The Bloodbath of Essen

The initially „passive resistance“ against allied occupation of the Ruhr District claims its first casualties: On 31 March 1923, thirteen unarmed workers at Essen’s Krupp Works are shot to death by French soldiers („Bloodbath of Essen“).

© Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin French troops in front of the central station in Essen

The soldiers claim to have acted in self-defence when the workers had tried to prevent the confiscation of company-owned vehicles. After a French investigative commission confirms this defence on 30 April 1923 and absolves the soldiers of all culpability, indignation quickly spreads throughout the German population.