The May Uprising in Dresden

Revolutionaries declare a republic in Saxony

When the revolutions launched in the spring of 1848 had run out of steam a year later, and the Imperial Constitution negotiated in Frankfurt proved to be unrealizable, democrats across Germany launched the Imperial Constitution Campaign in an attempt to ensure that the failure of German unification did not imperil the reforms that had already been secured in the individual states. In May, progressive citizens in Dresden learnt that the royal garrison was depleted and decided to take action. Storming the armoury, they seized weapons and occupied the parliament building.

Taking over the city after the king and his government had fled to Königstein fortress on 4 May 1849, the revolutionaries appointed a provisional government and ordered the citizens’ militia to prepare to defend Dresden. Prussian and Saxon troops took three days to put down the uprising at the cost of the lives of over 30 soldiers and at least 200 revolutionaries. Many more were injured. The rebels who managed to escape included the architect and master builder Gottfried Semper and the court conductor Richard Wagner. The re-capture of Dresden marked the end of the March Revolution in the city.