March Action
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| March Action | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Revolutions of 1917–23 | |||||
 Revoltionary workers arrested by police in Eisleben | |||||
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| Belligerents | |||||
| Communist Workers Party |
 Weimar Republic | ||||
The March Action (German "März Aktion" or "Märzkämpfe in Mitteldeutschland" ("The March battles in Central Germany")[1] was a 1921 workers revolt, led by the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), the Communist Workers' Party of Germany (KAPD), and other radical left-wing organisations. It took place in the industrial regions located in Halle, Leuna, Merseburg, and Mansfeld.[1] The revolt ended in defeat for the workers, and a weakening of contemporary communist influence in Germany.
Events
Otto Hörsing, a member of the Majority Social Democratic Party of Germany was Oberpräsident of Free State of Prussia. On March 16, he announced that the police were going to occupy the mining district of Mansfeld with the aim of disarming the workers. Police troops occupied the communist stronghold that was the Halle-Merseburg district. This occupation led to the Communist Party to call for armed revolt. The revolt failed to gain support from those in other political parties, and soon fell to military defeat.[2]
The Leuna works was a particularly strong bastion of influence of KAPD, where half of the 20,000 strong workforce belonged to their associated workplace organisation, the General Workers' Union of Germany (AAUD).[3] During their strike they defended themselves with rifles and automatic weapons. They also built their own tank, which they deployed against the police.[4] The authorities only retook the plant with the use of artillery.[3]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Die Märzkämpfe in Mitteldeutschland 1921" (in German). Deutsches Historisches Museum. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
- ^ "Working-Class Politics in the German Revolution: Richard Müller, the ..." Google Play. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ a b Roth, Gary (2015). Marxism in a Lost Century: A Biography of Paul Mattick. Brill. ISBN 9789004227798. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^ David Priestland. The Red Flag: A History of Communism. (2009) p. 129
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