Bremen Soviet Republic

The Bremen Soviet Republic, also translated as the Bremen Council Republic (German: Bremer Räterepublik), was an unrecognised revolutionary state in Germany formed during the German revolution of 1918–1919 in the immediate aftermath of the First World War. Although not formally declared until 10 January 1919, the regime it represented presided in the industrial port city of Bremen from 14 November 1918 until its suppression on 4 February 1919 by army and irregular forces engaged by the provisional government in Berlin.

On 10 November 1918, a Workers' and Soldier's Council deposed the Senate of Bremen which had governed the Free Hansa City of Bremen (Freie Hansestadt Bremen) under the German Empire. After offering assurances for private property and soliciting the cooperation of the existing administrative bureaucracy, on 6 January 1919 the Council called an election limited to members of the left-wing parties and aligned trade unions: the Majority Social Democrats (MSPD), the Independent Social Democrats (USPD), and the newly formed Communist Party of Germany (KPD). On 10 January, the USPD-KPD majority declared the Bremer Räterepublik.

The Soviet Republic was riven by disagreement over the nature of its mandate, the management of a developing financial and supply crisis, and the accommodation of national parliamentary elections. When faced with the determination of the new MSPD-led national government to enforce its authority, it was unable to agree on a common negotiating position. On 4 February 1919, a combination of regular army troops and irregular Freikorps occupied the city, breaking a disorganised resistance and putting an end to the Republic.

Establishment

As an international port and industrial centre, Bremen had a strong democratic-left tradition. In the last elections to the Imperial Reichstag in January 1912, the Social Democrats (SPD) secured over half the vote, 53.4%.