Munich Putsch and Lean Years, 1923-29 Flashcards
Describe the Longer-Term Causes of the Munich Putsch
-From 1918 to 1923, a long list of grievances such as the ‘stab in the back’, reparations and the loss of Germany’s colonies had been building up.
-Amongst some Germans, there was deep resentment of the Weimar Republic, which created support for nationalist parties like the NSDAP.
-From 1919 to1923, the NSDAP had been growing in its Munich base in Bavaria. The Bavarian state government leaders, like Gustav von Kahr, were no fans of the Weimar Republic.
-They shared some of the NSDAP’s views and turned a blind eye to the violence of the SA. By 1923, the NSDAP had 50,000 members.
Describe the Medium-Term Causes of the Munich Putsch
-From 1921 to 1922, Hitler and the NSDAP were heavily influenced by a right-wing party in Italy, called the fascists, led by Mussolini. They modelled their salute and use of flags on the Fascists.
-In 1922, Mussolini led his paramilitary force in a ‘march on Rome’ forcing the democratic government of Italy to accept him as their new leader.
Describe the Short-Term Causes of the Munich Putsch
-During 1923, hyperinflation in Germany reached its peak. Things that cost 100 marks in 1922 cost 200,000 billion by 1923.
-Buying everyday goods became almost impossible. People’s savings became useless.
-In 1923, French troops entered the German industrial area of the Ruhr and took over German businesses there. When German workers resisted, they were arrested, imprisoned and deported.
-The Germans were bitterly aggrieved by these events. The Weimar Republic seemed weak and unable to solve people’s problems.
-The time was ripe to exploit those grievances. In November 1923, Hitler made a bid for power.
Describe the Start of the Munich Putsch
-On the evening of 8 November 1923, Bavarian government officials were meeting in a beer hall, in Munich. Gustav von Kahr, the leader of the state government was the main speaker.
-von Seisser, the head of the Bavarian police and von Lossow, the head of the German Army in Bavaria were also present.
-Hitler burst in, supported by 600 members of the SA. He declared that he was taking over the state of Bavaria and would march on Berlin to overthrow the Weimar Republic.
-Ludendorff, the famous German general, would become leader of the German Army.
Describe the Problem of the Bavarian Leaders
-At gunpoint, Hitler demanded that Kahr, Seisser and Lossow should support him. Overpowered by Hitler and Ludendorff, they reluctantly shook hands in agreement.
-Meanwhile, Rohm and his SA took over the local police and army headquarters. Crucially, however, the main army barracks remained in the hands of army officers loyal to the government.
-When Hitler was away, Ludendorff released the Bavarian leaders. At 5 a.m. the next morning, 9 November, Hitler and his supporters gathered to launch their attack on the streets of Munich.
-However, by then, it was clear that the three Bavarian leaders had withdrawn their support and had decided to put down the uprising,
Describe the Extent of Hitler’s Support
-Around midday, Hitler eventually decided to continue with the revolt. He had the support of almost 1,000 SA and they were bolstered by about 2,000 ‘volunteer’ supporters.
-Together, Hitler, Ludendorff, Goering, Rohm and Streicher marched on the town to declare Hitler as Germany’s president.
-Hitler assumed there would be support amongst local people and officials. However, most of the townspeople remained indifferent.
-The army also stayed loyal to the state government. Hitler, with only 2,000 rifles, was outgunned.
Describe the Challenge to the Munich Putsch
-Hitler and Ludendorff led a group of Hitler’s Shock Troop to the main square, where they met the state police.
-According to police reports, rebels pressed pistols into the policemen’s chests, spat on them and pointed bayonets in their direction.
-Then someone, it is not clear which side, opened fire. A bodyguard, Graf, threw himself in front of Hitler and was wounded. Goering was shot in the thigh.
-Hitler was dragged to the ground by his bodyguards with such force, his left arm was dislocated. in moments, 14 of Hitler’s supporters and four policemen were shot dead.
Describe the Breakdown of the Rebellion
-The rebellion soon descended into chaos.
-Most of the rebels scrambled for refuge; one group entered a school for girls and hid under a bed.
-Ludendorff, Rohm and Streicher were all arrested. Goering was spirited away by supporters and went into hiding abroad.
-Hitler fled the scene in a car, then hid at the house of a friend, Ernst Hanfstaengl, ten miles south of Munich. he was later found, hiding in a wardrobe, and arrested on 11 November.
Describe the Short Term Consequences of the Munich Putsch
-Ludendorff was found not guilty though this was more by the support of the judge than the evidence.
-The NSDAP was banned.
-Hitler and three others were found guilty of treason and sentenced to five years in Landsberg Prison.
-The Munich Putsch was therefore defeat and a humiliation for Hitler. He was released from prison after only nine months. This leniency was not uncommon.
-However, in the long term, the results were not all bad for him.
Describe the Long Term Consequences of the Munich Putsch
-The ban on the NSDAP was lifted in February 1925. Even before that, using a different name, the Nazis won 32 seats in the Reichstag in the May 1924 elections.
-Hitler used his trail to get national publicity for his views.
-Hitler used his time in prison to write Mein Kampf (‘My Struggle’), which contained his political ideas and became the inspiration of the Nazi Party.
-Hitler realised that he needed a new strategy to gain power in Germany. A violent uprising had failed.
-He needed to build a party with nationwide support and use democracy, which he hated, to win power.
Describe Hitler’s Beliefs in Mein Kampf
-Mein Kampf is a key source of information about the political beliefs of Hitler’s Nazi Party after 1924. For example, Mein Kampf makes Hitler’s extreme racist views very clear.
-Hitler believed that the German race (which he called the Aryan race) was destined to rule the world but he said that there was a Jewish conspiracy to undermine Aryan rule.
-Jews, he said, planned to weaken the Aryan race by intermarriage, and by taking over German industry and the moderate political groups, such as the Social Democrat Party.
-Other views in Mein Kampf were familiar from the early days of the NSDAP, such as nationalism, socialism, totalitarianism and traditional values.
Describe the Development of Nationalism and Socialism in Mein Kampf
-Nationalism- reviving the power of Germany, for example by reversing the Treaty of Versailles.
-By this time, Hitler was also stressing the need for Lebensraum (living space) for the German people to expand into.
-He openly spoke of the need for Germany to invade Russian land to the east, to drive out the communists and provide land for German farmers to produce food to feed the German nation.
-Socialism-using the wealth of industry and land to benefit German working people, not rich landowners and industrialists.
Describe the Development of Totalitarianism and Traditional Values in Mein Kampf
-Totalitarianism- throwing off democracy, which Hitler believed was weak, and instead putting power in the hands of the state.
-Preferably, it would be one leader who could organise everything for the benefit of the people.
-Traditional Values- such as strong family values , clear male and female roles, a strong work ethic, Christian morality and old-style German art, music and theatre.
Describe the Nazi Party Headquarters
-The central hub of the Nazi party was at its party headquarters, based in Munich.
-Phillip Bouhler was appointed party secretary and Franz Schwartz was appointed party treasurer. They made sure that the Nazi Party was well organised and well financed.
-The party was organised like a mini state, with Hitler as the leader and departments for all aspects of government, such as finance, foreign affairs, industry, agriculture and education.
-As well as its paramilitary arm, the SA, the party also had a women’s section called the German Women’s Order.
-For younger people, a National Socialist German Students’ League was created- the Hitler Youth for 14 to 18 year olds, alongside a School Pupils’ League.
Describe the Creation of a National Nazi Party
-The rest of Germany was divided into 35 regions or Gaue, one for each constituency of the Weimar Republic. Each Gaue had a leader, or Gauleiter, the local leader of the Nazi Party.
-Gauleiters were rarely appointed. Hitler relied on the most able leaders forcing their way to the top.
-Gregor Strasser became a powerful Gauleiter in the north of Germany. Joseph Goebbels rose to prominence in the Rhineland.
