n.
or Spartacus League
Revolutionary socialist group active in Germany (191418).
It developed as an offshoot of the Social Democratic Party and was officially founded in 1916 by Karl Liebknecht , Rosa Luxemburg , and others who violently opposed Germany's role in World War I and called for a socialist revolution. The group encouraged demonstrations in December 1918 that led to the abortive Spartacus Revolt in January 1919, after which the leaders were murdered by members of the Freikorps . The league was then transformed into the Communist Party of Germany.