Chapter 3: Enter Adolf Hitler

Chapter 3:
Enter Adolf Hitler
By the end of this lesson you should:
• 1. Understand the origins of Adolf Hitler from the
time he was born through World War One.
•2. Understand how Hitler discovered, and then became the leader of, the group that became the Nazi
party, and how he attracted people into joining
his movement.
•3. Know the origins of Nazi beliefs, symbols, and
the SA organization.
•4. Understand the Beer Hall Putsch and the subsequent reaction from the German authorities.
Activity: Become an art critic!
Did you know Hitler originally wanted to be an artist? Below
are 4 of his works. Follow the bolded directions in box below.
Place the letter of the
painting in the box
Good
which fits each category.
Composition and design - Is
the final product interesting and well thought
out?
Impact - Is the design creative?
Care/Effort- Does the work
show care and attention to
detail?
A
C
B
D
Average
Poor
Chapter 3:
Introduction
In the past three quarters of a century this man
has become the gold standard of evil. Probably no other person of the 20th century has
been examined and discussed more than Adolf
Hitler. In this chapter we will investigate Hitler from the time of his birth until his first attempt to take over Germany.
Hitler always wore
those 3 pins on his
coat. From top to
bottom are the Nazi
Party pin, the Iron
Cross Medal, and the
German wound badge.
What does the “gold standard of evil” mean?
The Hitler’s Origins Scavenger Hunt!
Open a chrome book and search for the following information.
1.
Who was Hitler's father?
A. What was Hitler’s original last name?
B. Why did he change his name to Hitler?
C. What did he do for a living?
D. How did he treat his family?
2.
Who was Hitler’s mother?
A. How did she react towards her son?
B. How is she related to Hitler's father other
than marriage?
C. How much younger was she compared to
her husband?
3. Where and when was Hitler born?
4. Who were his brothers and sisters?
5. As a child what caused so much tension
between him and his father?
6. What was Hitler’s religious background?
Why would Hans Frank make up such a story?
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Tall Tale: Hitler had a Jewish Grandparent
The story goes that his paternal grandmother,
Maria Schicklgruber, worked as a cook for a
Jewish family named “Frankenberger”. Their 19
year old son impregnated Maria, producing Alois,
which makes Hitler 1/4 Jewish.
This story was told by Nazi leader Hans Frank, a
devout Catholic, after the war and has no basis is
reality. Maria Schicklgruber never lived in the
town where this supposedly took place. No
Frankenberger family ever lived there, and Jews
had been expelled from the area until the 1860’s,
after his father was already born.
Chapter 3: Enter Adolf Hitler
Reading: Hitler Growing Up
Childhood
•In elementary school Adolf got straight A’s,
was a churchgoer, and at one point wanted to
become a priest. His school’s principal had his own coat of
arms displayed to the students. Below is a picture of it, does
anything look familiar?
By high school Hitler’s dream
was to become an artist, and
he got into bitter arguments
with his father over his future.
As a result his grades declined
dramatically. The only teacher
he liked was his history teacher, Dr. Ludwig Poetsch. He
was an anti-Semite and fanatical Pan-German nationalist.
Hitler said he decided to become a revolutionary thanks to him.
In 1938 when Hitler took over Austria he paid a visit to his old
teacher, only to be delighted that he was a already member of
the Nazi Party. Hitler said, “You can’t imagine how much I
owe to that old man.”
•In 1903 Hitler’s father died, and two
years later he dropped out of school
with the equivalent of a 9th grade education.
•In 1907 Hitler’s mother got breast
cancer and was taken care of by Dr.
Eduard Bloch, a Jewish physician.
She died later that year. A sympathetic
Dr. Bloch only charged 359 crowns
(72 Dollars) for 77 home visits and 47
treatments. Her funeral cost 11 crowns
more.
•In 1938 all the Jews from Hitler’s home town of Linz were
expelled, with one exception. The Nazis came to Dr. Bloch
and told him that he could move, or stay at his home for the
rest of his life. Dr. Bloch moved to the United States and was
allowed to sell all his property and take anything with him.
Whatever Hitler’s reasons for persecuting the Jews, Dr.
Bloch’s treatment of his mother was not among them.
Young, Down, and Out
•In 1906 Hitler went to Vienna to realize his dream and applied to the prestigious
Academy of Fine Arts. The judges failed him in what they called “unfitness for
painting” because he had trouble drawing human figures. In all fairness it was VERY
difficult to get into the Academy. Hitler was one of 113 applicants and only 28 were
accepted.
•From 1907 to 1913 Hitler spent most of his money going to the opera and lived in
Vienna. He never tried to get a fulltime job, and as a result spent many nights out on
the street. He was constantly worried that he would have to work with unskilled Slavic
people, whom he detested. He tried to get into the academy a second time but failed.
He would later blame the Jews since, according to him, they owned Vienna’s art galleries.
Most authors say Hitler lived in poverty during this time, but this is only due to his
own laziness. He had an income of 83 crowns a month, more than a teacher or a lawyer
at this time, but he spent all of his money on going to the theater, and lived in hostels to
avoid the authorities. Hitler had dodged the military draft. He also was never obsessed
with material possessions.
In 1913 he left for Munich because he hated seeing Vienna’s ethnic minorities and its
Jewish presence. There he sold his paintings and usually had an income of 100 marks a
month. Austrian officials caught up with him, but upon examination he was deemed
“unfit for military service.”
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Chapter 3:
World War I
When war erupted in 1914 Hitler joined the Bavarian Army, where he rose to the rank of
corporal. He spent all but 3 months of the entire war on the front lines, fighting 35 battles. He was wounded in 1916, and was injured in a gas attack two years later. According
to the law of averages there is no reason Hitler should have survived, but he did. His
regiment had 3600 troops when the war began and, with replenishments, had lost 3754
by the end. For his continued service in July 1918 he was awarded the Iron Cross First
Class, and wore this medal for the rest of his life.
Upon hearing of Germany’s defeat Hitler would write, “I threw myself on my bunk, and
dug my burning head into my blanket and pillow...And so it had all been in vain. In vain
all the sacrifice, in vain the hunger and thirst...in vain the hours in which, with mortal
fear clutching at our hearts, we nevertheless did our duty; and in vain the death of two
millions who died… There followed terrible days and even worse nights– I knew that all
was lost. Only fools, liars, and criminals could hope in the mercy of the enemy. In these
nights hatred grew in me, hatred for those responsible for this deed.”
Essential Questions
•1. Schicklgruber! Do you think a person’s last name will have an effect on his or her success in life? Explain.
•2. Hitler was born in Austria, not Germany. Should people who are not natural born citizens be allowed to become head of state? Why or
why not?
•3. Do you think Hitler's level of education made any difference in the man he became? Explain.
•4. Do you believe the Academy of Fine Arts is glad they denied him admission, or that they may have a indirect responsibilit y for future
events?
•5. What does the treatment of Dr. Bloch during the Nazi say about Hitler’s personality?
•6. How did Hitler view Slavic peoples? Investigate his view of Slavs.
•7. How would Hitler's war record, and his own thoughts about the end of the war, make him a supporter of right wing political parties?
The 3-2-1 Activity!
Directions: For the sections entitled “The
Beginning of the Nazi Party”, “The Swastika”
and “The SA” Complete the following:
Name 3 things that you have learned from the texts.
Write down 2 questions you still have about the readings.
Name 1 aspect of the texts that you enjoyed.
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Chapter 3: Enter Adolf Hitler
The Beginning of the Nazi Party
•After the war Hitler worked as a spy for the army in
Munich. His job was to investigate over 50 new political parties to see if they posed any danger to Germany or if they should receive secret army funds if
they agreed with the army's goals. One of them was
called the German Workers Party, led by Anton
Drexler, which met in the backr oom of the
Sterneckerbräu Beer Hall in Munich.
•Hitler made himself known to the party when he
verbally attacked a speaker who demanded Bavaria
break away from Germany. Drexler was so impressed he invited Hitler to come to the next meeting
to give a speech.
•Shortly afterward Hitler was asked to join the party,
becoming member number 55. His speeches made
him into the star attraction of the party and he was
made its propaganda chief. His message was simple:
Germany’s misery is caused by the Jews, “November
Criminals”, and the Treaty of Versailles, and only a
strong leader, unrestricted by democracy, could restore
Germany to greatness. Hitler discovered his talent for
public speaking and decided his future was in politics. In
March 1920 he left the army.
•Thanks to Hitler, party membership grew rapidly and
he became its minister of propaganda. He decided to
change the name of the party to the National Socialist
German Workers Party, or NSDAP for shor t. Hitler
acquiesced on the word “Socialist” because it was
thought to attract the poor and working classes. The
party also bought a newspaper, the Voelkischer Beobachter (The People’s Obser ver).
The very first meeting of the new Nazi party was held on
February 20, 1920 at the Hofbräuhaus Beer Hall; there
Caption describing picture
Hitler laid out the party's 25 points. In 1921 Hitler took or graphic.
over the leadership of the party and created a new post
for himself called the Fϋhrer, or leader. He spoke all
over Munich at dozens of beer halls and became famous.
What the Nazi Party Stood For: The 25 Points
Source: Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression Volume IV
Office of the United States Chief Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality
1. We demand the unification of
all Germans into a single nation
the basis of the right of selfdetermination of peoples.
2. We demand equality of rights
for German minorities in other
nations; termination of the peace
treaty of Versailles.
3. We demand land and territory
(lebensraum) for the sustenance
of our people, and colonization
for our surplus population.
4. Only a member of the German
race can be a citizen. No Jew can
be a member of the race.
5. Whoever has no citizenship is
to be able to live in Germany
only as a guest, and must be
Page 5
under the authority of legislation
for foreigners.
6. The right to determine matters
of government belongs only to
the citizen. Therefore we demand that every public office, of
any sort whatsoever, be filled
only by citizens.
7. We demand that the state be
charged with providing the opportunity for a livelihood and
way of life for the citizens. If it
is impossible to sustain the total
population of the State, then the
members of foreign nations are
to be expelled from Germany.
8. Any further immigration of
non-citizens is to be prevented.
We demand that all nonGermans, who have immigrated
to Germany since the 2 August
1914, be forced immediately to
leave the Reich.
9. All citizens must have equal
rights and obligations.
10. The first obligation of every
citizen must be to work both
spiritually and physically. The
activity of individuals is not to
counteract the interests of the
nation, but must have its result
within the framework for the
benefit of all.
Consequently we demand:
11. Abolition of unearned incomes.
Wait a minute!
So where do we get the term “Nazi”
from? The term was invented by
English speakers, not Germans! The
word “National” in German is
phonetically said “na zi nal” and they
took the first 2 syllables of the word,
mainly to mock them. The Germans
never called themselves “Nazis”,
instead they called themselves
“National Socialists”.
Chapter 3:
12. In consideration of the monstrous
sacrifice in property and blood that war
demands of the people, personal financial
gain through a war must be designated as
a crime. Therefore we demand the total
confiscation of all war profits.
21. The State is to care for elevating national health by protecting the mother and child, by outlawing child-labor, by the
encouragement of physical fitness, by means of the legal
establishment of a gymnastic and sport obligation, by the
utmost support of all organizations concerned with the physical instruction of the young.
13. We demand the nationalization of all
industries.
22. We demand abolition of the mercenary troops and formation of a national army.
14. We demand a division of profits of all
heavy industries.
23. We demand legal opposition to known lies and their
spread through the press. In order to enable the provision of
a German press, we demand, that: all writers and employees
of the newspapers appearing in the German language be
members of the race: Non-Germans are forbidden to have
any influence on press. Publications which are counter to the
general good are to be forbidden. We demand legal prosecution of artistic and literary forms which exert a destructive
influence on our national life, and the closure of organizations opposing the above made demands.
15. We demand an expansion on a large
scale of old age welfare.
(Above) A copy of the party
program.
16. We demand the creation of a healthy
middle class and its conservation, the
utmost consideration of all small businesses in contracts with the State, county
or municipality.
17. We demand land reform and a law for the free expropriation of land
for the purposes of public utility, and abolition of taxes on land.
18. We demand struggle without sympathy against those whose activity
is detrimental to the common good. Federal criminals and so forth are to
be punished with death.
19. We demand substitution of a German common law in place of the
Roman Law serving a materialistic world-order.
20. A fundamental reconstruction of our national education program, to
enable every capable German to obtain higher education and subsequently introduction into leading positions. We demand the State pay for the
education of outstanding intellectually gifted children of poor parents
without consideration of position or profession.
24. We demand freedom of religion for all religious denominations within the state so long as they do not endanger its
existence or oppose the moral senses of the Germanic race. It
combats the Jewish-materialistic spirit within and around us.
25. For the execution of all of this, we demand the formation
of a strong central power in Germany. Unlimited authority of
the central parliament over the whole nation. The leaders of
the Party promise, if necessary by sacrificing their own lives,
to support the execution of the points set forth above without
consideration.
Activity: Analyzing the Nazi Party Platform
Some documents have to be studied carefully. The Nazi program is one of those documents. We will divide
into groups of 2 for this activity.
You and your partner will read over the party platform. While you are reading the points circle any that you
find surprising, or interesting. Then choose 5 points to further examine.
1. For each point does it sound, at least on the surface, to be a good idea? What must be done by Germany in
order to achieve this point? Who stands to win? Who stands to lose?
2. Do you think that any of these ideas would be acceptable to people today? If so, which one or ones? Why?
Page 6
Chapter 3:
The Sturmabteilung (SA)
•You can imagine Hitler had his fair share of enemies by this time. Men began
to volunteer to
1. Protect Hitler at his speeches.
2. Disrupt those of his opponents.
3. Fight anyone who treaded on the Nazi Party.
•This force called themselves the Sturm Abteilung (Storm Detachment) or
SA. The SA liter ally became the pr ivate ar my of the par ty. Leading the
organization was Ernst Röhm. Röhm was a war veteran who wanted nothing
to do with communists, democracy, or women.
(Above) The logo of the
SA. (Right) Ernst Röhm
in uniform.
They used surplus brown army uniforms left over from World War I and so were called “Brownshirts”.
Activity: Hitler Speaks!
Directions: We are now going to watch a speech
made by Hitler. As you are watching this, complete
the following questions.
•1. How does Hitler connect with his audience?
•2. How does he use his body to enhance his
speech?
•3. How does Hitler use his voice to stress certain
points?
•4. Do you believe it would be easy to be persuaded by him? Explain.
In-Class Field Trip: The Hofbräuhaus
Get your fake ID’s, and throw them away! You don't need
them for this trip! We’re off the Hofbräuhaus Beer Hall!.
For our trip I want you to write down all the features you see
of Bavarian culture. Also, ask yourself why do you think the
Nazis chose a beer hall to hold their meetings?
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Chapter 3: Enter Adolf Hitler
The Swastika!
•Hitler
realized one thing the party lacked
was a recognizable symbol and flag. In the
summer of 1920, Hitler chose the symbol
which to this day remains perhaps the most
infamous in history, the swastika.
•Placed inside a white circle on a red background, it provided a powerful, instantly recognizable symbol that immediately helped
Hitler's party gain popularity.
The word for swastika in German is
Hakenkreuz, literally “Hook Cross”.
The “So how did he come up with the Swastika” Activity
The Nazi flag is probably the most recognizable and hated flag of all
time. So how did Hitler come up with this flag? Who better to tell you
than Mr. Schicklgruber himself! On the following pages is Hitler’s own
description from his book, “Mein Kampf”. Before you read the passage
look at the article below, “A History of the German Flag”. This will
make understanding what Hitler is saying MUCH easier. Afterward read
the passage from Hitler’s book and answer the questions. They are all in
order.
1
A History of the German Flag
•In the early 19th century a Black,
Red, and Gold flag (1) was used as a
symbolize a unified Germany. It become a well established symbol for the
liberal, democratic, and republican
movement within the German states.
In 1848 there was a brief attempt to
unite the German states and this was
used as the proposed flag.
•During the Second Reich (1871-1918)
This Black, White, and Red flag (2)
was the official flag of Germany.
•During the years of the Weimar Republic (1918-1933) The Black, Red
and Gold Flag (1) was reintroduced.
Page 8
This change was not welcomed by
many people in Germany, who saw
this new flag as a symbol of humiliation following Germany's defeat in
World War I
•Hitler quickly scrapped the Black,
Red and Gold flag and reintroduced
the Black, White, and Red along with
the Nazi Party flag (3) as the 2 official flags of Germany.
•From 1935 onward the Nazi Party
flag become the sole German national
flag.
2
3
Chapter 3: Enter Adolf Hitler
From “Mein Kampf”
The movement possessed no party insignia
and no party flag. The absence of such symbols not only had disadvantages, but was
intolerable for the future. The disadvantages
consisted above all in the fact that the party
comrades lacked any outward sign of their
common bond, while it was unbearable for
the future to dispense with a sign which possessed the character of a symbol of the movement and could as such be opposed to the
Communists.
What importance must be attributed to a
symbol from the psychological point of view
I understood all my life. After the war I experienced a mass demonstration of the Communists in front of the Royal Palace (in Munich). A sea of red flags, red scarves, and red
flowers gave to this demonstration, in which
an estimated hundred and twenty thousand
people took part, an aspect that was gigantic
from the purely external point of view. I
myself could feel and understand how easily
a man of the people succumbs to the suggestive magic of a spectacle so grandiose in
effect.
The bourgeoisie (capitalists), which in its
party politics neither represents nor advocates any outlook at all, had therefore no flag
of its own. They consisted of “patriots” and
therefore ran around in the colors of the nation (black, red, and gold). If this had been
the symbol of a definite philosophy, it would
have been understandable that the bourgeoisie viewed the flag as the representative of its
philosophy, since the symbol of their philosophy had become the flag of the state and the
Page 9
Reich through their own activity.
But this was not the case.
The Reich had been formed without any
move on the part of the German bourgeoisie, and the flag itself had been born from
the womb of war. Hence it was really nothing but a state flag and possessed no meaning of any sort in the essence of a special
philosophical mission.
...And so Marxism was actually confronted
by no flag which philosophically would
have represented it polar opposite. For even
if the best parties of the German bourgeoisie
after 1918 would no longer consent to take
over the suddenly discovered black, red, and
gold flag as their own symbol, they themselves had no program of their own for the
future to oppose to Communism; at best
they had the idea of a reconstruction of the
past German nation.
It is obvious that the flag of the old Reich,
the black, white, and red banner, which was
overcome by Marxism under conditions and
circumstances that were anything but glorious, is ill-suited for a symbol under which to
annihilate this same Marxism. Sacred and
beloved as these old and uniquely beautiful
colors, in their fresh, youthful combination,
must be to every decent German who has
fought under them and beheld the sacrifice
of so many, the flag is worthless as a symbol for a struggle for the future.
I have, in our movement, always upheld the
standpoint that it is a true good fortune for
the German nation to have lost the old flag.
What the Republic does beneath its flag, can
remain indifferent to us. But from the bottom of our hearts we should thank Fate for
having been gracious enough to preserve the
most glorious war flag of all times from
being used as a bed sheet for the most
shameful acts since 1918. The present-day
Reich, which sells itself and its citizens,
must never be permitted to fly the black,
white, and red flag of honor and heroes.
As long as the November disgrace endures,
let it bear its own outer covering and not try
to steal this like everything else from a more
honorable past. Truly, the former flag was
suited only to the former Reich, just as, God
be praised and thanked, the Republic chose
the one suited to it.
This was also the reason why we National
Socialists could have seen no expressive
symbol of our own activity in hoisting the
old flag. For we do not desire to awaken
from death the old Reich that perished
through it own errors, but to build a new
state. The movement which today fights
Marxism with its aim must therefore bear the
symbol of the new state in its very flag.
The question of the new flag-that is, its appearance-occupied us intensely. From all
sides came suggestions, which for the most
part it must be admitted were more wellintended than successful. For the new flag
had to be equally a symbol of our own struggle, since on the other hand it was expected
also to be highly effective as a poster. Anyone who has to concern himself much with
the masses will recognize these apparent
trifles to be very important matters. An effective insignia can in hundreds of thousands of
cases give the first thoughts toward interest
in our movement.
For this reason we had to reject all suggestions of identifying our movement through a
white flag, or more correctly, with those
feeble parties whose sole aim was the restoration of past conditions, as was proposed by
Chapter 3: Enter Adolf Hitler
many quarters. Besides, white is not a stirring
color. It is suitable for virgins clubs, but not a
world-changing movement.
Black was also suggested: in itself suitable
for the present period, it contained nothing,
however, that could in any way be interpreted
as a picture of the will of our movement.
Finally, this color has not a stirring enough
effect either.
White and blue were out of the question despite their wonderful esthetic effect, for these
were the colors of Bavaria, and of an orientation toward particularistic narrowmindedness which unfortunately did not enjoy the best reputation. Here too, moreover, it
would have been hard to find any reference to
our movement The same applied to black and
white.
Black, red, and gold were in themselves out
of the question. So were black, white, and
red, for reasons already mentioned, at least in
their previous composition. In effect, to be
sure, this color combination stands high
above all others. It is the most brilliant harmony in existence.
I myself always came out for the retention of
the old colors, not only because as a soldier
they are to me the holiest thing I know, but
because also in their esthetic effect they are
Questions
by far the most compatible with my feeling.
Nevertheless, I was obliged to reject without
exception the numerous designs which poured
in from circles of the young movement, and
which for the most part had drawn the swastika
into the old flag. I myself—as Leader- did not
want to come out publicly at once with my
own design, since after all it was possible that
another should produce one just as good or
even perhaps better. Actually, a dentist did
deliver a design that was not bad at all, and
incidentally, was quite close to my own, having only the fault that a swastika with curved
legs was composed into a white disk.
I myself, meanwhile after numerous attempts,
had laid down a final form; a flag with a red
background, a white disk, and a black swastika
in the middle. After long trials I also found a
definite proportion between size of the flag and
the size of the white disk, as well as the shape
and thickness of the swastika.
And this remained final.
In midsummer of 1920 the new flag came before the public for the first time. It was excellently suited to our new movement. It was
young and new, like the movement itself. No
one had seen it before; it had the effect of a
burning torch. We ourselves experienced an
almost childlike joy when a faithful woman
And a symbol it really is!
Not only that the unique colors, which all of
us so passionately love and which once won
so much honor for the German people,
attest our veneration for the past; they were
also the best embodiment of the movement’s will. As National Socialists, we see
our program in our flag. In red we see the
social idea of the movement, in white the
nationalistic idea, in the swastika the mission of the struggle for the victory of the
Aryan man, and, by the same token, the
victory of the idea of creative work, which
as such always has been and always will be
anti-Semitic.
1. What disadvantages did Hitler say came
about by the lack of a flag?
6. What were the 2 requirements for the
Nazi flag?
2. What did he say inspired him to have a
flag?
7. What ideas for a flag color were
brought forth? Why did Hitler reject
them?
3. What does he say a flag should symbolize?
4. How does he feel about the
A. Second Reich “Black, White
and Red” Flag?
B. Weimar Republic “Black, Red
and Gold” Flag?
5. What does he say is the purpose of his
Nazi movement?
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party comrade for the first time executed
the design and delivered the flag. Only a
few months later we had half a dozen of
them in Munich, and our membership,
which was growing bigger and bigger, especially contributed to spreading the new
symbol of the movement.
8. Why did Hitler choose Black, White,
and Red?
9. Hitler said the flag “had the effect of a
burning torch” and “A symbol it really
is!” Do you agree?
10. How does Hitler describe the colors as
symbolic of the Nazi Party Program?
Chapter 3:
Nazi Characters: Hermann Goering
By this time Hitler had gained devoted followers. One of these men was Hermann Wilhelm Goering.
He would be a committed Nazi longer than the Third Reich itself and it is important that we investigate
such a important figure in the rise of Hitler and the Holocaust.
Open a chrome book and investigate who this guy was.
What role did he play within the Nazi party?
What role did he take in the oppression of the Jewish
people and the Holocaust?
Identify 3 aspects of his personal life which you found
interesting.
Munich: “The Capital of the Movement”
Munich was the “birthplace” of the Nazi party, and was later described as
“The capital of the Movement” by Hitler. Plans were drawn up to totally redesign the city in order to make it a “City of the Fϋhrer of the Third Reich”.
The centerpiece of the redesign was a 200-meter high “Monument to the
Movement” with an eagle perched over the globe on top. An enormous Beer
Hall was also designed-after all its Munich!
After visiting Napoleon’s tomb in Paris, Hitler stated that he would like to be
laid to rest in Munich. A mausoleum was designed for him modeled after the
Pantheon in Rome. A bridge over the street would connect the tomb to a
planned “Hall of the Party”. Every year a ceremony would take place to honor
the dead “Fϋhrer” with Nazis marching around Hitler’s sarcophagus and then
over the bridge to a rally in the large assembly hall.
Some of the buildings for Munich's redesign were completed. The
“Fϋhererbau” was home to Hitler' s pr ivate office and completed in 1937,
and the building still stands today. Right next to the structure were the
“Temples of Honor”, a shrine dedicated to Nazis killed in Hitler's first attempt
to take over Germany. Behind it was the “Brown House”, the home to the
Nazi Party’s offices which housed the infamous “Blood Flag”.
Find more on the terms in Bold. Research to find 1 important aspect of each.
From top to bottom: The “Monument to the Movement”, the Fϋhrerbau with the Temples of Honor and
the Brown house, and a model of the Hall of the Party with Hitler's Mausoleum.
Page 11
Chapter 3:
The Beer Hall Putsch: An interactive story!
Directions: As you read the story answer the activity questions as you come to them.
By late 1923 Germans had now experienced the severe hyperinflation in addition
to the humiliating Treaty of Versailles.
Bitter resentment and unrest swelled
among the people, inciting extremist political groups to action and quickly bringing
Germany to the brink of chaos.
They put this plan into action when they
learned there would be a large gathering of
businessmen in the Munich Bϋrgerbräukeller beer hall and the guests of honor were
to be the Bavarian leaders they wanted to
kidnap. This included Bavaria’s governor
Gustav Von Kahr.
The Nazis felt the time was right to strike.
The German state of Bavaria where the
Nazis were based was a hotbed of groups
opposed to the democratic government in
Berlin. By now, November 1923, the Nazis had 55,000 followers. With Nazi members demanding action, Hitler knew he had
to act. He told his supporters, “What Germany needs is revolution not reform. The
printing presses must stop...This can only
be effected by a government not bound by
democratic slogans. This government must
rule by force!”
On November 8, 1923, SA troops under the
direction of Hermann Göering surrounded
the place. At 8:30 p.m. Hitler and his storm
troopers burst into the beer hall, causing
instant panic.
Hitler and the Nazis hatched a plot in
which they would kidnap the leaders of the
Bavarian government and force them at
gunpoint to accept Hitler as their leader.
Then, according to their plan, with the aid
of famous World War One General Erich
Ludendorff, they would win over the German army, proclaim a nationwide revolt,
and bring down the German democratic
government in Berlin.
"The National Revolution has begun!" Hitler shouted. "...No one may leave the hall.
Unless there is immediate quiet I shall have
a machine gun posted in the gallery. The
Bavarian and Reich governments have been
removed and a provisional national government formed. The Army and the police are
marching on the city under the swastika
banner!"
Hitler fired a pistol shot into the ceiling.
"Silence!" he yelled at the stunned crowd.
Hitler forced his way to the podium as
armed SA men continued to file into the
hall. State governor Gustav von Kahr,
whose speech had been interrupted by all
this, yielded the podium to Hitler.
None of that was true, but those in the beer
hall could not know otherwise.
Hey you! You got
that? What are the
4 steps in my brilliant plan?
Leaving Hermann Göering and the
SA to guard the 3,000 officials, Hitler took Gustav von Kahr, Otto von
Lossow, the commander of the Bavarian Army and Hans von Seeckt, the
commandant of the Bavarian State Police
into an adjoining room. Hitler told the men
that he was to be the new leader of Germany
and offered them posts in his new government. Aware that this would be an act of
high treason, the three men were initially
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reluctant to agree to this offer. His three captives simply glared at him and at first even
refused to talk to him.
Adolf Hitler was furious and threatened to
shoot them and then commit suicide: "I have
three bullets for you, gentlemen, and one for
me!" The revolution in the back room continued to go poorly for Hitler.
General Ludendorff now arrived. Hitler
knew the three government leaders in the
back room would listen to him. Ludendorff
agreed to become head of the German Army
in Hitler's government.
At Hitler's urging, Ludendorff spoke to the
men in the back room and advised them to go
along with the Nazi revolution. They reluctantly agreed, then went out to the podium
and faced the crowd, showing their support
for Hitler and pledging loyalty to the new
regime. An emotional Hitler spoke to the
crowd.
"I am going to fulfill the vow I made to my-
Achtung! Let’s see how well you have
understood my plans:
1) After I entered the beer hall how did I
grab everyone’s attention?
2) Who were the 3 men I wanted to talk
to? And how did I get them to agree
with me?
3) Who was Ludendorff and why was it
important that he supported me?
Chapter 3: Enter Adolf Hitler
self five years ago when I was a blind cripple in the military hospital - to know neither
rest nor peace until the November criminals
had been overthrown, until on the ruins of
the wretched Germany of today there
should have arisen once more a Germany of
power and greatness, of freedom and splendor."
The crowd in the beer hall roared their approval and sang the German National Anthem. Hitler was euphoric. Tomorrow he
might actually be dictator of Germany.
But then word came that attempts to take
over several military barracks had failed
and that German soldiers inside the barracks
were holding out against Hitler's storm
troopers. Hitler decided to leave the beer
hall and go to the scene to personally resolve the problem.
Leaving the beer hall was a fateful error. In
his absence the Nazi revolution quickly
began to unravel. The three Bavarian government leaders slipped out of the beer hall
after falsely promising Ludendorff they
would remain loyal to Hitler.
German soldiers who were holding out in
the barracks to surrender. Having failed at
that, he went back to the beer hall.
and take it over. Because of his World
War One fame, Ludendorff reasoned,
no one would dare fire on him. He
When he arrived back at the beer hall he
was aghast to find the revolution fizzling.
There were no plans for tomorrow's
march on Berlin. Munich wasn't even
being occupied. Nothing was happening.
In fact, only one building, Army headquarters at the War Ministry, had been
occupied, by Ernst Röhm and his SA
troops. Elsewhere, rogue bands of Nazi
thugs roamed the city of Munich rounding
up political opponents and harassing
Jews. A group of SA men seized a money
printing factory and stole enough cash to
pay each man 2 trillion marks. Not a big
deal since the plant was producing 14
Quadrillion Marks a day. The Plant manager demanded a receipt, and they gave it
to him, it was Germany after all!
In the early morning hours of November
9, Governor Kahr broke his promise to
Hitler and Ludendorff and issued a strong
statement against Hitler.
Kahr also ordered the breakup of the Nazi
party and its fighting forces and ordered
Army reinforcements into Munich to put
down the Nazi putsch.
Hitler was up all night frantically trying to
decide what to do. General Ludendorff
then gave him an idea. The Nazis would
simply march into the middle of Munich
even assured Hitler the police and the
Army would likely join them. Hitler
went for the idea.
Around 11 a.m., a column of three
thousand Nazis, led by Hitler, Göring
and Ludendorff marched toward the
center of Munich. Policemen began to
give up along the march, crowds began
to gather and rejoice, it might just
work!
After reaching the center of Munich,
the Nazis headed toward the War Ministry building but they encountered a
police blockade at the Feldherrnhalle
(Hall of Generals Monument). As they
stood face to face with a hundred
armed policemen, Hitler yelled out to
them to surrender. They didn't. Shots
rang out. Both sides fired. It lasted
about a minute. Sixteen Nazis and
three police were killed. Hitler suffered a dislocated shoulder when the
Meanwhile, Hitler had no luck in getting the
Hey there! I’m Fritz Gerlich and I
publish an anti-Nazi newspaper. I
need to write up the story of the
Beer Hall Putsch. Summarize the
main events in bullet point for me.
Try to make it as negative as you
can: we need to show Germany
that Hitler is evil!
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I need to write up the
story of the Beer Hall
Putsch for my book.
Summarize the main
events in bullet points for
me. Try to make it as
positive as you can, I
don’t want to look like a
coward!
Chapter 3: Enter Adolf Hitler
man he had locked arms with was shot
and dragged Hitler down to the pavement.
Hitler's bodyguard, Ulrich Graf, jumped
onto Hitler to shield him and took several bullets, probably saving Hitler's
life. Hitler then crawled along the sidewalk out of the line of fire and scooted
away into a waiting car. The rest of the
Nazis scattered or were arrested. Ludendorff, true to his heroic form, walked
right through the line of fire to the police and was then arrested.
Hitler wound up at a friend’s home
where he was reportedly talked out of
suicide. The police soon arrived and
arrested him. He was taken to the prison
at Landsberg where his spirits lifted
somewhat after he was told he was
going to get a public trial.
With the collapse of the Nazi beer hall
putsch, it now appeared to most observers that Hitler's political career and the
Nazi movement had come to a crashing,
almost laughable end.
The trial was not the end of Hitler's
political career as many had expected.
The trial become “The Adolf Hitler
Show” pouring scorn on the Weimar
Republic. Overnight, Hitler became a nationally known figure due to massive press
coverage. The judges at this trial allowed
Hitler to use the courtroom as a propaganda
platform from which he could speak at any
length on his own behalf, interrupt others at
any time, and even cross-examine witnesses.
The crowds to get in were so huge the trial
was moved to a school auditorium.
Rather than deny the charges, Hitler admitted wanting to overthrow the government
and outlined his reasons, portraying himself
as a German patriot. He called the democratic government, its founders, and leaders
as the real criminals. Hitler stated, “If today
I stand here as a revolutionary, it is as a
revolutionary against the revolution. There
is no such thing as high treason against the
traitors of 1918.”
The court's verdict – guilty. Hitler's sentence – five
years, eligible for parole in nine months!
Other Nazi leaders arrested after the failed Putsch got
light sentences as well. General Ludendorff was even
acquitted.
I’m writing my speech, nobody can beat me at a
debate. Go on, try, write a speech condemning me
for the prosecution!
Be sure to include:
1. A rebuttal about the November Criminals and
the “Stab in the Back” theory.
2. The Treaty of Versailles.
3. The Nazi record of violence and revolution.
Newspapers quoted Hitler at length. Thus,
for the first time, the German people as a
whole had a chance to get acquainted with
this man and his thinking. And many liked
what they heard.
The three judges in the trial had become so
sympathetic that they had to be persuaded to
find him guilty at all. They agreed to find
Hitler guilty only after being assured he
would get early parole.
In-Class Field Trip: The Beer Hall Putsch Tour!
Here it is! Lets go retrace the steps Hitler took in the Beer Hall Putsch! For
our trip write down 3 things that you have learned from the video, 2 questions you still have and 1 aspect of the video that you enjoyed the most.
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