Marinebrigade Ehrhardt
From February 1919 to May 1920 Kaufmann was a "Freikorps" member of the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt. In 1920 he joined the "Deutschvölkischer Schutz- und Trutzbund", the largest most active, and most influential anti-Semitic federation in Germany and in 1921 he took over the leadership of their youth group in Elberfeld. In 1921 as a member of the "Freikorps" "von Killinger”, he participated in actions against Polish insurgents in Upper Silesia. In 1921-22 he took part in illegal sabotage operations against the French occupation of the Ruhr. Wanted by the police, he fled to Bavaria.