In 2018, the November Revolution marks its hundredth anniversary. On this occasion, a comprehensive biography of the "conqueror of cities," Georg Maercker, is now available, who is considered a central figure of the counter-revolution. The book establishes the connection between colonial history and the November Revolution, offers insights into the conditions that led to the rise of National Socialism, and bridges to the growing nationalist tendencies of the present.

November 1918: The German army has capitulated, and the previously ruling monarchists have vanished without a trace. The Republic is proclaimed, the demand for demilitarization and socialization is unmistakable, and a fundamental restructuring of society is within reach. Two months later, during the January battles in Berlin, military volunteer units make their first public appearance, including the "Volunteer Land Jäger Corps" led by Major General Georg Maercker. Maercker then travels across central Germany on behalf of the Reich government to combat revolutionary hotspots. His experiences trace back to German colonial history, where he participated in the fights against the indigenous population in "East" and "Southwest Africa."

The author examines the example of Georg Maercker in the context of Prussian military tradition, German colonial rule, and the suppression of the November Revolution up to the Kapp-Lüttwitz coup. Other topics include the role of social democratic leaders during the formative phase of the Weimar Republic, their reception within today's Social Democracy, and the current discourse on the relationship between colonialism and National Socialism.