Weimar Germany: Kapp Putsch 1920 ✦ Limited

: Post-war inflation and social unrest created a volatile environment where radical groups on both the left and right felt the republic was weak and illegitimate. 2. The Events of March 1920

The Kapp Putsch remains a critical case study in how can defeat a military coup, yet it also served as a warning of the internal enemies that would eventually facilitate the rise of the Nazi party. WEIMAR GERMANY: Kapp Putsch 1920

The Putsch was rooted in the deep resentment following Germany’s defeat in World War I and the perceived betrayal of the Treaty of Versailles . : Post-war inflation and social unrest created a

: A civil servant and nationalist politician, Kapp was declared the new Chancellor. He was supported by General Walther von Lüttwitz, the military mastermind behind the coup. The Putsch was rooted in the deep resentment

: Many right-wing nationalists believed the military had been "stabbed in the back" by socialist and Jewish politicians at home.

: Public transport, electricity, water, and postal services in Berlin and other major cities ground to a halt.

On March 13, 1920, the Ehrhardt Brigade marched into Berlin. The regular army ( Reichswehr ) refused to fire on the rebels, with General Hans von Seeckt famously stating,