The early Nazi Party and the Munich Putsch Cambridge IGCSE History revision
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In plain words
In 1919 a failed artist and former corporal, sent by the army to spy on a tiny political party in Munich, liked what he heard and joined it. Four years later he tried to overthrow the government from a beer hall. He failed, and it made his name.
9 things to know
- The German Workers' Party was founded in Munich in 1919. Adolf Hitler joined it that year, and by 1921 he was its leader. It was renamed the National Socialist German Workers' Party, or Nazi Party.
- Its programme, the Twenty-Five Points of 1920, demanded the end of the Treaty of Versailles, the union of all Germans in one country, and that Jews should not be German citizens.
- Nazi ideas: extreme nationalism, hatred of Jews, which is called anti-Semitism, hatred of communism, and a belief in rule by one strong leader.
- Nazi methods: Hitler was a powerful speaker who drew large crowds. The party used propaganda, with its own newspaper and the swastika as its symbol.
- The SA, or stormtroopers, were set up in 1921. They were the party's private army, in brown shirts, led by Ernst Röhm. They protected Nazi meetings and attacked opponents.
- By 1923 the party had about 55 000 members. Germany was in crisis, with the Ruhr occupied and hyperinflation at its height. Hitler believed that the moment had come.
- On 8 November 1923 Hitler and the SA burst into a meeting in a Munich beer hall and declared a national revolution. The next day they marched into the city. Armed police opened fire, sixteen Nazis were killed, and Hitler was arrested.
- Hitler turned his trial into a platform for his ideas, and the judges were sympathetic. He was sentenced to five years, and served only nine months. In prison he wrote Mein Kampf, which set out his beliefs.
- The lesson he drew: power could not be taken by force. The Nazis would have to win it through elections.
Worked example
"The Munich Putsch was a total failure for Hitler." How far do you agree? Plan a 10-mark answer.
- Failure: the putsch was crushed in a day, sixteen Nazis died, Hitler was imprisoned and the party was banned.
- Not a failure: the trial made him known across Germany. The light sentence showed that he had friends in high places. He wrote Mein Kampf, and he changed strategy to win power legally.
- Judgement: a failure in the short term, and a turning point in the long term, because it led Hitler to the methods that eventually worked.
Tips and tricks
- The putsch failed, but the trial succeeded. Keep the two apart in your answer.
- Learn the SA: founded 1921, brown shirts, led by Röhm, used to protect meetings and attack opponents.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
The early Nazi Party and the Munich Putsch: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What was the SA?
They wore brown shirts, and were led by Ernst Röhm.
What did Hitler write in prison?
It set out his ideas.
When did the Munich Putsch take place?
It came at the height of the hyperinflation.
How long did Hitler actually spend in prison?
He had been sentenced to five years.
What was the most important lesson that Hitler drew from the putsch?Stretch
The Nazis turned to winning votes.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 14 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
The early Nazi Party and the Munich Putsch
Cambridge IGCSE History 0470 · 14 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
What did the Nazi Party stand for in the 1920s?[4]
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Any four: the abolition of the Treaty of Versailles; the union of all German-speaking people; the exclusion of Jews from German citizenship; hatred of communism; a strong central government under one leader; more land for Germany.
What happened in the Munich Putsch?[4]
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On 8 November 1923 Hitler and the SA took over a meeting in a Munich beer hall and declared a revolution. The next day they marched into the city. Police fired on them, and sixteen Nazis were killed. Hitler was arrested and put on trial.
Why did Hitler attempt the Munich Putsch in 1923?[6]
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Germany was in crisis: the Ruhr was occupied and hyperinflation had ruined many people, so the government was very unpopular. The Nazi Party had grown to about 55 000 members, with the SA to supply force. Hitler expected support from the army and from nationalist leaders in Bavaria. He had also been encouraged by Mussolini's seizure of power in Italy the year before.
Answers: The early Nazi Party and the Munich Putsch
- 1. Any four: the abolition of the Treaty of Versailles; the union of all German-speaking people; the exclusion of Jews from German citizenship; hatred of communism; a strong central government under one leader; more land for Germany.
- 2. On 8 November 1923 Hitler and the SA took over a meeting in a Munich beer hall and declared a revolution. The next day they marched into the city. Police fired on them, and sixteen Nazis were killed. Hitler was arrested and put on trial.
- 3. Germany was in crisis: the Ruhr was occupied and hyperinflation had ruined many people, so the government was very unpopular. The Nazi Party had grown to about 55 000 members, with the SA to supply force. Hitler expected support from the army and from nationalist leaders in Bavaria. He had also been encouraged by Mussolini's seizure of power in Italy the year before.