The Munich putsch Flashcards
(7 cards)
Long-term causes
The long term causes for the Munich Putsch were: resentment against the Treaty of Versailles and its clauses, hatred of being ‘stabbed in the back’ and they thought that the Weimar Republic was fundamentally weak.
The medium term causes for the Munich Putsch were: that Hitler wanted to copy the example of Mussolini in Italy. In 1922, Mussolini led the right-wing Fascist Party in overthrowing democracy and setting up a dictatorship.
Immediate causes
The immediate causes for the Munich Putsch were: that the Nazis were angered by the French occupation of the Ruhr in 1923. The Putsch was triggered by Stresemann calling off passive (non-violent) resistance.
Rohm had introduced Hitler and Ludendorff and this helped to trigger the Putsch.
Because of this and the fragility (could be easily damaged) of the Weimar Republic in 1923, Hitler assumed the German people would support his Putsch.
Events of the Putsch, 8th November 1923
On the 8th November 1923, Hitler and 600 SA troops entered a meeting of the Bavarian government in Munich.
Threatening the government leaders, Hitler forced the government to support him.
The head of the SA, Röhm, took control of the local police and army headquarters.
But Ludendorff (the general who told the Kaiser to abdicate in World War One) secretly let the government leaders go.
Events of the Putsch, 9-11th November 1923
On the 9th November 1923, Hitler marched on Munich with 1,000 SA troops and 2,000 volunteers.
Hitler wanted to make himself the President of Germany.
State police met the Nazis. Shots were fired. 3 policemen and 16 Nazis were killed. Ludendorff and Röhm were arrested.
Hitler fled and hid at a friend’s house.
On 11th November 1923, Hitler was discovered and arrested for high treason (crime of betraying one’s country).
Short-term consequences
In the short term, it looked like the Nazis had failed.
Hitler was sentenced to prison for five years (he only served about 9 months) in Landsberg prison.
The Nazi Party was banned and Hitler was not allowed to speak in public until 1927.
Long-term consequences
In the long term, Hitler successfully used events to his advantage.
Hitler used his trial to give the Nazis publicity.
As the newspaper reporters would quote his defence speech, Hitler gave exposure to Nazi ideas.
Mein Kampf
in prison he wrote his bestseller, Mein Kampf, which outlined his political objectives.
Most importantly, the need to destroy democracy, the need for Lebensraum (to expand German territory to house the population), and his beliefs about the ‘inferiority’ of the Jews.
Hitler realised he needed to reorganise the Nazi party to gain success.
