Adolf Hitler commits a coup and fails

In the early 1920s, Germany was in a political and economic crisis. In this chaos, right-wing extremists and nationalists tried to increase their power. Among them were Adolf Hitler and Erich Ludendorff, a general from the First World War. They felt that the time had come for a coup d’état. They planned to seize power in the German free state of Bavaria and then march on to Berlin to depose the government.

On the evening of 8 November 1923, Hitler, together with SA members (Sturmabteilung - the fighting team of the NSDAP), forced his way into the Munich Bürgerbräukeller. At that moment, a meeting of Bavarian politicians was in progress. Hitler drew his revolver and shot in the air to draw their attention. He declared that the 'national revolution' had begun. Hitler then retreated to a side room with three of the politicians. He made them promise to support his plans to overthrow the government in Berlin. However, the three of them retracted their promises the next day, and called in the police and the army.

Hitler and his supporters responded by organising a protest march through Munich. They hoped that the people and the army would join them. Their plan failed. The police were waiting for them and a gunfight ensued. Sixteen of Hitler's comrades were killed by police bullets, among them the man walking next to Hitler.

Two days later, the police arrested Hitler at his hiding place. During the trial, the judges turned out to be sympathetic to Hitler's defence that he had wanted to save Germany. The press reported extensively on the process, giving Hitler a podium to present himself and his ideas. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, of which he served only eight months in a prison where he had a lot of freedom. This was where he wrote his book Mein Kampf.