Chapter XV. Liebknecht Tries to Overthrow the Government; Is Arrested and Killed. 225
The first Bolshevist uprising--Prominent Berlin newspapers seized by the Spartacans--The Independent Socialists' double-dealing--Capture of the _Vorwärts_ plant--Ledebour, Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg arrested--Liebknecht and Luxemburg killed--The Bolsheviki turn their attention to coast cities.
Germany's political parties reorganize--Theodor Wolff--Composition of the National Assembly--Convenes at Weimar--Spartacans stage various uprisings--Friedrich Ebert elected provisional president of the German Republic--Germany's desperate financial situation--The difference between theory and practice.
Chapter XVII. The Spartacans Rise Again. 251
Germany still hungering--Promised supplies of food delayed--Gas and coal shortage--Strikes add to people's sufferings--The Spartacans plan another uprising--Severe fighting in Berlin--The radical newspaper _Die rote Fahne_ suppressed--Independent Socialists go over to the Spartacans--Independent Socialist and Spartacan Platforms contrasted.
Chapter XVIII. Red or White Internationalism: Which? 265
Radicalism encouraged by Bolshevism's success in Hungary.
Chapter XIX. The Weimar Constitution. 273
History of the new constitution--An advancedly democratic institution--Important change in constitution on third reading--The imperial constitution ceases to exist--Two "main divisions"--Construction of the state--Preambles of old and new constitutions compared--Fundamental and sweeping changes--Radical curtailment of states' rights--The President--The Reichstag, importance assigned to it--The Reichsrat--Legislative procedure--Referendum and initiative--Amendments--"Fundamental rights and fundamental duties of the Germans"--Articles on social and economic life--Socialist influence becomes unmistakable--Sweeping socialization made possible--Workmen's council is "anchored" in the constitution.
The Constitution of the German Commonwealth. 294
Translation by WILLIAM BENNETT MUNRO and ARTHUR NORMAN HOLCOMBE. Reprinted by permission of the World Peace Foundation.
The developments leading up to the German Revolution of November, 1918, and the events marking the course of the revolution itself are still but imperfectly known or understood in America. For nearly two years preceding the overthrow of the monarchy, Americans, like the people of all other countries opposing Germany, were dependent for their direct information upon the reports of neutral correspondents, and a stringent censorship prevented these from reporting anything of value regarding the conditions that were throughout this period gradually making the German Empire ripe for its fall. To a great extent, indeed, not only these foreign journalists, but the great mass of the Germans themselves, had little knowledge of the manner in which the Empire was being undermined.