Abdication of the Kaiser and the German Revolution

Cards (7)

  • On 9th November 1918 the Kaiser abdicated
  • In Berlin, some people were protesting peacefully outside the Reichstag building, but others were collecting guns and taking over parts of the city
  • Phillip Scheidemann, a leading member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) he proclaimed instead a new German Republic and appealed for peace
  • Friedrich Ebert, leader of the SPD, became the new head of government
  • On 10th November the Kaiser went into exile in Holland
  • Ebert made an agreement with General Groener (commander of the army) that the army would work with the government to keep the communists out of power
  • Ebert formed the Council of People’s Representatives. This would be the government of the country until a new constitution could be agreed