Hi. Asking this here since there's no Freikorp article on here. I know the Sturmabteilung overall, as with the Nazis, are closer to far-left than to the far-right, despite what contemporary history would claim (heck, Ernst Rohm actually advocated for permanent revolution akin to what Leon Trotsky advocated). But does anyone know where the Freikorps lie in terms of political leanings (before merging with the SA, I mean)? Were they far-left? Left-of-center? Right-of-center? Far-right? I know they were definitely against Soviet-orchestrated world communism due to [https://howlingpixel.com/i-en/Germany%E2%80%93Soviet_Union_relations,_1918%E2%80%931941 their role in putting down the Soviet-orchestrated communist global revolution shortly after the USSR's formation], but I have absolutely no idea whether they were against communism itself or just the Soviets' use of it (Hitler was also against the Soviets, yet not necessarily against Communism in itself), and by extension whether that actually makes them far-right or just another flavor of the far-left. [[User:Pokeria1|Pokeria1]] ([[User talk:Pokeria1|talk]]) 07:09, 2 July 2019 (EDT)
:Friekorps essentially was not a non-political organization. It had always existed, similar to what we would call veterans, militia, or mercenaries. Because the Treaty of Versailles had restricted the size of the German military, the Friekorps grew at this time consisting of de-mobilized unemployed veterans. Professional soldiers. Apolitical. But the times were chaotic, Germany had ceased to be monarchy, and most of Germany's enemies now seemed to be within - either collaborators with the Big Four Powers (France, England, Italy and the U.S.) or communist revolutionaries.
:Historically, ''Friekorps'' were loyal to the established monarchical system. When Germany become a Republic, most viewed the Wiemar constitution as a foreign conspiracy. If an unemployed veteran felt strongly about politics, say as a democrat or a communist, their were any number of political parties to join. Those veterans who allied with Hitler's nationalist sentiment, left the Friekorp and joined a Nazi paramilitary organization. Needless to say, the times were very confusing for the ''Friekorps'' leadership, cause there was a power vacuum at the top with the Kaiser's abdicated. But the leadership regarded themselves as soldiers, not politicians.