REVOLUTIONARY SHOP STEWARDS

(Revolutionäre Obleute)

Emerging in Berlin* during the early months of World War I, theObleutewere radical socialists who sprang not from the SPD but from the trade unions.* Opposed to the policies of the SPD, the Stewards organized themselves clan-destinely into small groups within munitions factories in order to mobilize work-ers opposed to the war. The selective membership was restricted to union officials possessing administrative or political experience. In time they evolved a covert network and spread their organization to other plants and shipyards. In 1916, persuaded of eventual revolution, they formed a link with the Social Dem-ocratic Alliance, precursor to the USPD.They were largely responsible for the strikes and factory actions of 1916-1918. Until his induction Richard Müller* led the Stewards; he was succeeded in February 1918 by Emil Barth.*

TheObleutewere often at odds with the Spartacists. In contrast to their so-cialist colleagues, they hoped to retain their position as a small cadre of revo-lutionaries rather than evolve into a party organization. Moreover, they avoided theoretical discourse and favored conspiratorial activity over mass action. En-gaged from October 1918 in the formation of Workers' and Soldiers' Councils,* they opposed the December 1918 proposal of the Spartacus League* to break with the USPD and found a new party; indeed, they refused to join the KPD without Karl Liebknecht's* endorsement of five demands (including participa-tion in the National Assembly* elections). Their decision to stand by the USPD deprived the KPD of a critical connection with the workers. Yet while they initially opposed a putsch, it was largely at their behest that a vote was taken on 5 January 1919 to oust the Council of People's Representatives* with a general strike. The resultant action, the Spartacus Uprising,* was a disaster. By March 1919, with neither program nor political leadership, they admitted that they had been outmaneuvered by the SPD. Much of their energy was absorbed, albeit briefly, by the Workers' Councils.