This page discusses the German Revolution, including an analysis of who can be said to be responsible for the events.

1. Nature and limitation
of the revolution:
‘from above’ and
‘from below’

2. Germany certainly underwent
huge changes after World War
One, not least the introduction
of parliamentary democracy.
Historians however are divided
on whether this change was
inspired from above (leaders
and politicians), from below
(ordinary Germans) or in fact
was not really a major change.

3. Revolution from above
The is the view that the main
reason for changes was that
General Ludendorff persuaded
Kaiser Wilhelm II to hand
over power to a civilian
government.
This was to try and secure
better surrender terms and
blame the civilian government.

4. Ludendorff believed that
Germany had been undermined
by socialists and pacifists. He
thought Germany could have
won with proper support.
However in fact Germany was
almost out of resources, faced
invasion and also had to
contend with the USA’s 1917
entry to the war.

5. On October 3rd 1918, at
Ludendorff’s behest, Kaiser
Wilhelm handed power to a
civilian government led by
Prince Max von Baden as
Chancellor.
Baden’s October Reforms
included bringing members of
the Reichstag’s largest party
(the Social Democrats) into
government.

6. Ordinary Germans were
suffering as a consequence of
war. There were severe food
shortages (winter 1917 was
nicknamed the turnip winter).
The Kaiser may have
introduced limited reforms to
stop a more extreme Soviet-
style revolt (based on the 1917
Russian Revolution).

7. Revolution from below
This is the view that changes
only occurred because ordinary
Germans demanded them.
In October 1918, German
sailors at Kiel and
Wilhelmshaven refused to
fight a battle. This led to
workers’, sailors’ and soldiers’
councils being set up.

8. Across Germany, these new
councils challenged the rights
of lander (state)
governments.
Fearing a violent revolution,
the Kaiser abdicated power.
Prince Max also gave up power
and handed the chancellorship
to Friedrich Ebert, a moderate
socialist.

9. Historians’ views
• Stephen Lee: the revolution was caused by numerous factors:
‘defeat in the war, a disintegrating army and a radicalised left’
• A.J. Nicholls: most significant changes only took place after the
Kiel mutinies, suggesting a ‘revolution from below’
• Eric D Weitz: The revolution of 1918–19 “spread from Kiel”.
• William Carr: By the end of October 1918 “a revolutionary
situation existed in Germany” but it is only after the Kiel
mutiny that the revolution can be said to have truly begun.