ABSTRACT
In the frequent incidents between “monarchists” and “Communists,” the extreme Right had more armed groups at its disposal, and the Left frequently suffered heavy casualties. Social Democrats and Communists alike fought the monarchists, and the victims were from all organizations. If the Communists had joined in supporting the administration in its fight against the monarchists, the Republican majority would have been considerably enlarged and the Social Democratic cabinet more secure. The French representative pointed out that the policy of the German party had done considerable harm to the cause of the French Communists; the Hindenburg election had increased the French distrust of Germany. In Berlin, the proposal of Zinoviev and Maslow to withdraw the party’s candidate in the run-off election was rejected by the German Central Committee under the influence of Thalmann, who liked the role of the presidential candidacy.
