Freikorps
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Freikorps ("Free Corps") were irregular German and other European military volunteer units, or paramilitary, that existed from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. They effectively fought as mercenary or private armies, regardless of their own nationality. In German-speaking countries, the first so-called Freikorps ("free regiments", Freie Regimenter) were formed in the 18th century from native volunteers, enemy renegades, and deserters. These sometimes exotically equipped units served as infantry and cavalry (or more rarely as artillery), sometimes in just company strength, sometimes in formations up to several thousand strong. There were also various mixed formations or legions. The Prussian von Kleist Freikorps included infantry, jäger, dragoons and hussars. The French Volontaires de Saxe combined uhlans and dragoons.
In the aftermath of World War I and during the German Revolution of 1918–19, Freikorps consisting largely of World War I veterans were raised as right-wing paramilitary militias. They were ostensibly mustered to fight on behalf of the government against the RSFSR-backed German communists attempting to overthrow the Weimar Republic. However, many Freikorps also largely despised the Republic and were involved in assassinations of its supporters.
See also
- Landsknecht
- List of defunct Paramilitary Organizations
- List of Free Corps
- List of Freikorps members
- List of paramilitary organizations
- Organisation Consul
- Freikorps in the Baltic
- Battle of Annaberg
- Free Corps Denmark
- Viking League related Freikorps activities
- Free company Medieval units with some similarities