After the abdication of the Kaiser on the 9 November 1918, Germany fell into a state of instability. The Social Democratic Party of Germany -led government and the Spartacus League both announced the launch of a German Republic. This led to civil war and the German Revolution of 1918-19 with the two opposing sides fighting for power. Before the creation of the Soviet state, radical labour movements already enjoyed significant support in Bremen with the SPD electorally dominating the city. As a result, with the outbreak of the civil war, Bremen was strongly sympathetic to the left-leaning Spartacus League. The revolt in Bremen began just before the abdication of the Kaiser with a workers' council being established and elected. This council sat in Bremen City Hall and managed the affairs of the small state independent of the newly established, SPD-led, Weimar Republic in Berlin.
Establishment
On 10 January, the worker's council declared the republic setting up the Soviet of People's Representatives within the city. Teachers, most notably Johann Knief, made up the bulk of the leadership professing support for many Leninist theories. The Soviet of People's Representatives replaced the worker's council and was also housed within the city hall. After its formation, the council passed much reformist legislation including the requirement to equal pay. The long term aim, though never realised, was also to nationalise the economy of Bremen by establishing a dictatorship of the proletariat.
Defeat
By early 1919, the Weimar Republic held a strong enough position in the civil war to challenge the state. As a result, Friedrich Ebert sent the Freikorps into Bremen to successfully topple the republic. Unlike the Bavarian Soviet Republic the suppression of the worker's council in Bremen cost the lives of over 80 individuals. The Bremen Soviets fell quickly due to the geographical nature of the state. The city of Bremen fell on 4 February with Bremerhaven holding out until it was defeated on 8/9 February.
Government
The Soviet of People's Representatives held the role of legislature and totaled nine representatives Johann Knief, a member of the independent SPD group, held significant influence within the republic holding the role of People's Commissar. It was formed from the worker's council established in November 1918 with a similar membership makeup.
