Freikorps

From Wikinfo

The Freikorps (German for "Free Corps") were far-right paramilitary organizations that sprung up around Germany as soldiers returned in defeat from World War I. Many German veterans felt profoundly disconnected from civilian life, and joined the Freikorps in search of stability within a military structure. Others, angry at their sudden, apparently inexplicable defeat, joined up in an effort to put down Communist uprisings or exact some form of revenge (see [[Dolchsto�legende]]). They received considerable support from Gustav Noske, the German Defence Minister who used them to crush the Spartakist League with enormous violence including the murders of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.

They were officially 'disbanded' in 1920 although former members later backed the Kapp Putsch in March 1920 (although this ended in disaster).

Some future members and, indeed, leaders of the Nazi Party were members of the Freikorps, including [[Ernst R�hm]], future head of the Sturmabteilung or SA, and [[Rudolf H��]], the future Kommandant of Auschwitz.

Most Freikorps members, however, remained outsiders during the Third Reich. A frequent conversational topic amongst Freikorps veterans was, "Where was Hitler back in 1919/20, when we fought the Communists?"

Hermann Ehrhardt and his deputy Commander Eberhard Kautter, leaders of the Viking League refused to help Hitler and Luddendorf in their Beer Hall Putsch and conspired against them.

Related Topics

Stahlhelm, British Free Corps, Ernst von Salomon

References

• Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Freikorps" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freikorps, used under the GNU Free Documentation License