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'''Red Week''' or '''Troelstra's Mistake''' was a period of unrest and an anticipation of revolution in the [[Netherlands]] in [[Timeline of | '''Red Week''' or '''Troelstra's Mistake''' was a period of unrest and an anticipation of revolution in the [[Netherlands]] in [[Timeline of Anarchism in Western Europe|late 1918]], part of a [[Revolutions of 1916 - 1923|wider wave of socialist revolutions in Europe]]. | ||
== Background == | == Background == | ||
Latest revision as of 17:50, 3 April 2024
Red Week or Troelstra's Mistake was a period of unrest and an anticipation of revolution in the Netherlands in late 1918, part of a wider wave of socialist revolutions in Europe.
Background
Although the Netherlands had been neutral during World War I, it had still triggered a number of serious problems in the Netherlands that created the conditions for revolution in the Netherlands:
- Severe economic crisis triggered by mines and submarines blowing up merchant ships in the Netherlands and the economic crisis in other countries caused by the war leading to very high unemployment and rising cost of living (notably food)
- Socialist-inspired revolutions in Russia and Germany
- Military repression of food riots
- Large waves of Belgian refugees entering the Netherlands
- Unpaid wages for soldiers
Events
The revolution began with a mutiny of soldiers on the 25th of October at an army base over unpaid wages, who set fire to part of their base. Following this, debates began in the Socialist Party over the possibility of a revolution after the events in Russia and Germany. On the 11th of November, socialist leader Troelsta created this list of demands:
- Abolition of the Senate
- Introduction of state retirement at the age of 60
- Immediate demobilization
- Immediate introduction of general women's suffrage
- Immediate introduction of the eight-hour legal day
- Fast and adequate provision for the housing shortage
- Socialization of all eligible companies
- Full unemployment care
In response, the government installed extra security around the royal family and armed the police with carbine rifles, soldiers occupied key government buildings and patrolled the streets of major cities, alcohol sales were banned, ships were disarmed (to prevent something similar to the Kiel Mutiny) Food rations were increased, but the government warned it would be taken away if unrest occurred. Small skirmishes occurred between soldiers mutinying against the government but overall a revolution failed to materialise.
Results
The revolution failed to take any form.