By 22 March communist militants had formed into Red Guard detachments and seized control of the industrial cities of Essen and Duisburg. A desperate effort was made at mediation, but with 50,000 of its own men under arms, the radical left now wanted a trial of strength.63 Amidst bitter fighting and gruesome reprisals, tens of thousands of pro-government troops, spearheaded once more by the Freikorps, retook the Ruhr. The government side suffered at least 500 dead. Over 1,000 insurgents were killed, the majority of whom were executed after capture.
