tanácsköztársaság) (due to an early mistranslation, it became widely known as the Hungarian Soviet Republic in English-language sources ( ...
. Soon after, in February political violence ramped up and the federal
Weimar government
The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...
stated that a Soviet republic had been proclaimed in Saxony despite no formal declaration. The republic began radicalizing and the intent for an independent republic became known and by March the railways were stopped, and strikes began to break out. After initial strikes broke out, small instances of open conflict broke out, with railways being attacked and further halted in northwestern Saxon cities. Strikes pitched up in coal districts and communication between the Leipzig and
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
was shattered. The
Freikorps
(, "Free Corps" or "Volunteer Corps") were irregular German and other European military volunteer units, or paramilitary, that existed from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. They effectively fought as mercenary or private armies, rega ...
turned its increasingly bloody attention to the republic after a small labor rebellion occurred in Leipzig where local workers advocated for a new republic and refused to follow the central government's orders. The Leipzig labor rebellion began to lead the republic towards secession, with ironworkers openly calling for the current non-communist government to be replaced.
Soon after an attempt to secede, the Freikorps swarmed in and destroyed the uprising. By May 11, 1919, the labor rebellion was crushed and the Soviet Republic of Saxony was dissolved.
Restoration and Second Dissolution
The Soviet Republic of Saxony would return in March, 1920, after it was proclaimed in Eisladen. However, it would only governmentally return when the SPD and
KPD in a coalition won the state election. This state was loyal to the Weimar government and did not attempt to secede like the last republic. The new Soviet would last three years until a crisis broke out within the federal government.
Political violence between Weimar soldiers and workers erupted in the months before the new Soviet government was elected due to the
Kapp Putsch
The Kapp Putsch (), also known as the Kapp–Lüttwitz Putsch (), was an attempted coup against the German national government in Berlin on 13 March 1920. Named after its leaders Wolfgang Kapp and Walther von Lüttwitz, its goal was to undo th ...
in Berlin, the fallout of which radiated all across Germany. On March 17, riots and protests broke out in Dresden, where more than 50 were killed by government forces. In Leipzig, another labor rebellion broke out with open fighting between Weimar troops and the USPD workers of the city. The uprising was calmed by Richard Leipzig, who stopped most of the fighting. Despite this, hardliner communists continued fighting in the city. On March 19, Weimar soldiers burned down the Leipzig House of the People, while suppressing once and for all the hardliner communists. Meanwhile, a radical communist by the name of
Max Hoelz
Max Hoelz (14 October 1889 – 15 September 1933) was a German Communist, most known for his role as a 'Communist Bandit' in the Vogtland region.
Early life
Hoelz was born the son of a day labourerKuhn, G. (eds) ''All Power to the Councils! A Doc ...
put together a Red Army of nearly 200 workers and soldiers patrolled the region of
Vogtland
Vogtland (; cz, Fojtsko) is a region spanning the German states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia and north-western Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It overlaps with and is largely contained within Euregio Egrensis. The name alludes to the former ...
. His army was surrounded on the Czech border and captured. The political violence that played out continued for numerous more months until the election.
After the election, the strife did not end there. Bombings by Hoelz across Saxony began and he formed a new Red Army while the federal government secretly undermined Saxony by promoting recruitment to Right-wingers, giving them more of a hold over the country. Assassinations played out, and KPD hardliners stormed certain spots around Saxony, only to be suppressed.
In early October, 1923, a constitutional crisis unfolded in which
Gustav Stresemann
Gustav Ernst Stresemann (; 10 May 1878 – 3 October 1929) was a German statesman who served as chancellor in 1923 (for 102 days) and as foreign minister from 1923 to 1929, during the Weimar Republic.
His most notable achievement was the reconci ...
, chancellor of Germany tried to end the 'radical' rule in
Free State of Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total la ...
,
Thuringia
Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million.
Erfurt is the capital and lar ...
and Saxony. After various threats and attacks by KPD members, the Reichswehr believed the KPD were ready to launch a revolution. Weimar troops flooded into Saxony and ended the last Soviet republic. Strikes were called but they failed to accomplish any of their goals. Stresemann's actions only furthered the crisis, and it would see the end of his chancellorship.
See also
*
Bavarian Soviet Republic
The Bavarian Soviet Republic, or Munich Soviet Republic (german: Räterepublik Baiern, Münchner Räterepublik),Hollander, Neil (2013) ''Elusive Dove: The Search for Peace During World War I''. McFarland. p.283, note 269. was a short-lived unre ...
*
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune (french: Commune de Paris, ) was a revolutionary government that seized power in Paris, the capital of France, from 18 March to 28 May 1871.
During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard had defended ...
*
Spartacist Uprising
The Spartacist uprising (German: ), also known as the January uprising (), was a general strike and the accompanying armed struggles that took place in Berlin from 5 to 12 January 1919. It occurred in connection with the November Revolutio ...
*
Revolutions of 1917-1923
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saxony Soviet
Communism in Germany
Early Soviet republics
Former socialist republics
Former states and territories of Saxony
History of Saxony
German Revolution of 1918–1919
20th century in Saxony