The situation polarized extremely rapidly. In late December under the impact of the Bolshevik Revolution, pressure mounted within the Spartacus League to transform itself from a loose-knit federal organization into a centralized communist party. To begin with it gave an ultimatum to the USPD, to which it was affiliated, to organize an emergency congress to discuss the new situation. With its inevitable rejection, the Spartacists went ahead on 29 December with their own conference, attended by 127 delegates, including the Free Socialist Youth, and founded the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). As with other newly formed communist parties, they were saturated with ultraleft tendencies, which was reflected in their decision, despite Rosa Luxemburg’s advice, by 62 votes to 23 to boycott the National Assembly elections due in January.
In moving the boycott resolution, Otto Rühle bristled with hair-raising phrases: “We must continually stimulate the living politics of the street…it will be our task to try and break it (the National Assembly) up by force. And if this does not succeed then let it go to Schilda. Then we will establish here in Berlin a new government. We still have two weeks!” Two further motions were debated which aimed at declaring membership of the trade unions incompatible with that of the new party. Communists were to join the workers’ councils instead, and “were to continue in the most determined manner the work of fighting against the trade unions!”
Many in the young German Communist Party failed to recognize the turn of the masses towards their trade union organizations. Before the November revolution there had been 1.5 million trade union members; by the end of December 1918, there were 2.2 million; by the end of 1919, 7.3 million. It was with great difficulty that the party leadership managed to prevent these resolutions being put to the vote. But within one week the KPD were to experience a baptism of fire.