The Munich Putsch of November 1923 is a presentation of activism against the Weimar
government through the means of political opposition. The demonstration was a symbol of
the hatred and clash of ideologies from the Nazi party, which climbed its way to be the
majority with help, including the outcome of this Putsch. However, I believe that no single
action or event can inclusively cause a downfall of something as although it may set off a
chain of events or be influenced by another, the equation of many factors involving aspects
regarding the economy and the people rather than the internal disputes of the government
influenced the downfall of the government collectively.
The Munich putsch was a symbolic demonstration carried out by the Nazi party, which in turn
influenced the party's rise in power, impacting Weimar's declining popularity.
The Nazi party, which Hitler had taken over from Anton Dexler in 1921, was a group
that promoted patriotism and anti-semitism and opposed the Treaty of Versailles greatly and
its terms; it made a plan to seize the power of Munich following the example of Mussolini's success
in Italy the preceding year. The occupation of the Ruhr in January fuelled their anger
alongside many other German citizens due to the unjust nature and the sense of national
humiliation leading to their plan involving capturing Gustav von Kahr, the state commissioner
of Bavaria, and two other conservations. Ludendorff, a well-respected right-wing general, was
also involved in helping the Nazi party take control. However, after they crashed the Burgerbraukeller, Hitler announced a national revolution. They had convinced the three
hesitant Bavarian leaders to give in to Hitler's march to march Berlin, but they failed.
The hesitance to comply shows a lack of support for the Nazis, but that doesn't mean they
support the Weimar government. The march ended with the death of 4 police officers and 16
Nazis and the fleeing of Hitler to his nearby friend's house. The arrest on November 11th
where he was accused of high treason and saw him get a sentence of 5 years in the Landsberg
prison. However, throughout his trial, being a good spokesperson, Hitler made an
impression on the people in the court. He only served nine months in a well-catered-for prison
where he wrote Mein Kampf, which would eventually be a compulsory set text in Germany.
So, the putsch itself wasn't a threat to the Weimar government, although it displayed open
attempts to another throw the government as it was the repercussions that built up support for
the Nazis in an unlikely way. The death of the 16 Nazis acted as Nazi propaganda to gain
sympathy from the people, which escalated their recognition by Germany, and a decade later,
in 1933, Hitler became chancellor where his power was significant enough to seize control
and become the Fuhrer.
The Munich putsch was not the only form of political protest, the Kapp putsch was another
example...
