The Viking League (German: ''Bund Wiking'') was a German political and paramilitary organization in existence from 1923 to 1928. It was founded on 2 May 1923 in Munich by members of the banned

Organisation Consul Organisation Consul (O.C.) was an ultra-nationalist and anti-Semitic terrorist organization that operated in the Weimar Republic from 1920 to 1922. It was formed by members of the disbanded Freikorps group Marine Brigade Ehrhardt and was respons ...

as the successor to this group. Although its stated purpose was to effect "the revival of Germany on a national and ethnic basis through the spiritual education of its members",Friedrich, Thomas (2013) ''Hitler's Berlin: Abused City'' Spencer, Stewart (trans). New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. . pp.61.69 its actual primary purpose was to contribute to preparations for the overthrow of the

Weimar Republic 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 ...

and provide intensive military training for its members. Membership was estimated to be about 10,000 persons, including many former military officers. Juvenile supporters could join the Young Vikings (''Jungwiking'') youth wing. Leaders of the group included former

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 leade ...

founder

Hermann Ehrhardt Hermann Ehrhardt (29 November 1881 – 27 September 1971) was a German naval officer in World War I who became an anti-republican and anti-Semitic German nationalist Freikorps leader during the Weimar Republic. As head of the Marinebrigade E ...

and his deputy, Commander Eberhard Kautter. Many leaders of other banned or controversial right-wing organizations used membership in the Viking League as a way of keeping continuity for their causes. For example, this included later Nazi

Reich Health Leader The National Socialist German Doctors' League (''Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher Ärztebund'', abbreviated as NSDÄB or NSD-Ärztebund) was a division of the Nazi Party with the mission of integrating the German medical profession within the f ...

Leonardo Conti Leonardo Conti (; 24 August 1900 – 6 October 1945) was the Reich Health Leader in Nazi Germany. The killing of many Germans who were of "unsound mind" is attributed to his leadership. Early life Conti was born to a Swiss Italian father, Silv ...

, who had founded the anti-semitic newspaper ''Kampfbund'' in 1918. The young

Horst Wessel Horst Ludwig Georg Erich Wessel (9 October 1907 – 23 February 1930) was a Berlin ''Sturmführer'' ("Assault Leader", the lowest commissioned officer rank) of the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA), the Nazi Party's stormtroopers. After his killing in 1 ...

joined the group in late 1923. On 9 January 1924 a group of about 20 members of the Viking League led by

Edgar Julius Jung Edgar Julius Jung ( pen name: Tyll; 6 March 1894 – 1 July 1934) was a German lawyer born in Ludwigshafen in the Kingdom of Bavaria. Jung was a leader of the conservative revolutionary movement in Germany which stood not only in opposition to t ...

were responsible for the murder of the Pfalz separatist

Heinz-Orbis Franz Josef Heinz, known as Heinz-Orbis, (25 February 1884 - 9 January 1924) was a Palatine separatist who briefly led the government of the "Autonomous Palatinate" during the French occupation of the Rhineland. He was assassinated by German natio ...

. The stated aim of the League was the establishment of a new German military dictatorship and modification of the

Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles (french: Traité de Versailles; german: Versailler Vertrag, ) was the most important of the peace treaties of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June ...

by armed means. This included targeted provocation intended to incite workers to take action and provide the pretext for a coup. When these preparations became known to the federal government in 1926, the Viking League was banned in Prussia and other areas. After the dissolution of the League at the end of April 1928, many Viking League members continued their activities in related organizations such as ''

Der Stahlhelm ' (German, 'The Steel Helmet, League of Front-Line Soldiers'), commonly known as ''Der Stahlhelm'' ('The Steel Helmet'), was a German First World War veteran's organisation existing from 1918 to 1935. It was part of the "Black Reichswehr" and ...

'' or the Nazi ''

Sturmabteilung The (; SA; literally "Storm Detachment") was the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for Nazi ral ...

'' (SA).

References

{{Authority control Paramilitary organisations of the Weimar Republic Anti-communism in Germany 1923 establishments in Germany Far-right politics in Germany Anti-communist organizations