Baden Revolution

As part of the popular liberal March Revolution in the states of the German Confederation the revolution in the state of Baden in what is now southwestern Germany was driven to a great extent by radical democratic influences: they were striving to create a Baden republic—subordinated to a greater Germany—under the sovereignty of the people, and aligned themselves against the ruling princes.

Their high points were the Hecker uprising in April 1848, the Struve Putsch of September 1848 and the rebellion as part of the Imperial Constitution campaign (Reichsverfassungskampagne) in May 1849 which assumed civil war-like proportions and was also known as the May Revolution.

The rebellion ended on 23 July 1849 with the military defeat of the last revolt and the capture of Rastatt Fortress by German Federal Army troops under Prussian leadership.

The German March revolution not only started in Baden, but also ended there when Rastatt Fortress, the last bastion of the revolutionaries, was captured by Prussian troops on 23 July 1849.

The Baden Revolution had two phases: between the beginning of March 1848 and September 1848 there were two attempts to form a republic in southwestern Germany: the Hecker Uprising and the rebellion led by Gustav Struve in Lörrach.

With the defeat of Friedrich Hecker and his followers at Kandern and his flight into exile, and the arrest of Gustav Struve in September, this first phase ended.

Characteristic of the Baden Revolution, unlike other uprisings in the German Confederation, was the persistent demand for a democratic republic.

Stylised portrait of Friedrich Hecker (1811–1881), on the left
Gustav Struve
September 1847 flyer with the "demands of the people", which formulated the goals of the radical democrats at the Offenburg Assembly
Map of the region affected by the April uprising of 1848
Contemporary lithograph, from the perspective of the revolutionaries, of the Battle of Kandern on 20 April 1848, at which the Hecker Uprising was put down
Monument at the Kandern Scheideck for General Friedrich von Gagern and the fallen soldiers and revolutionaries
Franz Seraph Stirnbrand (1788–1882): Battle in Gernsbach on 29 June 1849
Surrender of the revolutionary garrison of Rastatt to the troops of the German Confederation on 23 July 1849