German Revolution : which books ?

[Jehan]

Hi,

I plan to begin a German Revolution project but I can't find any real good books on the subject in french.

Have you any book in english to recommand ?

Thanks,

J-B

[Lazarus Long]

A starter may be Ospreys Elite 76 "German Freikorps" Altough it focus on the rightwing troops, it always give you some information about the opponents, what happens at the time and some overall background.

If you could get your hands on a copy of "Brennende Ruhr" (burning Ruhr) which should have been translated into french - no idea of the title then, but should be released around 1950/60s - this is a goog reading about the leftist view on the things happend around "Rote Ruhrarmee" during March/April 1920.

Also just give a try use some "academic" books you could get easely via a research on the net. But there should be some helping hands form our native english speakers.

[Siaba]

I have an old out of print french book on the subject but it won't learn you a lot about the uniforms and tactics used and it's strongly biased in favour of the spartakists.
There is also a chapter on the Kapp putsch in Ernst von Salomon book "The Outcasts".
I think the Osprey book is the best thing you can put your hands on.

There were also two articles in back issues of WARGAMES ILLUSTRATED. They are a little caricatural but give some good ideas to game the period.

[Huascar]

Battlegames issue 15 also has a good article on gaming this period (and is available in PDF). I also recently started reading the book The Birth of the N****: How the Freikorps Blazed the Way for H***** by Nigel Jones. As this is a German site I'll leave you to fill in the blanks. I have about 2/3 to go, but so far so good.

[Jehan]

Ok, thanks a lot !

First thing to do : order the Osprey on the freikorps.
Siaba, what is the title of the french book ?
Lazarus, Unfortunately, the book isn't translated in french, neither in english... 
Huascar, have you a link for the pdf ? And ok, I have filled the blanks

[Lazarus Long]

Jeahn may try some obscure bookshop (the kind to expect the Necronomicon to be found) or some more profane: antiquarian bookshop at the net. as my copy says it was translated in "several" languages (manly eastern I guess...) the author is Karl Grünberg and it was originaly published 1928. Maybe this helps you.

As the book is very worth the reading.

[Phil Robinson]

Certainly not cheap but a cracking book on the subject

German Uniforms, Insignia and Equipment 1918-1923: Freikorps, Reichswehr, Vehicles, Weapons (ISBN: 9780764316630)
Charles Woolley

[Siaba]

Siaba, what is the title of the french book ?

"Les spartakistes", if I remember well.

[area23]

Historical, from a left wing perspective, 'Failure of a Revolution: Germany 1918-1919' by Sebastian Haffner is a great read. gives an insight on the dynamics and timeline of the revolutions and uprisings the groups and factions involved, the rise of the freikorps and all the movements within the Weimar government.

[Dave Knight]

Thanks for the heads up on the Osprey title, I didn't know they did one.

[Jehan]

@ area23 :thanks a lot, I've just ordered it !

[Beast of Bukhara]

Jehan

You might try The Kings Depart

,http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kings-Depart-Tragedy-Versailles-Revolution/dp/184212658X

It has a good narrative on the events of the January 1919 Berlin "Sparticist Revolt"

[The Gray Ghost]

H*****'s Heralds and Vanguard of N
azism
can't remember either author but both are good books on the Friekorps
also A History of the German General Staff by Dupuy? has a chapter devoted to the 1920s and 30s