After leaving the German Army in the spring of 1919, Papen purchased a country estate, the "Haus Merfeld", living the life of a "gentleman farmer" in Dülmen. In April 1920, during the Communist uprising in the Ruhr, Papen took command of a "Freikorps" unit to protect Roman Catholicism from the "Red marauders". Impressed with his leadership of his "Freikorps" unit, Papen decided to pursue a career in politics. In the fall of 1920, the president of the Westphalian Farmer's Association, Baron Engelbert von Kerkerinck zur Borg, told Papen his association would campaign for him if he ran for the Prussian "Landtag".