Political Violence

What political violence did the Weimar Republic face in the early years?

During the early years the Weimar Republic faced a lot of political violence. Many people were murdered, including politicians.

When did the political violence occur in the Weimar Republic?

The political violence occurred between 1919 and 1923.

Why was there political violence in the Weimar Republic?

It happened because of the Weimar Republic's unpopularity with certain left-wing and right-wing groups, which resulted in uprisings and political assassinations.

How many were targeted by the political violence in the Weimar Republic?

Between 1919 and 1922 there were 376 political murders.

Who was targeted by the political violence in the Weimar Republic?

There were three notable ones:

• ❖ In 1919, a member of the Council of People's Representatives, Hugo Haase, was assassinated.
• ❖ In August 1921, Matthias Erzberger was assassinated because he was viewed as a November Criminal for signing the armistice in November 1918.
• ❖ In June 1922, the Weimar Republic's foreign minister, Walther Rathenau, was assassinated.

How did the Weimar Republic deal with the political violence?

Those accused of committing the murders were treated differently. The judges were harsher on those who were left-wing, with ten left-wing assassins convicted and executed. Nobody accused of murder who was right-wing was convicted.

What role did the political parties play in the political violence in the Weimar Republic?

Political violence was made worse by the political parties because they had their own private armies or paramilitary forces. The KPD had the Red Front Fighters, for example, while the DNVP had the Stahlhelm.

What was the importance of the political violence in the Weimar Republic?

The political violence was important because it showed that the Weimar Republic was so unpopular with some political groups that they were prepared to break the law in an attempt to achieve what they wanted.