The document summarizes the Spartacist Revolt that took place in Germany in 1919. The revolt was led by communist groups including the Spartacists who wanted more radical political change. In January 1919, 100,000 workers staged a demonstration in Berlin that turned violent as the Spartacists and other communist groups joined. The government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Ebert, saw the communists as a threat and made a secret deal with the military to support the government in exchange for keeping their positions. The military was sent in to end the revolt, killing hundreds of protesters including the Spartacist leaders. The revolt's violent suppression helped enable the later rise of the Nazis in Germany.

1. National 5 History: Hitler & Nazi
Germany
The Spartacist Revolt/Communism

2. Today’s lesson – The Spartacist Revolt
We are developing our knowledge and understanding of
the Spartacist Revolt which took place in 1919
By the end of today’s lesson I should be able to:
1) Describe events at the 1919 Spartacist Revolt
2) Describe the key principles of Communism
3) Explain why the Spartacist Revolt helped the Nazis take power.
Today’s lesson involves:
Note taking

3. What is a revolt/revolution?
A forcible overthrow of a government or social order,
in favour of a new system.

4. Europe at the end of WW1
Europe at the end of World War One was a melting pot of
different political ideologies/beliefs.
The key ones were:
1) Liberalism/Democracy promoted by people such as
Ebert & David Lloyd George.
2) Authoritarianism (Dictatorship) promoted by people
such as the Kaiser.
3) Socialists promoted by people such as James Connolly.
4) Communism promoted by people such as Lenin & Stalin
in Russia.
The key one we will be looking at is Communism

5. Communism
Communism is a political and ideological systems used to run a
country.
An ideology is a system of beliefs that shapes how an individual or
government thinks and acts.
What is Communism?
Economic system – based on the sharing of wealth.​
Belief in collective (group) ownership and a planned economy –
private business is not allowed.
The theory is that everybody pools their resources and labour to
evenly distribute everything.
The idea is everybody has a good and equal standard of living.

6. Questions
1) What do you think is one benefit of Communism?
2) What do you think is one drawback of Communism?
EXTENSION
3) Why do you think ordinary Germans were attracted to Communism?

7. The Spartacist Revolt - 1919

8. What was the Spartacist Revolt?
The Spartacist Revolt was led by a Communist group known as the
Spartacists who wanted to see more radical change in Germany.
They wanted to bring about a ‘Revolution like in Russia’ and giving full
power/control to workers and soldiers groups. They were led by Karl
Leibknecht and Rosa Luxembourg
In January 1919 100,000 workers staged a demonstration in Berlin to
complain about the poverty and poor working conditions that they faced.
The Spartacists and other communist groups joined the protest which turned
violent

9. The protestors took over
much of the centre of Berlin.
They set up barricades and
took control of a number of
buildings including
newspaper offices.
Other protest leaders began
having peace talks with the
Government.

10. Reaction of the Government
The new Chancellor of Germany – Friedrich Ebert was a member of the
liberal Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Although he believed that all parties should be represented in the
Reichstag (Parliament) he was opposed to a Communist system of
Government.
Ebert was worried that Communists would try to overthrow his
government. As a result he reached a secret deal with Willhelm
Groener (the head of Germany’s army) to support the new
government, in exchange for the army’s leaders keeping their jobs.

11. Reaction of the Government
Neither Ebert nor Groener liked the other;
Ebert had criticized the army’s actions
during the war.
Groener was suspicious of Ebert’s political
party and their role in the Treaty of
Versailles.
However both were united in their desire
to stop a Communist revolution taking over
Germany.

12. Role of the Army
The German Army was sent in to tackle the Spartacists
and end the revolt. They used a group of former
soldiers called the Freikorps.
This group were known for their violence and blamed
Communist groups for Germany’s defeat in World War
One.

13. Aftermath
During a ‘Bloody week’ of violence, hundreds of protestors were killed
including the Spartacist leaders Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg.
Luxembourgs’s body was dumped in a canal; Liebknecht’s body was left
at a morgue to rot.
Why did the revolt lead to the rise of the Nazis?
The Social Democrats decision to use the Freikorps would later help
Hitler gain power. This is because the Communists refused to ever
with the Social Democrats.
This limited possible obstacles and coalitions to stop the Nazis taking
control of Germany.

14. Task(s)
1) Describe the events of the Spartacist revolt of January 1919 – 5
marks.
EXTENSION
1) Create a comic strip detailing events of the Spartacist revolt.