Essen     


- The Twenties -





The post-war years:

With the end of World War 1 on November 11. 1918 the suffering of the people did not become less, which encouraged uproars and revolts among the population. Towards the end of 1918 workers and soldiers came to power. These communist forces demanded the demobilization of the army, the surmounting of the consequences of war, the maintenance of public order and the guarantee for the nutrition of the people. The whole Ruhr Area was troubled by continuous strikes which went on until 1919. The communist power was defeated by Prussian troups in 1919. The Republic of Weimar was founded. However, as early as 1920 a revolt followed in Essen and the Ruhr Area, known as the Kapp-revolt. The goal of this revolt was the re-establishment of the monarchy. However, it did not succeed due to a general strike on March 17. 1920. The revolt took place mainly at the townhall of Essen (picture 10 KB). More or less at the same time the "Red Ruhr Army" was founded. Armed workers fought in order to voice their demands of a cleaning of the "Reichswehr" of reactional forces, of democratisation of the administration and of a forced implementation of social laws.


On Oktober 29. 1922 the Folkwang - Museum was founded by the Goldschmidt brothers.


The Frenchmen arrive:

In January of 1923 Essen (and the whole Ruhr Area) was occupied by the French. The troups were accomodated in hostels and schools. A state of siege was declared over Essen. There was a ban of going out from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The aim of the French invasion was the guarantee of the supply of coal and steel to France. Even the administration of the German train "ReichsbahN" as overtaken by the French. Due to the occupation, the health and nutrition of the population decreased even more. What added to this was the inflation which took place in the whole of Germany. Finally the French troups quit Essen and the Ruhr Area in 1924/25. In the following elections in May and December 1924 the KPD (communist party) became the second-strongest force after the Zentrum (conservative party).


The economic crisis:

Due to the economic crisis many mines in Essen had to close down during the 1920s. All in all, 73 were shut down between 1920 and 1926 in the whole Ruhr Area. On January 9. 1928 the members of the so-called "Ruhrlade" (e. ag. Krupp, Thyssen) met for the first time at the Villa Hügel.
At the election of May 20. 1928 the KPD (communist party) was again elected the second-strongest party after the Zentrum (conservative party). In the whole Ruhr Area the SPD (socialist party) recieves the most votes (KPD second).


1928 the "Lichtwochen" take place, an outdoors light show.
1929 the first major garden show takes place in Essen.