2. Following the Kaiser’s
abdication, left-wing groups
were split about what was
happening in Germany.
Philipp Scheidemann from
the Social Democrats (SPD)
declared a republic and Karl
Liebknecht from the
Communist Spartacist League
declared a Soviet republic.
3. Ebert was angry at the
declaration of a republic – he
had wanted the people to
choose a monarchy or republic.
Chancellor Ebert saw turmoil
across Germany and feared
Bolshevism (communism);
workers’ groups claimed power
and different types of
government were forming.
4. On 10 November 1918, Ebert
phoned General Wilhelm
Groener, the successor to
General Ludendorff.
Ebert and Groener (and
Germany’s elite) both feared
Communism. They agreed a
secret deal to have the army
support the new government in
exchange for maintaining
existing officers’ authority.
5. In fact, neither man was truly
happy with the deal.
Ebert believed that his actions
would see accused of selling
out his ideals, which is why he
kept the deal secret.
Groener would not have
supported some changes which
were introduced, but believed
this was the stop communism.
6. Limited revolution
These events support the view
that in fact there was not a
genuine revolution.
The army continued to support
the government, stopping a
Soviet-style revolution.
The country’s elite (civil service,
judiciary, military officers) were
also largely unaffected.
7. Historians’ views
• Ruth Henig (1998): For Ebert “the aim was clear: to stabilise
the political situation sufficiently to enable elections to take
place as soon as possible for a National Assembly.” General
Groener surmised that Ebert was as anxious as the army to
defeat the Bolshevik challenge and needed the army’s support.
• A J Nicholls (2000 edn): For Ebert “the problem of
maintaining order and discipline in the army was more serious
than the need to build up new supporters of socialism.
