The Beer Hall Putsch, also known as the Munich Putsch or the Hitler-Ludendorff Putsch, was a failed coup attempt carried out by the Nazi Party leader [[Adolf Hitler]] and his associates on November 8-9, 1923, in Munich, Germany. The aim of the coup was to overthrow the Weimar Republic and establish a [right-wing authoritarian](https://doctorparadox.net/authoritarian-movement-attacking-america/) government led by the [[Nazis]]. ## Background After [[World War I]], Germany experienced severe economic and political instability. The Weimar Republic, established in 1919, faced significant opposition from both the left and right. Hyperinflation, unemployment, and the burden of war reparations led to widespread discontent. Many Germans, including Hitler and his associates, blamed the Weimar Republic for Germany's problems and sought to overthrow the government. The Nazi Party, founded in 1920, sought to capitalize on this discontent and promote its nationalist and anti-Semitic ideology. ## Events of the coup On the evening of November 8, 1923, Adolf Hitler and his associates interrupted a political meeting led by Gustav von Kahr, the Bavarian state commissioner, in a large beer hall called the Bürgerbräukeller. Hitler declared the beginning of a "national revolution" and announced the formation of a new government with himself and General Erich Ludendorff, a prominent [[World War I]] military leader, as its leaders. The Nazis took von Kahr, police chief Hans Ritter von Seisser, and General Otto von Lossow hostage, pressuring them to support the coup. They reluctantly agreed, but as soon as they were released, they alerted the authorities and denounced the putsch. The next day, November 9, Hitler, Ludendorff, and around 2,000 Nazi supporters marched toward the Munich city center, intending to take control of key government buildings. However, they encountered armed police and military forces who were prepared to defend the government. A brief but violent confrontation ensued, leaving 16 Nazis and four police officers dead. ## "Mein Kampf" The failed coup attempt led to the arrest of Hitler, Ludendorff, and other key participants. Hitler was charged with high treason and sentenced to five years in prison, though he only served eight months in the Landsberg Prison. During his time in prison, Hitler wrote "Mein Kampf," which outlined his political ideology and plans for Germany. Although the Beer Hall Putsch was a failure, it had a significant impact on the rise of the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler. The trial that followed the putsch gave Hitler a national platform to express his ideas and gain public attention. The event also exposed weaknesses in the Weimar Republic, further undermining its legitimacy. The Nazi Party was initially banned after the coup attempt, but it was later re-established, and Hitler used the lessons from the failed putsch to change his strategy. Instead of attempting another violent takeover, he decided to pursue power through legal means and focus on electoral politics. This decision eventually led to the [[Nazis]] becoming the largest party in the German parliament in the early 1930s. In 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg, effectively marking the end of the Weimar Republic and the beginning of the Third Reich. The Beer Hall Putsch was a pivotal event in the rise of the Nazi Party and [[Adolf Hitler]], ultimately leading to the devastating consequences of World War II and [[The Holocaust]]. See also: [[World War II Timeline]]