The uprising was sparked by the right-wing Kapp Putsch in Berlin and had as its goal the establishment of a soviet-style council republic in Germany.

After an agreement to end a general strike in the region failed, the German government sent in Reichswehr (regular army) and Freikorps (paramilitary) units to put down the rebellion.

[6] On 24 March, local and national government authorities signed the Bielefeld Agreement with the more moderate political parties and executive councils.

The agreement called for the Red Ruhr Army to hand over its weapons, with a promise of amnesty for those who had broken the law in defence of the government against the putschists.

In addition, urgent calls for help were coming in from local citizens and city administrations reporting that Red Ruhr Army members were engaging in extortion, looting and shootings.

[8] The experienced and heavily armed government troops quickly ended the uprising with acts of violence and cruelty that dwarfed the workers' "red terror".

[10] The skirmish that took place in Gelsenkirchen the next day marked the final end of the uprising and of the Red Ruhr Army.