Freikorps - GCSE History Definition

In GCSE History, the Freikorps were armed groups made up mostly of ex-soldiers from World War I. They were active in Germany just after the war, during the early years of the Weimar Republic. The Freikorps were right-wing and strongly nationalist. They hated communism and were often used by the Weimar government to stop communist uprisings, like the Spartacist Revolt in 1919. But in 1920, the Freikorps actually turned against the government during the Kapp Putsch. The coup failed after workers went on strike, shutting down the country. Some Freikorps members later joined the Nazi Party. Therefore, learning about the Freikorps helps GCSE students understand the problems faced by the Weimar Republic and how extreme political groups grew stronger in the 1920s and 1930s.