Extremist Threats 2

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Right Wing Uprisings Between 1919 and 1923

There were several major right wing uprisings in Germany between 1919 and 1923.

Assassinations

In 1921 the OC assassinated Erzberger. Erzberger had been attacked by the right-wing press for signing the Armistice and introducing tax reforms.
In 1922 there was the assassination of Rathenau. Walther Rathenau was German, Jewish, wealthy, a nationalist and also liberal and pro Republic. He founded the DDP.
Rathenau negotiated the Treaty of Rapallo with the USSR in 1922. Already a hate-figure for the right wing press, the OC assassinated him.

The Kapp Putsch 1920

The Kapp Putsch was led by Wolfgang Kapp, a Prussian civil servant, monarchist and nationalist; and General von Lüttwitz, a serving army officer.
12,000 Freikorps troops marched on Berlin.
The army refused to fire on the Freikorps. Ebert’s government fled Berlin. A new government led by Kapp was announced.
There was insufficient support for the putsch.
The left-wing SPD and trade unionists organised a general strike in Berlin and an uprising in the Ruhr.

Consequences of the Kapp Putsch

No action was taken against von Seeckt, who had refused to do as ordered by the government.
Participants in the Putsch were treated leniently – only one was punished. Over half were granted amnesty. Kapp died before he could be prosecuted.
Participants of the Ruhr uprising were illegally executed by the Freikorps. The leaders were tried and given death sentences.

The Küstrin Putsch 1923

As Stresemann brought passive resistance to an end, there was an attempted right-wing putsch at Küstrin, near Berlin.
Illegal paramilitary groups within the German Army, called the Black Reichswehr, aimed to replace Stresemann’s government with a dictatorship.
Other Reichswehr units prevented the Putsch. Its leaders were arrested for high treason and imprisoned. No-one else who took part was punished.

The Munich Putsch of 1923

The Munich Putsch was one of the most serious threats from the right to the Weimar Government.

Context of the putsch

Bavaria was a culturally distinct, independent-minded state that disliked both Prussia and the Weimar Republic.
In 1923 Bavaria had a right wing, nationalist, monarchist, anti-Weimar Republic government.
The Bavarian government opposed Stresemann’s ending of passive resistance in the Ruhr. It also thought his government too weak to tackle left wing threats.
At the end of September 1923, the Bavarian state government declared martial law because of the upheavals in Germany.

Plans for the putsch

Adolf Hitler and World War One hero, General von Ludendorff, planned to march on Berlin, overthrow the Weimar Republic and impose a new government on Germany.

8 November 1923

On the night of 8 November, Hitler and the SA took control of a right wing meeting run by Otto von Lossow and Gustav von Kahr in a Munich beer hall.
Under pressure, Lossow and Kahr promised loyalty to the Putsch and Ludendorff let them go. Meanwhile, the SA failed to seize the Munich army barracks.

9 November 1923

Ebert called a state of emergency.
Lossow and Kahr warned about, and denounced, the Putsch.
Ludendorff persuaded Hitler to march on Munich. He believed the army would support them because of Ludendorff's status and reputation.
The march on Munich went ahead.
Hitler, Ludendorff and 2,000 armed Nazis were met by soldiers and armed police.
16 Nazis and four police were killed.
Ludendorff and Hitler were arrested.

Consequences of the putsch

The leaders of the putsch were tried in February 1924 for treason.
Ludendorff was acquitted. Hitler was given a light sentence of five years, but was released in December 1924.
- This indicates how much support there was in Germany for right wing government.
The Nazi Party (NSDAP) was banned and Hitler banned from public speaking.
But in the 1924 elections, the NSDAP was the third largest party in Bavaria.

Hitler taking advantage of his trial

Hitler used this public platform to expound his views and gain national fame.
While Hitler was in prison, he wrote Mein Kampf. This would become a bestseller.

1The Weimar Republic 1918-1933

1.1Establishment Of The Weimar Republic 1918-1924

1.1.1Post WW1

1.1.2Weimar Constitution

1.1.3Peace Settlement

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Germany Post WW1

1.1.5Economic Issues

1.1.6Economic Issues 2

1.1.7Social Issues

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Economic & Social Issues

1.1.9Extremist Threats

1.1.10Extremist Threats 2

1.1.11End of Topic Test - Extremist Threats

1.1.12Political Instability & The Invasion of the Ruhr

1.1.13Weimar Government by 1924

1.1.14End of Topic Test - Weimar Government by 1924

1.1.15A-A* (AO3/4) - Germany Post WW1

1.2The 'Golden Age' Of The Weimar Republic 1924-1928

1.2.1Economic Developments

1.2.2Industry & Agriculture

1.2.3End of Topic Test - Economic Developments

1.2.4Social Developments

1.2.5Social Developments 2

1.2.6End of Topic Test - Social Developments

1.2.7Political Parties

1.2.8Political Stability

1.2.9End of Topic Test - Weimar Politics

1.2.10Germany's International Position

1.2.11Germany's International Position 2

1.2.12End of Topic Test - International Position

1.2.13A-A* (AO3/4) - The Weimar 'Golden Age'

1.3The Collapse of Democracy 1928-1933

1.3.1The Impact Of The Depression

1.3.2Politics After The Depression

1.3.3The Appeal Of Extremism

1.3.4End of Topic Test - The Depression & Politics

1.3.5'Backstairs Intrigue'

1.3.6'Backstairs Intrigue' 2

1.3.7End of Topic Test - Backstairs Intrigue

1.3.8Political Developments

1.3.9The State by March 1933

1.3.10End of Topic Test - Political Developments

1.3.11A-A* (AO3/4) - The Collapse of Democracy

2Nazi Germany 1933-1945

2.1The Nazi Dictatorship 1933-1939

2.1.1Hitler's Consolidation Of Power

2.1.2The Terror State

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Consolidation of Power

2.1.4Opposition

2.1.5Propaganda

2.1.6A-A* (AO3/4) - Terror State & Propaganda

2.1.7End of Topic Test - Propaganda

2.1.8Economic Policies

2.1.9Economic Policies 2

2.1.10Impact Of Economic Policies

2.1.11Impact Of Economic Policies 2

2.1.12End of Topic Test - Economic Policies

2.1.13Social Policies

2.1.14Social Policies 2

2.1.15Volksgemeinschaft

2.1.16End of Topic Test - Social Policies

2.1.17A-A* (AO3/4) - Economic & Social Policies

2.2The Racial State 1933-1941

2.2.1The Radicalisation Of The State

2.2.2Anti-Semitism

2.2.3Development Of Anti-Semitic Policies

2.2.4Development Of Anti-Semitic Policies 2

2.2.5End of Topic Test - Anti-Semitism

2.2.6Treatment of the Jews in the Early Years of War

2.2.7Deportation & Anti-Semitism Evaluation

2.2.8End of Topic Test - Early Treatment of the Jews

2.2.9A-A* (AO3/4) - The Racial State

2.3The Impact Of War 1939-1945

2.3.1Home Front

2.3.2Impact On Society

2.3.3Impact On Society 2

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Impact of the War

2.3.5War Economy

2.3.6War Economy 2

2.3.7Policies Towards The Jews & Untermenschen

2.3.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Impact of the War

2.3.9End of Topic Test - War Economy

2.3.10Opposition

2.3.11Opposition 2

2.3.12Nazi State by 1945

2.3.13End of Topic Test - Opposition

2.3.14A-A* (AO3/4) - Opposition & The State in 1945

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