kapp putsch

• when Germany were obliged to follow the TOV in January 1920, it caused the freikorps to be forced to disband. this made Defense Minister Gustav Noske order 2 freikorps units of 12,000 men stationed near Berlin to disband.
• General Walther Von Luttwitz refused to disband his units, so the government ordered his arrest. this led to him alongside 5000 supporters marching into Berlin in protest led by Dr Wolfgang Kapp on the 12th of march 1920
• Ebert and chancellor Gustav Bauer ordered the army to crush the uprising but were told that troops would not fire on troops, meaning they did not have control over their own military
• the putsch failed to gain widespread support and civil servants and bankers did not heavily intervene. the left wing and trade unions also called a general strike, meaning electricity, transport, and water services were all disrupted, causing the putsch to fail
• The putsch collapsed after 4 days, and both Kapp and Luttwitz were forced to flee. however this showed how weak the weimar government was
• consequences:

  • army cannot be trusted
  • civil servants are disloyal
  • The Weimar Republic was not in control, as those put on trial are treated with leniency by right wing judges, cannot even punish the 400 officers who took part in the putsch. (was extremely different in the left wing uprising)