8. Beginning as a separatist movement mirroring the German Revolution of 1918, the People’s State of Bavaria was hijacked by revolutionary communists to become the Bavarian Soviet Republic before being brought down and returning to the Weimar Republic as a semi-autonomous federal state
Following the defeat of the German Empire in the First World War, civil unrest spread throughout the nation. Starting with the German Revolution, which saw the overthrow of the monarchy and creation of the Weimar Republic, on November 7 King Ludwig III of Bavaria was forced to follow suit and flee his dominion. Led by Kurt Eisner and the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany, a People’s State of Bavaria was proclaimed but his party inexplicably came sixth in elections held the following February. However, whilst en route to announce his resignation, Eisner was shot dead by right-wing nationalist Anton Graf von Arco auf Valley.
Prompting violence between rival politicians, each blaming the other for the murder, unrest and lawlessness engulfed the infant state. Energized by the revolution in Hungary, a group of Communists led by Ernst Toller declared a Soviet Republic on April 7, 1919. Calling upon a Bavarian Red Army to support the dictatorship of the proletariat, Toller announced the ruthless suppression of counter-revolutionary ideas and behavior. Although celebrated by Lenin in Red Square, Socialist leader Johannes Hoffman contracted the Freikorps to save Bavaria. Providing access to twenty thousand trained soldiers, the Freikorps stormed Munich one month later and reclaimed the region from the revolutionary communists.