Munich putsch

• November 1923 - Hitler launched the Munich Putsch - Beer Halt Putsch - armed revolt intended to overthrow the Weimer Republic
• long term causes (1918-1923)

  • stab in the back
  • reparations
  • loss of colonies

  led to resentment of the WR - creates support for parties like the NSDAP

  • from 1919-23 the NSDAP had been growing in its Munich base in Bavaria and had 50000 members - the Bavarian state leaders like Kahr didn't like the WR and shared the same views as the NSDAP - they turned a blind eye to the violence if the SA
• medium term causes (1921-1922)

  • Hitler was influenced by the successes of the Fascists in Italy who had taken over the Italian Government

  Hitler modelled the salute and flag of the fascists
• short term causes

  • occupation of the Ruhr
  • Hyperinflation

  inability to deal with these problems made people angry - Hitler tried to exploit the anger
• 8th November

  • Kahr and his two moat senior officers (Seisser and Lossow) were addressing a meeting with 3000 businessmen
  • Hitler and Goering arrived with 600 SA members - shot into the ceiling and declared he was taking over the Bavarian state
  • he announced he would march to Berlin and overthrow the WR - General Ludendorff would become the head of the German Army
  • at gunpoint, Hitler demanded that Kahr, Seisser and Lossow support him - they reluctantly agreed
  • Meanwhile Rohm and the SA took over the police + army headquarters
  • the main army soldiers remained in the hands of the army officers loyal to the government
• 9th November

  • Hitler left and Ludendorff released Kahr, Lossow, Seisser - at 5am as Hitler and Ludendorff gathered for lunch, it became clear the leaders had withdrawn their support - they tried to put down the uprising
  • Hitler hesitated but at midday he decided to march to Munich - Hitler Ludendorff and 3000 Nazi's marched into Munich and declared Hitler President of Germany - he assumed the local people and army would join him - they didn't
  • police blocked their path - shooting - 14 Nazi's and 4 policeman
  • Hitler = injured when his bodyguard pushed him to the ground - scrambled into a car and left
  • most rebels ran off - Goering managed to hide abroad but Ludendorff, Rohm and Streicher were arrested
• 11th November

  • Hitler was caught hiding in a wardrobe at a friends house and was arrested

  the Munich Putsch was a fail!!
• bad consequences of the Munich Putsch

  • Hitler was arrested - he was put on trial and found guilty - 5 years in prison
  • Putsch was a defeat and humiliation for the NSDAP
  • NSDAP was band
• good consequences for the Munich Putsch

  • during the trial Hitler spoke about his actions against the treasonable WR - his speeches were in newspaper and they impressed people - Hitler and the NSDAP were now known nationally - he was established as the natural leader of right-wing Germany
  • Ludendorff was found not guilty - more by the support of the judge not evidence
  • Hitlers performance influenced judges who sentenced him - he served less then 9 months of his 5 year sentence - in prison he had his own room and could have lots of visitors
  • the ban on the NSDAP was lifted February 1925 - before that the Nazi's had won 32 seats using a different name
  • Hitler wrote 'Mein Kampf' - my struggle - in prison which showed his views and plan - became the inspiration of the Nazi's
  • Hitler decided to change tactics and now used democracy to gain power
• short term = fail

  long term = success

  significance of failure =

  1. publicity
  2. Hitler changed tactics - he was going to use democracy to gain power