User:HistoryReader85/sandbox

The Einwohnerwehr, or "Citizens' Defense," was a far-right paramilitary in Weimar Germany that existed in violation of the Treaty of Versailles from mid-1920 until June 29, 1921. It was established with the goal of defending Germany against Communist uprisings and foreign attacks, though it was also hostile to the Weimar Republic. It was based in Bavaria, where anti-Berlin and anti-republican sentiment attracted such activity. On June 29, 1921, the German government gave in to Allied demands and dissolved the Citizens' Defense. Its militants moved on to fight in other far-right paramilitaries with similar goals.

Historical Context and Formation
The Kingdom of Bavaria, a monarchy, had been abolished after World War I. Bavaria then briefly became a socialist republic, and then, by revolt, an unrecognized revolutionary socialist state. On May 3, 1919, this state was overthrown with the help of the far-right Freikorps militia. After that, a moderate, Social Democratic Bavarian state government was nominally restored. But Bavarian nationalism flourished as many of its politicians, Army officers, and commoners desired a restoration of the monarchy in defiance of Berlin. And in March, 1920, the monarchist Gustav von Kahr became Bavaria's Minster-President and gave far-right groups room to operate. It was in this atmosphere, as the summer of 1920 played out, that former Army officer and Nazi Party member Ernst Röhm, along with others, established the Einwohnerwehr, or "Citizens' Defense." This paramilitary, illegal under the Treaty of Versailles, was comprised partially of reorganized Freikorps units, which had not disbanded after the German Revolution of 1918-19. At 200,000 strong and centered in Bavaria, the Citizens' Defense was involved throughout Germany in anti-Communist and (more quietly) anti-republican activities, though many of its leaders actually saw it primarily as providing defense for Germany's frontiers.

On the European Stage
Though the Citizens' Defense was involved in internal struggle, it soon became entangled in foreign conflict. In March of 1921, the Allies, citing the Treaty of Versailles, demanded the dissolution of the illegal paramilitary and occupied two German cities along the Rhine. But Germany did not disband it. That same month, German Communists attempted a short-lived revolt. And in May, Germany sent the Citizens' Defense to help crush a Polish uprising in the important coal province of Upper Silesia. (The fighting had been brought about by the controversy over the results of the plebiscite that had been held there to determine whether Upper Silesia would be controlled by Germany or Poland. )

Dissolution
All these conflicts may have given the Berlin government justification for the Citizens' Defense. But Germany was hoping to negotiate a more lenient peace deal with the Allies and did not believe resistance to France and Britain would be successful anyway. The German government was replaced in May. The new government was determined to cooperate with the Allies, in the hopes that this would help them achieve a better peace. So on June 29, 1921, Germany officially dissolved the Citizens' Defense, and the Bavarian government, beginning to fear the goals of the paramilitary, allowed it, though Gustav von Kahr soon resigned as Bavarian Minister-President. Disbanded Citizens' Defense militants went on to join other far-right paramilitaries, like the Bund Bayern und Reich ("League for Bavaria and Empire"), the chief successor organization of the Citizens' Defense.