MUNICH PUTCH

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The Munich Putsch 1923

  • In November 1923, Hitler tried to take advantage of the crisis facing the Weimar government by instigating a revolution in Munich. It seemed like the perfect opportunity, but poor planning and misjudgement resulted in failure and the subsequent imprisonment of Adolf Hitler.
  • At first, the Nazis were just a terrorist group. Hitler assembled a large group of unemployed young men and former soldiers, known as the storm troopers (the SA), which attacked other political groups. Hitler hoped to take power by starting a .
  • During the crisis of 1923, therefore, Hitler plotted with two nationalist politicians - Kahr and Lossow - to take over Munich in a revolution.
  • On 4 October 1923, Kahr and Lossow called off the rebellion. This was an impossible situation for Hitler, who had 3,000 troops ready to fight.
  • On the night of 8 November 1923, Hitler and 600 storm troopers burst into a meeting that Kahr and Lossow were holding at the local Beer Hall. Waving a gun at them, Hitler forced them to agree to rebel - and then let them go home. The SA took over the army headquarters and the offices of the local newspaper.
  • The next day, 9 November 1923, Hitler and his Nazis went into Munich on what they thought would be a triumphal march to take power.
  • However, Kahr had called in police and army reinforcements. There was a short scuffle in which the police killed 16 Nazis. Hitler fled, but was arrested two days later.
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Why did Hitler attempt the Munich Putsch in 1923?

By 1923, the Nazi party had 55,000 members and was stronger than ever before.

The Weimar Republic was in crisis and about to collapse.

In September 1923, the Weimar government had called off the general strike, and every German nationalist was furious with the government.

Hitler thought he would be helped by important nationalist politicians in Bavaria.

Hitler had a huge army of storm troopers, but he knew he would lose control of them if he did not give them something to do.

Hitler hoped to copy ...

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