munich putsch

• The Munich Putsch

  In 1923, the Nazis had built up some support and tried to seize control of Germany. In November, Hitler tried to take control of the local branch of the Weimar Republic, the Bavarian Government (the Munich Putsch).
• Long-term causes

  • The long term causes for the Munich Putsch were: resentment against the Treaty of Versailles and its clauses, hatred of being ‘stabbed in the back’ and they thought that the Weimar Republic was fundamentally weak.
  • The medium term causes for the Munich Putsch were: that Hitler wanted to copy the example of Mussolini in Italy. In 1922, Mussolini led the right-wing Fascist Party in overthrowing democracy and setting up a dictatorship.
• Immediate causes

  • The immediate causes for the Munich Putsch were: that the Nazis were angered by the French occupation of the Ruhr in 1923. The Putsch was triggered by Stresemann calling off passive (non-violent) resistance.
  • Rohm had introduced Hitler and Ludendorff and this helped to trigger the Putsch.
  • Because of this and the fragility (could be easily damaged) of the Weimar Republic in 1923, Hitler assumed the German people would support his Putsch.
• Events of the Putsch, 8th November 1923

  • On the 8th November 1923, Hitler and 600 SA troops entered a meeting of the Bavarian government in Munich.
  • Threatening the government leaders, Hitler forced the government to support him.
  • The head of the SA, Röhm, took control of the local police and army headquarters.
  • But Ludendorff (the general who told the Kaiser to abdicate in World War One) secretly let the government leaders go.
• Events of the Putsch, 9-11th November 1923

  • On the 9th November 1923, Hitler marched on Munich with 1,000 SA troops and 2,000 volunteers.
  • Hitler wanted to make himself the President of Germany.
  • State police met the Nazis. Shots were fired. 3 policemen and 16 Nazis were killed. Ludendorff and Röhm were arrested.
  • Hitler fled and hid at a friend’s house.
  • On 11th November 1923, Hitler was discovered and arrested for high treason (crime of betraying one’s country).
• Consequences of the Munich Putsch

  In the short term, it looked like the Nazis had failed but in the long term, Hitler successfully used events to his advantage.
• Short-term consequences

  • In the short term, it looked like the Nazis had failed.
  • Hitler was sentenced to prison for five years (he only served about 9 months) in Landsberg prison.
  • The Nazi Party was banned and Hitler was not allowed to speak in public until 1927.
• Long-term consequences

  • In the long term, Hitler successfully used events to his advantage.
  • Hitler used his trial to give the Nazis publicity.
  • As the newspaper reporters would quote his defence speech, Hitler gave exposure to Nazi ideas.
• Mein Kampf

  • In prison he wrote his bestseller, Mein Kampf, which outlined his political objectives.
  • Most importantly, the need to destroy democracy, the need for Lebensraum (to expand German territory to house the population), and his beliefs about the 'inferiority' of the Jews.
  • Hitler realised he needed to reorganise the Nazi party to gain success.
• Limited Support for the Nazis, 1924-1928

  In the climate (growing trend) of international cooperation, the Nazis suffered because the Weimar Republic was succeeding.
• The Nazis in the mid-1920s

  • The Nazis suffered because the Weimar Republic was succeeding.
  • Germany was politically stable and had no need for the extremism of the Nazis.
  • In order for the Nazis to achieve success, they would have to participate in the Weimar Republic’s democratic elections.
• Nazis and the democratic system

  • In participating in legal elections, Hitler said that the Nazi Party would have to ‘hold their noses’. This shows how much he despised the democratic system he was forced to be part of.
  • But the Nazis only had 32 seats in the Reichstag in 1924 and this dropped to 12 seats in 1928.
  • Despite this, membership for the Nazis increased from 27,000 in 1925 to 130,000 in 1929.
• Nazi reorganisation

  • Hitler wanted to reorganise the Nazi party to maximise support.
  • Hitler made himself the centre of the Nazi party.
  • This meant that the appeal of the Nazis largely rested on him as a charismatic (able to influence people) leader.
• Expansion of the party and the SA

  • Hitler expanded the Nazi Party onto a national level.
  • Each region of Germany would be run by a gauleiter (local Nazi official) who reported to Hitler.
  • Hitler grew the SA so they could intimidate opponents and make the Nazis appear strong.
  • But the SA were difficult to control.
• Bamberg Conference, 1926

  Hitler decided to call a conference in February 1926 because of the tension between the northern and southern groups of the Nazi Party
• The northern and southern groups

  • In February 1926, Hitler called the Bamberg Conference to resolve tension between the northern and southern groups of the Nazi party.
  • The northern group stressed the socialist (for everyone in society sharing the profits from industry) parts of the 25-point programme.
  • The southern part stressed the nationalist (for political independence) parts of the 25-point programme.
• The rise of nationalism

  • Hitler made sure everyone understood that the 25-point programme reflected the Nazi vision.
  • But he said that the socialist points would not actually be followed.
• Fuhrerprinzip

  • Hitler laid out the Fuhrerprinzip (Leadership Principle).
  • This meant he had complete authority (power) in the Nazi party and would not tolerate (put up with) any opposition.