Recall & Recap
Write 5 facts about the Munich Putsch
Why didn’t the events of 1923
destroy the Weimar Republic?
How successful was the Munich Putsch?
What were the political crises of 1923?
What was the Munich Putsch?
Prestructural: The point or concept has not been understood. The
student may have a number of unconnected ideas but cannot
distinguish relevance.
Unistructural: One relevant idea is explained. Can separate relevant
from non-relevant ideas. May be a couple of simple and obvious
connections but their significance isn’t grasped.
Multistructural: Several relevant ideas on the topic. Several
connections may be made but their significance to the whole isn’t
grasped.
Relational: Understands and explains complex relationships related
to the idea or concept. Understands relationship of parts to the
whole.
Extended Abstract: Shows profound understanding. Transfer takes place.
Makes new connections. Can apply to wider contexts and new applications.
The Munich Putsch
In 1923, Hitler helped organise the Munich Putsch –
an attempt to seize control of Munich.
The attempt failed dismally.
Hitler was arrested for treason
and thrown into prison.
However, in the long run the
whole affair actually helped to
strengthen his position!
Photograph courtesy of the Imperial War Museum.
His trial gave publicity to the Nazi movement.
He reviewed and altered his political philosophy.
The Munich Putsch – Hitler’s trial
1. Hitler’s trial gave publicity to the Nazi movement.
The Munich Putsch – Mein Kampf
2. Hitler reviewed his political philosophy.
Whilst locked away in prison he dictated a book to
one of his most faithful followers, Rudolf Hess.
He entitled this book Mein Kampf (My Struggle). In
it, he developed two important principles.
The Fuhrer Principle – Hitler argued that to be
successful, his party needed one all-powerful leader
(‘fuhrer’) – in other words, Hitler himself!
The Reichstag Principle – Hitler argued that outright
rebellion would never destroy the system. Instead, it
would be necessary to “hold our noses and enter the
Reichstag [parliament]” – in other words, get elected
and then destroy the system from within.
Continued weakness, 1924–28
Despite Hitler’s efforts, the Nazis remained a minor
political force.
In 1924 they had 5% of the seats in the Reichstag.
In 1928 they had less than 2% – even the
Communists had four times as many seats!
One reason for this was that Stresemann had helped to
stabilize the country:
1924: Dawes Plan eases the reparations bill.
1925: Locarno Treaties improve relations with France.
1926: Germany allowed to join the League of Nations.
How successful was the Munich Putsch?
What can you learn from this source about the Munich Putsch?
Source A
“In the afternoon Hitler, Ludendorff and their supporters set
off on a march through Munich. They had few weapons. 2000
rifles which had been secretly supplied by the German army
had no firing pins. In the Odeonplatz they were met by a group
of Bavarian state troopers. In the fight that followed 16 Nazis
were killed along with four troopers. Hitler’s colleague Goering
was seriously wounded. Ludendorff was arrested at the scene.
Hitler stayed in the background and fled the scene but was
arrested 48 hours later.”
Richard Radway, 2004.
How successful was the Munich Putsch?
How does this source add to our knowledge of the event
gained from Source A?
Source B
Hitler fell, either pulled down or seeking cover. One man alone
kept his head. Ludendorff marched steadily on, pushed through
the line of police…the situation might have been saved but not a
single man followed him. Hitler at the critical moment lost his
nerve. According to eyewitnesses, one of them a National
Socialist…, Hitler was the first to scramble to his feet
and…allowed himself to be pushed…into a yellow motorcar.
A Bullock, 1952.
How successful was the Munich Putsch?
What does the phrase ‘seemed to snatch some kind of victory
out of the jaws of defeat ’ tell you about the overall success
of the Munich Putsch?
Source C
It was at this point that Hitler seemed to snatch some kind of
victory out of the jaws of defeat. The trial gave him a national
platform on which to speak…Newspapers throughout Germany
and around the world reported his claim that he had led the
movement against the ‘treasonable’ Weimar system…
Lacey and Shephard, 1997.
How successful was the Munich Putsch?
According to Sources C and D, what ‘victories’ could the Nazis
claim to have achieved?
Source D
The court was also sympathetic to Hitler. Instead of sentencing
him to death as it might have done, it gave him the minimum
sentence for the offence – five years imprisonment. The judges
also made it clear that he could expect an early release. In fact,
Hitler served just nine months of his sentence…He spent much
of the time dictating the first part of his book, Mein Kampf (‘My
Struggle’). Imprisonment provided Hitler with a period of
enforced leisure in which he was able to sort out his main ideas.
Stephen Lee, 1996.
Why didn’t the events of 1923
destroy the Weimar Republic?
How successful was the Munich Putsch?
What were the political crises of 1923?
What was the Munich Putsch?
Successes
Failures
Extended Response Questions
Recap & Recall
HYPERINFLATION
Recap & Recall
HYPERINFLATION
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
What do you consider to have been the successes of the Munich Putsch?
How important was the Munich Putsch in the rise of
the Nazi Party? (5)
Planning your response:
Why didn’t the events of 1923
destroy the Weimar Republic?