Munich Putsch Facts & Worksheets

• After the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles (1919) forced Germany to give up land, pay huge reparations, and cut down its army. Many Germans thought this was unfair. Hitler, who had fought as a soldier, believed the country had been ‘stabbed in the back’ by its own leaders. He blamed politicians, Jewish people and Marxists for Germany’s defeat, calling them the November Criminals.
• After the war, Hitler stayed in Munich with the army. He was asked by Captain Karl Mayr to watch and report on small political groups. This led him to join the German Workers’ Party (DAP) in 1919. Hitler quickly rose to the top and turned it into the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), better known as the Nazi Party.
• With his speeches and use of propaganda, he gained a strong following. He also brought together other right-wing groups into an alliance called the Kampfbund, which included the Nazi paramilitary wing, the Sturmabteilung (SA). By 1923, the SA had around 15,000 men.
• The existing political, social and economic conditions in Germany convinced Hitler that the time was right to attempt a coup. These reasons included:
  • Anger at the Treaty of Versailles, which many Germans saw as unfair and humiliating
  • Economic crisis, as hyperinflation destroyed savings and made daily life unbearable
  • Weakness of the Weimar Republic, which faced constant changes of government and little trust from the public
  • Strong nationalism in Bavaria, where many people disliked Berlin’s authority
  • Growth of the Nazi Party and Kampfbund, which gave Hitler confidence in his movement’s strength
  • Mussolini’s ‘March on Rome’ in 1922, which inspired Hitler to try a similar coup in Germany
  • Pressure from Nazi supporters, who feared that waiting too long would drive people to join the communists instead
  • Conflict with Bavarian leaders, as Gustav von Kahr and his allies had their own plans for a nationalist dictatorship that did not include Hitler
• In September 1923, Bavarian Prime Minister Eugen von Knilling declared a state of emergency and gave special powers to Gustav von Kahr. Kahr ruled with Colonel Hans von Seisser and General Otto von Lossow, forming a triumvirate. While they were nationalists, they did not want to take orders from Hitler.
• When Kahr banned the Nazi rallies planned for late September, Hitler realised he needed to act quickly before he lost support. To strengthen his position, he turned to General Erich Ludendorff, a famous First World War commander. Unfortunately, with Kahr and his allies pursuing their own goals, Hitler decided to force their hand. This choice set the stage for the Munich Putsch.

Main Figures Involved

• Adolf Hitler: He was the leader of the Nazi Party and the main organiser of the Beer Hall Putsch. He used his speeches and propaganda to rally support and control the SA. He aimed to overthrow the Bavarian government and eventually march on Berlin.
• Erich Ludendorff: He was a famous general from the First World War. He lent credibility and prestige to the putsch. He acted as a public symbol of military support for Hitler and hoped to inspire nationalist unity, although he had his own political ambitions.
• Gustav von Kahr: He was the Bavarian State Commissioner, holding dictatorial powers under the state of emergency. He aimed to preserve Bavaria’s autonomy and install a nationalist government but refused to cooperate with Hitler.
• Hans Ritter von Seisser: He was the chief of the Bavarian State Police and part of Kahr’s ruling triumvirate. He opposed Hitler’s plan and worked to maintain order, representing the official law enforcement authority.
• Otto von Lossow: He was the commander of the Bavarian army and a member of the triumvirate. He resisted Hitler’s pressure and ensured that the military did not support the putsch.
• Ernst Röhm: As the leader of the SA, he organised the paramilitary forces for the march on Munich. He ensured discipline among Nazi supporters and coordinated street-level operations.

The Putsch (8–9 November 1923)

• The Beer Hall Putsch was inspired by Benito Mussolini’s ‘March on Rome’ in 1922. Hitler wanted to copy this in Germany. From late October 1922, he and his supporters had planned to use Munich as a base for a march against the Weimar government. However, the situation in Germany was different from Italy. Hitler soon realised that Bavarian State Commissioner Gustav von Kahr did not want to help him and tried to control the situation. Still, Hitler decided to act on his own.
• On the evening of 8 November 1923, Hitler led 603 SA members to surround the Bürgerbräukeller, where Kahr was giving a speech to about 3,000 people. Hitler, with key associates including Rudolf Hess, Hermann Göring, Alfred Rosenberg, Ernst Röhm and others, entered the hall. He fired a pistol into the ceiling to get attention and jumped on a chair, announcing that the national revolution had started and that the Bavarian government was removed. He declared a new government with Ludendorff and tried to force Kahr, Seisser and Lossow to join it. Kahr refused to cooperate, saying he could not act under threat.
• During the night, Hitler’s supporters tried to take control of important buildings in Munich and arm themselves. They also tried to get help from students and other groups. A mistake happened when Hitler left the beer hall to deal with another problem, allowing Kahr and his associates to escape. Confusion spread among government officials, police and soldiers, as it was unclear who would support Hitler. Early clashes between Röhm’s men and the army caused no deaths but showed the putschists were poorly organised.
• By the morning of 9 November, Hitler saw the putsch was failing. Many of his followers did not know what to do. Ludendorff shouted, ‘Wir marschieren!’ (‘We will march!’), and about 2,000 men, including Hitler and Röhm’s forces, marched towards the Bavarian Defence Ministry.