The Munich Putsch 1923

Question 1

Why did Hitler decided to do the Munich Putsch ? Weimar, growth, SA, Versailles, Bavarian army and hyperinflation

Answer 1

• Hitlers hatred for the Weimar Republic
• Growth if the Nazi party and increased support in 1923
• SA could be used for armed support
• Hitler detested Versailles and wanted to remove the terms
• Hitler was confident that Kahr and the army in Bavaria wouldn’t stop him
• Blamed Weimar for hyperinflation

Question 2

What was Hitlers plan for the Munich Putch?

Answer 2

• seize control of Bavaria and then Berlin and overthrow the ‘weak’ governments and politicians

Question 3

What where some key features of the Munich Putsch ?

Answer 3

• 8 November 1923 Hitler+600 Nazis seized the Bürgerbräukeller (huge beer hall in Munich)
• Kahr, Seisser and Lossow (3 big political leaders) all attending a meeting where taken and help at gun point (this is the Munich Putsch)
• Forced to support his planned takeover
• then allowed to leave and remarkably the next day changed their minds and organized troops and police to resists Hitlers planned armed march

Question 4

What happened to the planned armed march through münchen?

Answer 4

• despite his plans all falling apart Hitler continued with the march
• only 2,000 rifles and when challenged where no match for the well armed police
• shots got fired 16 Nazi’s die and 4 police officers killed
• They disperse and Hitler attempts to flee but 2 days later is captured and imprisoned

Question 5

Why in the Munich Putsch so important ?

Answer 5

• Hitler and Erich Lundendorff (main supporter) arrested and tried for treason
• the trial gave Hitler some nation wide publicity
• he denied any such treason and blamed multiple different things

Question 6

What did Hitler say he was doing that meant according to him it was somehow not treason ?

Answer 6

• insisted he was simply trying to restore Germany’s greatness and resist the feeble Weimar Government
• scorned the: November criminals, treaty of Versailles and ‘those Jewish Bolshevists’
• basically said they where all responsible for betraying Germany

Question 7

What did Hitler use the trail to do ?(again making the Munich Putsch important due to the trail)

Answer 7

Spread publicity
- attacked the Weimar government whenever possible and ‘those Jewish Bolshevists’
- used the trial to spread his message as the judges allowed him to make speeches which then got reported in national newspapers

Question 8

What happened to Hitler as a result of it ? What did he do in prison and what happened to Lundendorff

Answer 8

• 1 April 1924 - Got sentenced to five years prison (minimum sentence) and Lindendorff is not sentenced
• He served 9 months and completed his biography Mein Kampf( my struggle)
• he served his time in Landsberg prison

Question 9

What where the key ideas of Mein Kampf ? Versailles, Volksgemeinschaft and Jews

Answer 9

Abolition of Versailles
Creation of Volksgemeinschaft (people’s community) the strongest race would dominate the weakest in Germany
All ills in German society were caused by Jews. Jews to be eliminated

Question 10

What was the impact of the Putsch on the Nazi party ?

Answer 10

• Hitlers trial was a propaganda success- made him known and gained popularity
• Hitler realized he needed complete control over the party
• Hitler realized coups didn’t work and he needed to gain control via legal means (wining elections)