Red Week (Netherlands)

Red Week
Part of the Revolutions of 1917–23
Date 9-14 November 1918
Location Netherlands
Causes Aftermath of World War I
Goals Revolutionary socialism
Result No revolution

The Red Week (Dutch: De Roode Week) was an unsuccessful attempt to start a socialist revolution in the Netherlands in early November 1918. The revolutionary attempt lasted nearly a week, from 9 to 14 November which is why it is known as the Red Week. It is also known as "Troelstra's mistake" (Vergissing van Troelstra), because it was led by the Dutch socialist Pieter Jelles Troelstra.

Background

The call for a socialist revolution in November 1918 was inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the German Revolution of 1918–1919. It was also a reaction to the social and economic conditions of the Netherlands at that time, especially the 1918 flu pandemic and the poverty, unemployment, food shortage and distress caused by World War I in which the Netherlands had remained neutral.[1]

Events

Pieter Jelles Troelstra (about 1912)

On 25 October 1918, soldiers in Harskamp military camp started a revolt. It quickly extinguished, but made a deep impression on Troelstra. He saw the event as an opportunity to realize the socialist revolution. Troelstra expressed his opinion in a conference of the Dutch Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP), but the rest of the party leaders did not support his opinion, claiming that it was not the right time yet.

On 9 November, the German Emperor Wilhelm II abdicated. This, along with Troelstra's early declaration, caused a group of socialists from Rotterdam, led by Arie de Zeeuw, to feel that the revolution should begin as soon as possible. On 11 November they presented their demands to the mayor. Troelstra was very impressed by the demands, willing to go further. According to Willem Drees (later Dutch prime minister), Troelstra spoke about "taking over power" and "revolution", and claimed that the time had come for it.[2]

The government quickly reacted. Armed police officers were set in Utrecht and in Amsterdam, and the royal family was secured. On 11 November, Catholic organizations met in The Hague and started a counter-campaign, included spreading of 500,000 pamphlets. Protestants and moderate socialists joined the counter-movement because they feared the extremism of a socialist revolution. Based on national and loyalist sentiments, the reaction was named "Orange Movement" (Oranjebeweging), after the Dutch royal family Orange-Nassau.

On 12 November, prime minister Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck gave a speech, stating that the daily bread ration would be increased from 200 grams (7.1 oz) to 280 grams (9.9 oz). Ruijs de Beerenbrouck called the socialists to cooperate with the government and argued that violence would be disruptive. He threatened that if the citizens would not behave properly, the ration would not be increased.

After that speech, Troelstra gave a long speech in parliament in which he incited a revolution and declared that the time had come for the workers to assume control of the government.[3] Consequently, more troops were sent to the major cities (Rotterdam, Amsterdam and The Hague). On the night of 13 November, the counter-movement hung posters which stated that the revolutionaries were only a small minority. By that time, it was clear that the attempted revolution failed.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "XI. Continental Europe". Political Science Quarterly. The Academy of Political Science. 34 (3, Supplement): 143. September 1919. doi:10.2307/2141679. JSTOR 2141679.
  2. ↑ R. Bouwman. Troelstra en het succes van zijn mislukte revolutie. Socialisme en democratie, 38, nr. 7/8 (Amsterdam 1981): 23.
  3. ↑ "XI. Continental Europe". Political Science Quarterly. The Academy of Political Science. 34 (3, Supplement): 144. September 1919. doi:10.2307/2141679. JSTOR 2141679.

Further reading

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