Spartakusbund

Spartakusbund, an extreme left-wing political group originally formed at the end of 1916 by K. Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. The name was adopted from articles published in the press by Liebknecht as Spartakusbriefe. Meeting in Berlin in the last days of December 1918, the Spartakusbund converted itself on 1 January 1919, in the presence of a Russian delegation, into the Revolutionäre Kommunistische Arbeiterpartei Deutschlands. Though a part of this name was to remain, summarized in the initials KPD in subsequent years, the members of the party continued to be known in January 1919 as Spartakisten. Between 16 and 21 December 1918 the Spartakisten clashed with local loyal troops. On 5 January 1919 the new Communist party attempted to seize power in an armed revolt known since as the Spartakusaufstand. The provisional government, having no regular troops on which it could depend, called in the assistance of Freikorps, formations of determined, well-led, and well-armed right-wing groups including, as well as students and citizens, monarchist officers and soldiers with long front-line experience. After fierce fighting, which included the use of artillery and armoured cars as well as small arms, the Spartakus revolt was completely quelled on 12 January. Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg were taken and shot. From this point the term ‘Spartakisten’ fell out of use, being replaced by ‘Kommunisten’.