Proclamation of the Soviet Republic in Fürth, 7 April 1919

On 7 April 1919, the executive committee of the Fürth Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council proclaimed the Soviet Republic, thus joining the Soviet Republics in Munich. This proclamation belies the fact that even in the workers' stronghold of Fürth the council system did not have a majority: in the elections to the Bavarian National Council, the USPD, which was the only party to support the Soviet Republic, won only 7.5%, while the MSPD won 57.7% of the votes. Similarly to most Soviet republics in Bavarian cities, the Fürth Soviet Republic lasted only a few days and was declared brought to an end on 11 April. The basis was a resolution of the workers’ and soldiers’ council, which opposed the Soviet system by 97 votes to 72. An important reason for the rapid end of the Fürth Soviet Republic was the isolation of the city in the region and the resulting imminent supply crisis. Both the rural peasantry of Central Franconia and the neighbouring cities nearby, in particular Nuremberg, clearly supported Prime Minister Hoffmann's government. In Nuremberg on 6 April, the state conference of the MSPD in Bavaria supported the Hoffmann government; on 7 April, the Nuremberg Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council as well as the Third Army Corps stationed there also declared for the parliamentary system.

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