Hofmann Government Ultimatum to Supporters of the Soviet Republic in Lower Franconia, 10 April 1919

Würzburg was one of the most important cities in northern Bavaria as seat of the district government of Lower Franconia and Aschaffenburg and as the location of the Second General Headquarters of the Bavarian Army. In April 1919, a Revolutionärer Arbeits-Ausschuss (revolutionary working committee) was to win the country's fourth largest city for the Soviet Republic. This committee was composed of Communists and Independent Social Democrats, who were, however, a negligible minority in Würzburg. Thus, at 0.5%, the USPD was significantly below the already low national average in the elections held at the beginning of 1919.

When the communist Anton Waibel (1889-1969) proclaimed the Soviet Republic on Neumünsterplatz on 7 April 1919, it was widely rejected not only by the bourgeoisie, but also by the majority of the workers and of the garrison. Supported by several hundred soldiers who had sided with him, the Revolutionäre Arbeits-Ausschuss nevertheless tried to impose sovereignty by occupying strategically important buildings in the city and by taking hostages. However, not only the majority of the Würzburg garrison and of the workers supported the Hoffmann government, but the city was also paralysed by a civil strike. On 9 April, soldiers and volunteers loyal to the government succeeded under Major Hans von Seißer (1874-1973) to storm the seat of the Revolutionäre Arbeits-Ausschuss in the Residenz and forcibly ended the Soviet Republic in Würzburg, killing 29 people.

After securing the city, the pro-government united workers’, citizens’ and soldiers’ brigades of Würzburg turned to the Revolutionären Aktions-Ausschüssen (Revolutionary Action Committees) in Aschaffenburg, Lohr and Schweinfurt, which had also proclaimed Soviet Republics. In an ultimatum dropped by air over the cities concerned on 10 April, representatives of the soldiers' council, of the government and of the general headquarters demanded with immediate effect the release of hostages, the surrender of all weapons and ringleaders and the restoration of the regular authorities. In Aschaffenburg and Lohr, where the Soviet Republic had no significant support anyway, the revolutionary committees gave in to the ultimatum the same day. The situation was different in Schweinfurt, which refused to accept some of the demands from Würzburg, so that government troops from Würzburg and Bamberg occupied the USPD stronghold on 29 April. During the fighting which ensued several people lost their lives.

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