Chapter 68 The Beginning of the Democratic Era

From January 6, 1919 to January 18, Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig von Hirschmann stayed in the temporary headquarters of the German army in Potsdam as the intelligence chief, and did not go to Berlin in the bloody storm.

There is nothing good about killing and repression. The occurrence and outcome of the January Revolution in Germany had been determined in the January Revolution in Russia a year ago.

Lenin's dispersal of the Constituent Assembly and the subsequent Russian Civil War taught a vivid lesson to the German socialists, capitalists and Junker nobles. Because they were afraid that Germany would become the second Russia, these people had long been linked together and unanimously opposed the Bolsheviks. Fourteen years later, Adolf Hitler became the German Chancellor, which was actually a continuation of this "anti-Bolshevik line".

From the January Revolution in Russia, to the Finnish Civil War, to the January Revolution in Germany, and the Hungarian Revolution. The struggle between the Bolshevik Party and the Socialist Party (including the Social Democratic Party, the Social Revolutionary Party, etc.) seemed quite bloody and cruel.

The Social Democrats, who were later considered harmless to humans and animals, killed the Bolsheviks in Germany, Finland and Hungary. In Russia, it was the Bolsheviks led by Lenin who were the ruthless.

After several fierce struggles that turned from cooperation to bloodbath, there was basically no possibility of cooperation between the center-left (social democratic faction) and the left forces in Europe. Even when the Nazi and fascist forces were about to come to power, it was difficult for the Socialist Party and the Bolshevik Party to carry out truly effective cooperation.

Of course, cooperation cannot be said to be absent. For example, the Bolshevik Party and the Socialist Party in Italy signed the Anti-Fascist United Front Action Convention in 1934. However, facing the Italian National Fascist Party at that time, this kind of cooperation really did not have much effect.

On the other hand, the right wing in Europe was able to unite in the face of the threat of the Bolshevik Party and use all means to suppress the Bolsheviks. In Germany, this situation was particularly obvious. The army controlled by the Junker aristocracy always tried every means to make things difficult for the Bolsheviks and joined forces with all political forces that opposed the Bolsheviks.

The Social Democratic Party and the Independent Socialist Party, which won in the bloody struggle, were not in a good situation. Because they failed to save the monarchy for the Junkers and also participated in the November Revolution, in the eyes of the Junkers, they were only slightly stronger than the Bolsheviks. It can only be regarded as a reluctant cooperation, and there is no talk of a stable alliance. Pulling the Socialists off the throne of the ruling party is the long-term goal of the Junkers.

After bloodbathing the working class (most of whom are not Bolsheviks) in several major German cities (not only Berlin), the German Socialists, as "moderate leftists", are actually shaking. And without the support of the powerful Junkers, their future and fate with Germany seem to be predictable!

However, Germany will still be a democratic country for a long period of history in the future-Hersmann firmly believed in this in early 1919.

Because the Junker aristocracy will be severely damaged after the defeat of the World War, it is impossible to own a country with an army of only 100,000 or more people. And the "moderate left" or "moderate right" in politics are ruled by votes rather than guns.

Even the Junkers, during the Weimar Republic, could only play the game of voting to decide politics under Hindenburg's leadership. Because even if the weakened Junkers launched a coup to seize power, they could not suppress the resistance of the German working class.

Therefore, during most of the Weimar Republic, the forces of the Junkers, the "moderate left" and the "moderate right" were roughly balanced, forming a political pattern of the Junkers' right-left coalition.

But Hersmann knew that this balance was only temporary. The oppression from the Allies and the export of revolution from the Soviet Union would strengthen the extremist factions. Once the right opportunity came - such as the Great Depression - the extremist factions would expand rapidly!

…

"Ludwig, who should we vote for?"

"Odeya, you should vote for the Christian Democratic People's Party, which is the original Catholic Center Party. Chloe, you should vote for it too."

"But I don't believe in Catholicism!"

"I do believe in Catholicism."

"Brother, are you supporting the Catholic Center Party because of Chloe?"

"Margaret, why are you following me? You are not yet 20 years old and cannot vote."

"I can't vote, but I can watch you vote."

January 19th is the day for the National Assembly to vote. In order to vote, Hersman, his stepmother Odeya, his sister Margaret and his fiancée Chloe returned to Berlin a day in advance.

Voting for the Catholic Center Party is certainly not because Chloe believes in Catholicism. In fact, she is not obsessed with religion. Voting for the Catholic Center Party is an order from the German Officers' Union. Under the double blow of Germany's surrender and the November Revolution, the German military's Fatherland Party has collapsed and did not participate in the election on January 19th. Therefore, the German Officers' Union instructed its members to support three parties other than the Social Democratic Party and the Independent Social Democratic Party, namely the German National People's Party, the German People's Party and the Christian Democratic People's Party.

These three parties with the names of "People's Party" and "Democratic Party" were not called their current names before the November Revolution, and they would all change their names soon. Putting "people" and "democracy" on the signs was just to cater to the political atmosphere after the November Revolution.

At that time, achieving socialism seemed to be a consensus of the whole people. However, after the "January Repression" led by the Social Democratic Party, the golden signboard of socialism has faded a little.

"Ludwig, which party do you think will win the election?" Hersman's sister Margaret asked in front of a temporary polling station.

The place where Hersman, Chloe and Odeya voted was near her luxury apartment. Those queuing in front of the polling station were all well-dressed bourgeoisie.

"Social Democratic Party." Hersman's answer was very affirmative.

"Chloe, what do you think?"

"It should be the Social Democratic Party. They are the big winner this time." Chloe's answer was the same as Hersman's. She shook her head slightly, "I think Mr. Albert will become president, and his Social Democratic Party will form a cabinet."

"Not a big winner," Hersman glanced at the orderly voting team and said lightly, "Because they took over a mess that is difficult to clean up."

For a long time, the Social Democratic Party has been the largest party in the Second Empire Parliament and has a deep mass base. Although the suppression of workers this time caused the left-wing masses to split and oppose, it was considered to have damaged the foundation.

However, because the Bolshevik Party and the Nazi Party, which are extreme workers' parties, will not participate in this election. The Bolshevik Party has just been suppressed and it is impossible for it to participate in the election for a period of time in the future. The Nazi Party may not have been established yet, and even if it was established, it would be an insignificant small party. The Independent Socialist Party, which split from the Social Democratic Party, not only participated in the suppression, but also faced a new split itself - the German Bolshevik Party split from this party.

In the absence of opponents competing with the Social Democratic Party for workers' votes, it is still expected that the Social Democratic Party will win most of the votes of workers and farmers. However, the Social Democratic Party, which came to power, had to face a mess that they could not imagine.