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Weimar Communism As Mass Movement 1918–1933

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Weimar Communism As Mass Movement 1918–1933 Weimar Communism as Mass Movement 1918–1933 Weimar Communism as Mass Movement 1918-1933 Edited by Ralf Hoff rogge and Norman LaPorte Part of the Studies in Twentieth Century Communism Series Series Editors: Norman LaPorte, Kevin Morgan and Matthew Worley Lawrence and Wishart London 2017 Lawrence and Wishart Limited Central Books Building Freshwater Road Chadwell Heath RM8 1RX © Lawrence & Wishart 2017 Individual articles © author Th e authors have asserted their rights under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1998 to be identifi ed as the authors of this work. All rights reserved. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN 9781910448984 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Typesetting: e-type Cover design: Andrew Corbett Cover image: Bundesarchiv photo by Georg Pahl, 1 May 1930 Contents Acknowledgement vii Acronyms and abbreviations viii Timeline xi Note on organisation xix Note on ‘seizure of power’ xxi Ralf Hoff rogge and Norman LaPorte, Weimar Communism as Mass Movement: An Introduction 1 (I) Revolutionary Origins 1. Gerhard Engel, Th e International Communists of Germany, 1916-1919 25 2. Ottokar Luban, Th e Role of the Spartacist Group after 9 November 1918 and the Formation of the KPD 45 (II) Th e KPD between Revolution and Realpolitik 3. Florian Wilde, Building a Mass Party: Ernst Meyer and the United Front Policy, 1921-1922 66 4. Ralf Hoff rogge, Class against Class: the ‘Ultra-left’ Berlin Opposition, 1921-1923 87 5. Mario Kessler, Resisting Moscow? Ruth Fischer and the KPD, 1923-1926 109 6. Norman LaPorte, Th e Rise of Ernst Th älmann and the Hamburg Left, 1921-1923 129 7. Marcel Bois, Opposing Hitler and Stalin: Left Wing Communists after Expulsion from the KPD 150 (III) Communism and the Trade Unions 8. Constance Margain, Th e German Section of the International of Sailors and Harbour Workers 170 9. Stefan Heinz, Th e ‘Red Unions’ and their Resistance to National Socialism: Th e Unity Union of the Berlin Metal Workers, 1930-1935 187 (IV) Reaching Beyond the Party? 10. Sebastian Zehetmair, Th e KPD and Farmers: Approaches to a Neglected Research Problem 205 11. Ben Fowkes, Communism and the Avant-Garde in Weimar Germany 220 12. Fredrik Petersson, Willi Münzenberg: A Propagandist Reaching Beyond the Party and Class 240 (V) Stalin, the ‘Th ird Period’ and the German Catastrophe 13. Bernhard H. Bayerlein, Th e Entangled Catastrophe: Hitler’s 1933 ‘Seizure of Power’ and the Power Triangle – New Evidence on the Historic Failure of the KPD, the Comintern, and the Soviet Union 260 Notes on Contributors 281 Index 285 Acknowledgement Th is translation was made possible thanks to a Nina Fishman Translation Award from the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust. Th e objectives of the Trust are to advance public education, learning and knowledge in all aspects of the philosophy of Marxism, the history of socialism, and the working-class movement. Nina Fishman was a long- term Trustee. She was also an important political thinker, activist and historian. Th e award commemorates her legacy by enabling the publica- tion of signifi cant works on topics that would have interested her. For further information please see http://www.ninafi shman.org/ vii Acronyms and abbreviations ADGB General Confederation of German Trade Unions (Allgemeiner Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund) ARBKD Association of German Revolutionary Visual Artists ( Assoziation revolutionärer bildender Künstler) BBZ Bremer Bürgerzeitung BPRS League of Proletarian Revolutionary Writers (Bund prole- tarisch-revolutionärer Schriftsteller) BVP Bavarian People’s Party (Bayerische Volkspartei) Comintern Communist International DEV German Railway Workers’ Union (Deutscher Eisenbahner-Verband) DAF German Labour Front (Deutsche Arbeitsfront) DMV Metal Workers’ Union (Deutscher Metallarbeiterverband) DNVP German National People’s Party (Deutschnationale Volkspartei) DVFP Freedom Party (Deutschvölkische Freiheitspartei) ECCI Executive Committee of the Comintern EVMB Unity Union of Berlin Metalworkers (Einheitsverband der Metallarbeiter Berlins) EVSHBD Unity Union of Seamen, Harbour Workers and Bargemen (Einheitsverband der Seeleute, Hafenerbeiter und Binnenschiff er Deutschlands) FAUD Free Workers’ Union of Germany (Freie Arbeiter-Union Deutschlands) GDR German Democratic Republic IKD International Communists of Germany (Internationale Kommunisten Deutschlands) IAFC International Anti-Fascist Committee IAH International Workers’ Relief (Internationale Arbeiterhilfe) ISH International Union of Seamen and Harbour Workers (Einheitsverband der Seeleute, Hafenerbeiter und Binnenschiff er Deutschlands) viii Acronyms and abbreviations ix ISPD International Socialist Party of Germany (Internationale Sozialistische Partei Deutschlands) IFTU International Federation of Trade Unions ITF International Transport Workers’ Federation KAG Communist Working Group (Kommunistische Arbeitsgemeinschaft) KAPD Communist Workers’ Party of Germany (Kommunistische Arbeiter-Partei Deutschlands) KPD Communist Party of Germany (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands) KPO Communist Party of Germany (Opposition) LACO League Against Colonial Oppression LAI League Against Imperialism and for National Independence LSI Labour and Socialist International Profi ntern see RILU RDEBA National Union of German Railway Employees (Reichsgewerkschaft deutscher Eisenbahnbeamter und Angestellter) RAPP Russian Association of Proletarian Writers RFB League of Red Front Fighters (Rote Frontkämpferbund) RILU Red International of Labour Unions, also known as Profi ntern RGO Revolutionary Trade Union Opposition (Revolutionäre Gewerkschafts-Opposition) RKP Communist Party of Russia (Russische Kommunistische Partei) RSS Revolutionary Shop Stewards (Revolutionare Obleute) SAG Social Democratic Working Group (Sozialdemokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft) SAPD Socialist Workers’ Party of Germany (Sozialistische Arbeiter-Partei Deutschlands) SPD Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) SDVB Social Democratic Organisation of Bremen (Sozialdemokratischer Verein Bremen) USPD Independent Social Democratic Party (Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) VAPP All-Russian Association of Proletarian Writers x weimar communism as mass movement VKPD United Communist Party (Vereinigte Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands) (denomination of KPD shortly used in 1920-1921 after its merger with the left wing of the USPD) Timeline 1914 4 August: German SPD supports war bonds in the Reichstag 2 December: Karl Liebknecht is the fi rst Reichstag deputy to oppose war bonds. 1915 5-8 September: Zimmerwald Conference brought together anti-war Socialists; beginning of Zimmerwald left around Lenin. 1916 28 June: Mass strike in Berlin against the arrest of Karl Liebknecht. 4 July: Bremen shipyard workers’ strike begins. 1917 6-8 April: USPD formed by anti-war social democrats from both left and right wings of the party. 16-23 April: Anti-war mass strikes in Berlin and Leipzig. 1918 January: Mass strikes in several German cities, workers’ councils emerge as strike leaderships. 3 November: Sailors’ revolt at Kiel. 4-9 November: Spread of workers’ and soldiers’ councils throughout Germany. 9 November: Abdication of Wilhelm II; Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert becomes Chancellor of the republic. 10 November: Formation the Council of People’s Representatives between MSPD and USPD. 11 November: Armistice signed. xi xii weimar communism as mass movement 16-20 December: First nationwide Congress of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Councils in Berlin. 29 December: USPD leaves Council of People’s Representatives. 31 December (to 1 January 1919): Founding convention of the KPD. 1919 5-11 January: So-called ‘Spartacist Rising’ in Berlin. 15 January: Murders of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. 19 January: Elections to National Assembly, boycotted by KPD. 6 February: Opening of National Assembly in Weimar due to continued unrest in Berlin. 11 February: National Assembly elects Friedrich Ebert as Reich President. 13 February: formation of Weimar Coalition of SPD, Democratic Party and Catholic Centre Party under Philip Scheidemann. February-May: Strikes and civil unrest throughout much of the country. 2-6 March: Founding Congress of Communist International (Comintern). 7 April-2 May: Munich Soviet Republic (Räterepublik). 28 June: Versailles Treaty signed by German delegation (comes into force 10 January 1920). October: Second KPD Congress; Heidelberg Split removing syndi- calist-inspired members. 1920 25-26 February: Th ird KPD Congress. 13-17 March: Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch and general strike. March-April: Fighting between Red Army of the Ruhr against the Free Corps and Reichswehr. 27 March: Müller (SPD) cabinet of parties of Weimar Coalition (SPD, DDP and Catholic Centre). 14-15 April: Fourth KPD Congress. 6 June: Reichstag elections, Weimar Coalition defeated; formation of the minority coalition under Konstantin Fehrenbach of the Catholic Centre Party; SPD leaves government but ‘tolerates’ it (i.e. confi dence and supply). Timeline xiii 19 July-7 August: Second Congress of Communist International. 12-19 October: Halle Congress of USPD; split of the party on the ques- tion
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