Weimar and Nazi Germany (1918-1939): Consequences of the Munich Putsch

The Munich Putsch had several initial consequences for Hitler and the Nazis but, like the causes, there were longer term consequences too.

Initial consequences

The Nazi Party was banned from operating in Germany. Those who remained loyal to the party found other ways of keeping national socialist ideas alive, including forming the German Party which was essentially the Nazi Party by another name.

Hitler was sentenced to five years in Landsberg Prison for treason. Hitler got off lightly as many of the judges were sympathetic to Hitler’s ideas. Whilst in prison Hitler had access to a secretary and lived in relative comfort. It was during his stay in prison which Hitler wrote Mein Kampf.

Ludendorff was let off, again down to the sympathy of the judges involved.

Long-term consequences

It became apparent to Hitler that the Nazis could not take power by force, and that he should use the democratic mechanisms of the Weimar Republic to take power instead. It became the Nazi’s main aim to use elections to win seats in the Reichstag and allow Hitler to become leader of Germany. Eventually the ban on the Nazis was lifted and they competed as a party once again in elections.

Mein Kampf described the ideas and beliefs that would form the core text for the Nazis. The longer-term sharing of these ideas was helped by the trial of Hitler being widely reported in newspapers, providing Hitler with national coverage for his views.