III. Restauration ? January – September 1920
After several successes, the Polish Offensive against the Soviets failed, and a series of Russian victories brought Poland to the brink of defeat. Warsaw was in danger. Any planned offensives against East Prussia where canceled. Defending Warsaw was the main priority now.
Fearing the growing Soviet influence, the Entente accepted a temporary rouge East Prussia, but categorically denied any diplomatic acceptance. Poland convinced the Entente to gain more support. While Great Britain was more reluctant to support Poland, the French government became more and more convinced that a strong Poland would be necessary to prevent German or Soviet influence in the area.
This situation offered new possibilities for East Prussia and Kapp.
The “regency council” offered Emperor Wilhelm and his son Wilhelm prince of Prussia to return from the exile in the Netherlands to Prussia to regain the crown.
De facto various militias and Freikorps controlled East Prussia. Kapp realized, that his control over the Freikorps and various military formations was limited. He offered general Ludendorff to become regent until the Hohenzollern would return. A former leader of the Great War could give his government more legitimacy and respect. Erich Ludendorff was at that moment in Exil in Sweden. His dreams about germanizing parts of Eastern Europe, and his distaste for democracy made him perfect for the job. Arriving in Königsberg, Ludendorff tried to minimize Kapps power to become the new strong man in East Prussia. Most reactionaries supported him.
Erich Ludendorff, now "Regent" of "East Prussia"
The German Government feared, that the East Prussians would conspire with far right groups in Germany. They asked the Dutch government to keep a close look on the former Kaiser to prevent any plan from the pretender to leave the country. Several similar requests by the Entente arrived in the Netherlands. The Dutch government had no interest in creating an international crisis. But from the few reports which arrived in Doorn (the exile castle of Wilhelm II.) Wilhelm II. concluded that waiting to see what happened was a far better option than becoming a marionette of an instable “government” in East Prussia.
In Germany, the Government had to reduce the Reichswehr (the new far to reactionary military of the Republic) to comply with the treaty of Versailles. Various former soldiers and right wing militiamen decided to fight for their ideas in East Prussia. A famous example is the conservative writer Ernst Jünger, who wrote an autobiographical novel about his time in East Prussia, which became highly popular in the 20ies.
Kapp was unable to see, that he didn’t control the situation, and lost power with each day. His planning didn’t focus on the Baltic. Instead he favored a quick offensive into Pommerania, and a cooperation with reactionary groups inside the Reichswehr. The East Prussians and the Reichswehr should together launch a successful coup in Berlin to finally restore the Monarchy.
It was the final blow for his authority, when his “secret plans” appeared in the Vorwärts (the leading social democratic newspaper in Germany) under the titel “Reaktionäre Umsturzpläne aus Ostpreußen!” (reactionary coups planned from East Prussia). The German left feared a counterrevolution. Many groups armed themselves and prepared a general strike should the counterrevolution happen.
But it never happened. Most Freikorps had now different interests. They dreamed more about creating their reactionary paradise in the Baltic. Kapp tried to ignore the growing pressure on him, and didn’t even thought about resigning, until armed Freikorps visited his office. Ludendorff accepted his resignation and even offered him to become finance minister.
To appease the Freikorps, one of their generals, von der Goltz became new prime minister. This showed the dominance of military men in the “government” of East Prussia, and their Baltic ambitions.
Rüdiger von der Goltz was leader of the German forces and Freikorps in the Baltic after the armistice of 1918. Trying to establish a Baltic German dominance over the Baltic, his forces where almost defeated in the middle of 1919 by Estonia and Latvia. But the separation of East Prussia convinced him to continue fighting, and new volunteers arrived. The Kapp-”Government” provided logistical and military support. Goltz managed to defend Courland and assembled enough forces to start a counteroffensive at the beginning of 1920 with Riga as goal.
Ludendorff planned to appoint von der Goltz to incorporate the Baltics into East Prussia and to strengthen their support. Von der Goltz accepted his appointment to restore German dominance over the Baltics.East Prussia was de facto controlled by various Freikorps and militias. The government couldn’t do anything against them. Von der Goltz
The capture of Riga after a short siege was an important victory for the “government”, but Soviet Russia decided, that the new Prussian offensive showed the weakness of Estonia and Latvia and decided to invade again after their defeat in 1919. Estonian and Latvian nationalist failed to defend against the attack from two sides. Their governments fled to the islands of Dagö (Hiumaa) and Ösel (Saaremaa).
Prussian and Soviet troops meet each other in Northern Latvia and some fights erupted between them.
A small squadron of the British Royal Navy protected the two islands. Estonian politicians considered offering Britain to build a long term naval base on Saarema (Ösel) to gain a long term guarantee for their independence. Nationalist guerilla fought a desperate fight against Prussian and Soviet troops.
At this point, the East Prussian government considered reorganizing the occupied territories. But in Courland, Adolf Freidrich zu Mecklenburg, a german aristocrat, who was after the Great War once considered to become monarch of a Baltic puppet state, used the chaos to proclaim himself “Duke of Courland and Semgallia”. While he wasn’t that close to the Freikorps, Ludendorff accepted him. Establishing a traditional duchy could show their commitment to restore “order” and “tradition”. A german dominated city council gained leadership in Riga, and asked East Prussia for their “protection”. The rest of Prussian controlled Latvia was formally governed by a puppet government under Andrievs Niedra. The Russians established Soviet Republics in Estonia and Northern Latvia.
Poland urgently needed weapon supplies, but the Harbor of Danzig was still under East Prussian control. Therefore Poland requested France to pressure Germany into allowing military supplies trough the Harbor of Stettin.
Realizing that Poland was indeed in serious problems, France increased its support for Poland considerably.
Ludendorff realized that the survival of his state depended on foreign recognition. He opened secret contacts to Poland. But all offers for armistice failed. Poland categorically denied any recognition or negotiation with the “rebels”.Ludendorffs country was isolated without any chance of foreign recognition. Smaller incidents lead to constant tensions. At the same time, the economy of the isolated country collapsed almost completely, since trade was almost impossible.
Since it appeared, that no Hohenzollern would come to East Prussia for a long time, Adolf Friedrich zu Mecklenburg argued, that the “regency council” should elect a new king (maybe he himself would be a great candidate …). But most Freikorps where happy with Ludendorff (at the moment at least …) and didn’t cared for Adolf Friedrichs ambitions.
The regency council recognized the need for some long term political structures. Ludendorff renamed and reformed the “regency council” into a larger “crown council” who should develop a constitution (of course a constitution without all that leftist degenerate stuff like human rights). While it took far to much time to develop a constitution, the “Kingdom of East Prussia” was formally proclaimed in Königsberg in August 1920. The country should continue to exist, until the legitimate monarchy could be restored in Germany.
The Ludendorff-Government became highly unpopular among the ordinary population of East Prussia. Most people wanted stability and peace not war and military adventures. They suffered from economic collapse and oppression from various militias and Freikorps. The currency collapsed, while the food supply was limited.
Between Poland in the West and the Soviets in the East, East Prussia lacked real options for expansion for the power hungry Freikorps. Since various attacks against the Soviets in Northern Latvia failed, Lithuania became central to further Prussian ambitions.
Vilnius, de jure capital of Lithuania was changing control between Poland and the Soviets during heavy fighting in the Polish-Soviet war. The rest of the country was still weakened from the successful defense against the soviets.
Kaunas, “temporary capital” was much closer to East Prussia. A short offensive managed to capture the city and a puppent government was appointed by Ludendorff. Ludendorff ordered the Freikorps to start some of the Germanization projects he dreamed of. Various villages and farms where occupied, with the plan to distribute them among Freikorp veterans. Of course this happened with heavy human right violations. Antisemitism was common and widespread among the Freikorps and the higher officials of the Ludendorff-regime, including Ludendorff himself. This lead to various horrible acts of violence and widespread discrimination against the Jewish population.
The “crown council” legitimized the territorial gains. The “law on the provisional borders and territories of East Prussia” reorganized the administration of the small country, and divided it into various provinces. The various protectorates (Courland, Lithuania, Riga, Parts of Latvia) where futher integrated. But there was a large difference between the law and the chaotic practice in the unstable war torn provinces.
While the Entente continued to deny any recognition, the conservative part of the German public had a favorable view of the “heroes” in East Prussia. The old Field Marshal von Hindenburg wrote his warmest greetings and solidarity with East Prussia and encouraged “young patriots” to travel and volunteer there.
The "Kingdom of East Prussia" according to the “law on the provisional borders and territories of East Prussia” while Poland tries to defend itself against the Soviets. Note that most borders in Eastern-Europe where not clearly defined at the moment, especially between Poland and the Soviets.
Edited (04.190.2018): Changed the administrative division of the Soviet Republics
