The Revolution in the Individual States

Abstract

What took place in Berlin with regard to the transformation of the Reich’s government self-evidently also had its immediate effects on the government of Prussia. After a successful understanding between the leaderships of the two socialist parties, and with the Executive Council of the Workers’ and Soldiers’ Councils, a revolutionary people’s government was also nominated for Prussia on 10 November, which was composed of the Majority socialists Paul Hirsch, Otto Braun, and Eugen Ernst, as well as the Independent socialists Heinrich Ströbel and Adolf Hoffmann. The post of the sixth member was initially filled by the Majority socialist Kurt Hänisch, who was then replaced by the Independent socialist Kurt Rosenfeld. Of the ministries, four were immediately staffed by social democrats after the model that one Majority socialist and one Independent socialist was each at the head of one of them, namely:The Ministry of Justice was left to Peter Spahn, member of the Centre party, that of Commerce to the Progressive [Fortschrittler] Fischbeck. When Emil Eichhorn then took over as Berlin Chief Constable, the Independent socialist Rudolf Breitscheid took his place, and in place of Peter Spahn, who stood down from the Justice Ministry towards the end of November, its leadership was given under parity to Wolfgang Heine (M) and Kurt Rosenfeld (I). The Majority socialist Otto Hue was placed at the side of Commerce Minister Fischbeck as his Assistant. The office of War Minister was left to Scheüch, who was appointed last, with the Majority socialist Paul Göhre as his Undersecretary. The Ministry for Public Works was taken over by the Progressive deputy Hoff, with L. Brunner (M) and Paul Hoffmann (I) as his Assistants.