Munich Putsch, 1923

What was the Munich Beer Hall Putsch?

The Munich Beer Hall Putsch, was an armed uprising led by Hitler. He planned to establish a dictatorship in the Bavarian city of Munich, with the ultimate aim of overthrowing the Weimar Republic. It was the last in a series of uprisings that threatened the Weimar Republic between 1919 and 1923.

When was the Munich Beer Hall Putsch?

The Munich Beer Hall Putsch happened on the night of 8th November, 1923 and the morning of 9th November, 1923.

What caused the Munich Beer Hall Putsch?

There were 5 main reasons for the Munich Beer Hall Putsch:

• ❖ Many people resented the Weimar Republic because they blamed the republic for Germany's defeat in the First World War and the government were known as the 'November Criminals' for signing the armistice and the Treaty of Versailles.
• ❖ Hitler was inspired by the actions of Benito Mussolini, who had overthrown democracy and set up a dictatorship in Italy in 1922.
• ❖ The Nazi Party had grown to around 55,000 members in Bavaria by 1923.
• ❖ The hyperinflation of 1923 had weakened the Weimar Republic, so it seemed that it was the perfect time for Hitler to organise a Putsch.
• ❖ The former commander-in-chief of the army during the First World War, General Ludendorff, gave Hitler his support. General Ludendorff was very popular in Germany and had a great deal of influence in the German Army.

What were the main events of the Munich Beer Hall Putsch?

There were 5 key events during the Munich Beer Hall Putsch:

• ❖ Hilter took over a political meeting at a beer hall being held by Gustav von Kahr, the leader of Bavaria's state government, von Seisser, the head of the Bavarian police, and von Lossow, the head of the German Army in Bavaria.
• ❖ The three men were forced to agree to Hitler's plan of a Putsch at gunpoint. They were then released on 9th November, 1923.
• ❖ Under Röhm, the SA took over the local police and army headquarters.
• ❖ On 9th November, Hitler and his supporters marched on the town centre of Munich.
• ❖ The police stopped them. Sixteen members of the Nazi Party were killed and Hitler fled, although he was arrested on 11th November, 1923.

Why did the Munich Beer Hall Putsch fail?

The Munich Putsch was destined to fail from the offset; here are 3 main reasons why:

• ❖ Hitler made several errors - trusting Kahr and Lossow, the two nationalist politicians he planned the revolution with, was one of them.
• ❖ The Putsch failed to gain the support needed from the Bavarian people.
• ❖ The army also didn't support the movement.

What were the consequences of the Munich Beer Hall Putsch for the Nazis?

There were both positive and negative consequences of the Munich Beer Hall Putsch in the short-term and long-term.

What were the negative consequences of the Munich Beer Hall Putsch for the Nazis?

In the short term, there were 2 main negative consequences for the Nazi Party:

• ❖ Hitler was sent to prison for 5 years, but served only 9 months.
• ❖ The Nazi Party was banned and Hitler was forbidden to speak in public until 1927.

What were the positive consequences of the Munich Beer Hall Putsch for the Nazis?

There were 2 short-term and 2 long-term positive results for the Nazi Party:

• ❖ Hitler decided to use what had happened, and his subsequent trial, to his advantage to gain publicity across Germany, not just in Bavaria.
• ❖ Hitler used his time in prison to write his book, 'Mein Kampf', which means 'My Struggle'.
• ❖ In the long-term, Hitler realised the Nazi Party would have to come to power through elections, not by force.
• ❖ In the long-term, Hitler would have to re-organise the party.