Hermann Ehrhardt

Hermann Ehrhardt (1881-1971) was a Freikorps commander during the period of turmoil in Germany from 1918 to 1920, he commanded the famous II.Marine Brigade, better known as the Ehrhardt Brigde or Marinebrigade Ehrhardt.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Born in 1881 he later joined the German Imperial navy and served as a Korvettenkapitän, a stong opponent of the Treaty of Versailles, he develpoed exterme right wing views. During the period after Germany's defeat he formed the II.Marine Brigde.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Holding the rank of Korvettenkapitän, his army equivalent rank was only that of a Major, yet he still commanded a force of arounf 6,000 men. His force fought in north-west Germany, central Germany, Silesia and Bavria and participated in the unsuccessful Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch of 1920, afterwards he fled Germany, but returned. In Bavaria, along with Gustav von Kahr he formed the Viking League, an auxiliary Police force. During the Beer Hall Pustch, Ehrhardt and his deputy commandr Eberhard Kautter refused to help Hitler and the Viking league wouldn't particiapte in the putsch. Ehrhardt would later unsuccessfully contest the leadership of the right wing factions with Hitler, but unlike their commander, most of Ehrhardts men joined the NSDAP.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ehrhardt was one of those listed to die during the Roehm Purge but he managed to escape to Austria. Herman Ehrhardt died in 1971.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~