Timofeeva T.Yu. The role of the Department of economic demobilisation during the German revolution of 1918–1919

Abstract: The demobilisation of the army, as well as of the economy, acquired great importance for Germany in 1918–1919 largely because this difficult process took place under the conditions of an acute revolutionary crisis. The Department of economic demobilisation / Demobilisation administration, headed by the pragmatic and conservative J. Koeth, was already created during the period of the revolution by yesterday’s opponents, unions, and entrepreneurs, and took upon itself to carry out the major part of the extensive socio-political reforms. These reforms were developed both as a concession to the revolutionary-minded masses and as part of a general reconstruction process after the war. The main focus of its activities was directed at reforms in the spheres of insurance, hiring workforce, and regulating wage agreements. Germany as a result was equipped with the foundation for a systematic social policy as a means of achieving socio-political consensus and the government’s role as an active mediator and regulator of economic and social processes was validated. The radicalisation of the revolutionary processes was averted by the person who was far from the ambition of changing the world and from a theoretical construction of social relations, but a person committed to the necessity of establishing a firm government and stable order to resolve the socio-economic crisis. In this aim he was not spared from opposition by left-wing and right-wing forces, but the results of his efforts allowed Germany to endure the difficult situation of general discontent and to lay the groundwork for the stabilisation of the economy and of social relations on a new – republican – basis.

Keywords: