What did the Freikorps represent?

The Freikorps fighter became a plastic symbol of nationalism, anti-communism, and militarized masculinity deployed by NSDAP to co-opt the lingering social and political support of the once powerful movement.

Who were the Freikorps in Germany BBC Bitesize?

The Freikorps were ex-army soldiers who hated the communists. Over 100 workers were killed, even those who surrendered, during what became known as ‘Bloody Week’.

Who created the Freikorps?

Frederick II the Great of Prussia
Origin And History The first Freikorps were recruited in 1762 by Frederick II the Great of Prussia during the Seven Years’ War, as voluntary fighters subject to military discipline.

What did the Freikorps do in 1920?

The Kapp Putsch of 1920 involved a rebellion by members of the Freikorps when the Weimar Government tried to disband them. So, the Freikorps managed to take over Berlin and declare a new government headed up by Wolfgang Kapp who then invited the Kaiser to return from the Netherlands to retake his post as Emperor.

How many Freikorps were there?

After the Spartacist Revolt there were about 250,000 Freikorps members.

How much did a loaf of bread cost in 1923 Germany?

This flood of money led to hyperinflation as the more money was printed, the more prices rose. Prices ran out of control, for example a loaf of bread, which cost 250 marks in January 1923, had risen to 200,000 million marks in November 1923.

How many Freikorps are there?

Many had held onto their weapons, remained loyal to the Kaiser and supported right wing parties, meaning that they hated the communists. When the Spartacist Revolt broke out, they were organised by Ebert and told to suppress the uprising. After the Spartacist Revolt there were about 250,000 Freikorps members.

What was the Kapp Putsch GCSE?

Kapp Putsch, (1920) in Germany, a coup d’état that attempted to overthrow the fledgling Weimar Republic. Its immediate cause was the government’s attempt to demobilize two Freikorps brigades. One of the brigades took Berlin, with the cooperation of the Berlin army district commander.

Why were the Freikorps important in the early years of the Weimar Republic?

The Freikorps were instrumental in defeating the radical left and the Communist revolutions in Germany. Then they became the greatest threat to the Weimar Republic, especially during the Kapp Putsch. The Freikorps also paved the way for the rise of Hitler’s National Socialist Party.

What did the Freikorps want to achieve?

A Freikorps unit, the Ehrhardt Brigade, in Berlin attempted to overthrow Ebert’s government. The government fled to Stuttgart and Ehrhardt put Wolfgang Kapp in charge of the government.

Who did the freikorps fight?

In the Baltics they fought against communists as well as against the newborn independent democratic countries Estonia and Latvia. In Latvia, Freikorps murdered 300 civilians in Mitau who were suspected of having “Bolshevik sympathies”.