Internal SDAP discussions The SDAP board discussed the national and international events on 2 November. They discussed a manifesto about the events written by Troelstra for an upcoming party conference. The manifesto contained a call to revolution: "that we will accept the revolutionary situation here and in Europe as the basis for our further work". Troelstra no longer believed socialism could be realised by exclusively parliamentary means. Of those present, only
Goswijn Sannes and supported his proposal. Most others believed it was nonsense to call the situation at that time in the Netherlands revolutionary. Some believed that if a revolutionary situation arose, the SDAP should lead it.
Party chair Willem Vliegen called revolution in a democracy foolish and noted "I did not fight for 25 years for universal suffrage, only to abolish it a few months after its introduction." They decided to meet again the next day with like-minded organisations, including the board of the
Dutch Confederation of Trade Unions (NVV) and the editorial board of
Het Volk. The trade union supported preparations for a revolutionary situation, but primarily to prevent a destabilising
general strike. The other attendees mostly opposed revolutionary language. A meeting with the trade union for conscripts on the same day had also revealed that there was no revolutionary sentiment among conscripts. Consequently, they decided to have a small groupincluding Troelstra, Amsterdam
alderman and NVV leader
Jan Oudegeestrewrite the manifesto without the controversial passages. The version published on 4 November invited members to attend the conference on 24 November "to determine the stance that the proletariat must adopt in this great struggle". During a debate about military policy on 5 November, Troelstra had requested Snijder's removal. The fact that his removal was announced the next day, was celebrated as a victory for the SDAP. During the debate, Troelstra also said, without coordination with his party: Troelstra's revolutionary words initially received little attention. A demonstration in Amsterdam on 7 November led by SDP member
Henriette Roland Holst was attended by only a few hundred people and was stopped by the police.
Plans for revolution in Rotterdam Troelstra's words received more attention after the German Emperor's abdication was announced on 9 November. The liberal leadership, who met with Prime Minister
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck on that day, thought that the revolution was unstoppable and that a few socialists should be included in the cabinet. Fearing a revolution, the chair of the Rotterdam shipping association
Paul Henricus Nijgh, who had always been open to dialogue with trade unions, met with trade unionists and SDAP municipal councillors
Arie Heijkoop and
Johan Brautigam to give the trade union more influence over working conditions. Rotterdam mayor met with Heijkoop and Brautigam as well on the same day. Zimmerman believed the revolution would come to the Netherlands as well and wanted to cooperate with the SDAP to ensure a peaceful transition. The next day, Troelstra met with Heijkoop and Brautigam, as well as MPs Goswijn Sannes and
Willem Albarda, and local SDAP chair . Together, they devised a plan to initiate a revolution in Rotterdam, aiming to preempt a potential revolution in Amsterdam, where communist influence was stronger. In the afternoon, local SDAP and trade union leaders convened to discuss the plan, which included a list of demands and the proposal for a soldiers' council to assume control of the police, army, and postal services. However, several attendees, including MPs
Jan ter Laan and
Suze Groeneweg, opposed the plan, arguing that there were no indications of a revolution and that Nijgh and Zimmerman's stance did not suggest they would willingly transfer power. It was decided to review the plan further that evening with local and national leaders of the SDAP and NVV. In the evening meeting, where at least 64 people were present, De Zeeuw and Troelstra received little support. Local politicians from Amsterdam also saw no revolutionary mood in the capital. The meeting decided that only a party conference could decide on a revolution. The party conference would be brought forward to 16 November. A commission led by Oudegeest would write a manifesto with demands. Troelstra, disappointed by the meeting, decided not to take part in the commission.
Demands for reform On 11 November, the commission led by Oudegeest published a list of 15 demands, which included immediate demobilisation,
women's suffrage, abolishment of the
Senate,
eight-hour work days and state
pensions at the age of 60. Troelstra said after reading it: "Such a program is a revolution". To which Oudegeest replied that they were reforms, not revolution. De Zeeuw's call for a
constituent assembly for new state institutions was not included, nor did the manifesto call for the formation of workers' and soldiers' councils. The liberal (NRC) called the demands "not unreasonable" the same day and even supported some reforms. The Catholic and protestant unions kept supporting the cabinet, but also demanded reforms which they announced on 12 November. These demands partially overlapped with the social democrats, such as legal regulation of
collective labor agreements, insurance against unemployment, illness, and incapacity for work, and state pensions.
Calls for revolution On the evening of 11 November, meetings were held in Rotterdam, one of which included a speech by Troelstra. Inspired by NRC's positive commentary, Troelstra included revolutionary language in his speech: "Do not tarnish this great time with undignified actions; let it be said once and for all: the Dutch proletariat proved itself capable of its task, the Dutch proletarian revolution was the highlight in the history of the Netherlands!" While newspapers paid little attention to Troelstra's speech, SDAP leaders were concerned about its language. Before the parliamentary session on 12 November,
Jan van den Tempel criticised Troelstra's speech in a parliamentary group meeting. During the parliamentary session, Ruijs de Beerenbrouck officially announced the removal of Snijders and elaborated on the demobilsation which was announced the evening before. He also announced that the daily bread ration would be increased from to . Ruijs de Beerenbrouck noted that violence would be disruptive to the food supply. In his reply, Troelstra argued that it was too late for small reforms or the increase of bread rations, and that the time had come for political power. In his hour-long speech he said: Despite Troelstra's claims that he spoke on behalf of his party, many of its MPs were shocked. Public criticism was only voiced by
Henri Polak, but internally many party leaders criticised Troelstra's words. The party line remained to wait for the conference on 16 November.
Countermeasures The
Council of Ministers met after the debate. They decided not to give into the SDAP's demands, although Minister of Justice
Theo Heemskerk had proposed to compromise. The Catholic Minister of Labour
Piet Aalberse, who had been supportive of social reforms, feared that concessions would make the government look weak and strengthen the revolution. A day later Ruijs de Beerenbrouck nevertheless announced the introduction of women's suffrage, which was celebrated by
Het Volk as a concession. In the House of Representatives, there was also great willingness to meet a number of demands from the SDAP. Parties emphasised that this was a matter of democratic politics, and not under the pressure of a revolution. The cabinet reinforced troops in
The Hague, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the only places where they expected riots. They mobilised the voluntary
Landsturm, which were brought to these cities from all across the country. Minister of Finance was sent to
Rotterdam, to prevent Zimmerman from capitulating. Already on 7 November,
Carel Gerretson and , two private secretaries of
Bataafse Petroleum Maatschappij CEO and prominent ARP member
Hendrikus Colijn, sent a note to CHU leader
Alexander de Savornin Lohman urging the government to take precautions against a possible revolution. This note was forwarded to the Minister of War,
George August Alexander Alting von Geusau. They had been early advocates for the mobilisation of the voluntary
Landsturm. Meanwhile, they had formed their own political and military groups, maintaining contact with the authorities throughout the Red Week. The Catholics also organised. The Catholic labour leader in Limburg, , organised
vigilance committees.
Violence in Amsterdam speaking at an event (1909) The Revolutionary Socialist Committee, a collaboration of extreme left organisations dominated by the SDP, convened on the afternoon of 13 November at
Nieuwe Achtergracht 140 in Amsterdam. Speakers included Roland Holst and the anarchist preacher . During the meeting, a group of soldiers entered and pledged their support for a revolution. Afterward, the participants held a demonstration which was dispersed by
mounted police. (around 1935) In the evening, the organisations met in the in Amsterdam. Former leader of the SDB,
Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis, was also present. After this event, they held a demonstration led by Roland Holst, Wijnkoop and leader of the
League of Christian Socialists Willy Kruyt. They walked towards the on
Sarphatistraat, where they sung and tried to convince the soldiers to join them. A group of anarchists meanwhile tried to enter the barrack by smashing the lock of the gate with an axe. After they had succeeded, lights were turned on at the gate and the
gendarmerie opened fire. 4 protesters died and 16 were wounded. A part of the demonstration then moved to the nearby
Oranje-Nassau Kazerne, where soldiers were ordered to fire if protesters wanted to enter. In front of the gate, Roland Holst held a speech, while according to stories, Wijnkoop fainted from shock and asked bystanders for a glass of water. The protest continued to
Beursplein, where Wijnkoop called for a general strike and for workers to meet the next morning on
Damrak. That same evening, the SDAP organised two meetings in Amsterdam, one in the
Concertgebouw and another in
Theater Bellevue. Politicians, including Polak and Vliegen, called for non-violence and warned of scenes like those in Russia. After the SDAP meetings, the social democrats planned to demonstrate. However, upon learning of violence occurring in another part of the city, they ended their demonstration. When Wijnkoop arrived at Damrak the next day, less than 20 people were present. Soldier's councils were created in some places, but undertook nothing significant.
Troelstra backtracks The SDAP held meetings throughout the country where they used radical, but no revolutionary language. In the morning of 14 November, the parliamentary group wanted Troelstra to distance himself from calls for revolution, which he refused. However, during a debate in the afternoon Troelstra replied to accusations from other parties: The next day, SDAP MP was tasked with damage control in a debate. He downplayed the most radical statements by Troelstra and emphasised SDAP's democratic character, without abandoning his party leader. During the party conference in Rotterdam on 16 and 17 November, most speakers made it clear that they did not want a revolution, but they maintained their demands for reform. At times, speakers criticised Troelstra's actions. Troelstra himself was absent in an effort to maintain party unity. However, a telegram was sent on the first day urging him to attend, which he did on the second day, receiving a warm welcome with applause. In his speech, he acknowledged that he had misjudged the power dynamics but stated that he had never intended to seize power through violence or terrorism, against the will of the majority. The conference concluded in the afternoon in a calm and orderly manner.
Orange Monday The last day of the SDAP conference, queen Wilhelmina visited a church service in the , The Hague. The attendees spontaneously sang the
Wilhelmus after the service, and upon arrival at
Noordeinde Palace, she and her family were cheered. In the afternoon, more than 40.000 joined a manifestation at organised by Catholic organisations opposing the revolution. on Orange Monday The next day'Orange Monday' ()it became clear that there would be no revolution. A demonstration was organised by a group of loyal soldiers on
Malieveld to celebrate not only the failure of the revolution, but also the end of the war. The mayor,
Jacob Adriaan Patijn, called on all the residents of the city to come. Queen
Wilhelmina and her daughter, princess
Juliana, made a tour through The Hague in the royal carriage. When they arrived at
Malieveld, the horses were replaced by a group of soldiers, who pulled the carriage through the mass of people. In the weeks after, Wilhelmina toured through the country where she was met with cheers. == Aftermath ==