What do you think is happening in this picture?

Lesson ObjectivesYou will learn:• Why Hitler attempted a Putsch• What happened during the Putsch

You will be able to answer exam questions about the events of the Munich Putsch.

The Munich Putsch8th & 9th November 1923

Was the Putsch a Success or Failure?

There are two interpretations of the Putsch:

• It was a failure for the Nazis. The Putsch did not succeed.

• It was a success for the Nazis. It launched the Nazis onto the national scene, and made Hitler famous.

Where is Munich?• It is the main city in

the German state of Bavaria.

GlossaryPutsch Sudden armed uprising. A political

revolt

Reich German Empire

National Socialist Party

The full name of the Nazi party

General Ludendorff Respected German war hero

Gustav Kahr Prime minister of Bavaria. Head of the Bavarian government.

Gustav Stresemann Chancellor of Germany.

SA Stormtroopers or Brownshirts. Hitler’s private army within the Nazi Party.

Background• Hitler had been leader of the Nazi party since 1921.

• The party was based in Munich.

• The Nazis had grown in strength, but most of their support was in Bavaria.

• By 1922 the Nazi party had 3,000 members and the Prussian state government had made it an illegal organisation.

• It was organised along military lines.In 1921 Hitler set up his own private army called the SA, (Sturm-Abteilung).

What were Hitler’s aims?

• To seize power in Germany by starting a revolt in Bavaria.

Why did Hitler plan a revolt in Munich?

• Nazis had grown in strength since 1919, but their main support was still in Bavaria.

• They had 3,000 members in Bavaria.

• The Bavarian government was right-wing. Hitler thought the Bavarian government would support him.

• Gustav Kahr, (head of the Bavarian state government) had been plotting against the Reich government. Hitler wanted to force Kahr to act, as he was angry about the hesitation.

Why did he attempt the Putsch in November 1923?

• He thought the time was right as he felt that calling off the passive resistance in the Ruhr was a sign of weakness of the Reich government – a betrayal of Germany.

• The army was right-wing. The Nazis thought it would support them against the government.

• He thought the right-wing Bavarian government would support him.

Task: What actually happened?

In pairs1. Carefully read the story of the Munich Putsch.

Discuss and agree what were the main events of the day in chronological order.

2. Write a bullet point list of the events you have agreed on.

3. Colour your list with:one colour showing when things were going well for the Nazis and another colour when things went badly.

Check your learning:

Have you learnt:

• Why Hitler attempted a Putsch

• What happened during the Putsch

Do you feel you are able to answer exam questions about the events of the Munich Putsch?

Source B is about the Munich Putsch

Source B

In Bavaria, Hitler and General von Ludendorff saw a chance to overthrow the Bavarian Government in Munich. Their rising began in a beer cellar where the Bavarian governor, von Kahr, was making a speech. The Nazis then marched towards the town centre.

2. Describe the events of the Munich Putsch of November 1923.

Exam Question

REMEMBER: Source and Recall

Next lesson

You will learn about the results of the Munich Putsch:

• How the revolutionaries were treated.

• How it changed the Nazi party