The Hitler Diary Entry Series Pt 1: November 10th, 1923- The Beer Hall Putsch

Disclaimer : This five-part series details events from World War II, written as diary entries in the voice of Adolf Hitler.

Since the inception of the Weimar Republic four years ago, my homeland of Germany has been in total economic turmoil. By November 1923 the hyperinflation of the German Mark was astronomical; economic instability left Germans without pension funds savings accounts, which left them living in a state of destitute.

The German government reneged on paying the reparations to the French allowing for the occupation of the industrial region of Ruhr.

My countrymen and I felt the humiliation of the French occupation and the burdensome reparations which are all the mounting crimes caused by the November criminals “The Jews”. The inspiration for this putsch came from the Italian dictator Mussolini, as he was successful in taking down the Italian government that oppressed his people.

I was enraged on September 27, 1923, by Ritter von Kahr, after he was put in charge of the state of emergency powers when this was declared he showed to me that he was and not worthy to lead the revolution with us.

The pressure was mounting from Kampfbund leadership as the men became restless and ready to “undertake something” or become communist from lost of interest as Scheubner Richter put it.

It became apparent to me that on October 24 I could not persuade the likes of Lossow and Seiser to back the Kampfbund with the military and the police. Tensions flare between the Kampfbund and the Triumvirate, and by November 6 Triumvirate halted any thoughts of them showing opposition to the Berlin government. The military and the police say they will be backing Kahr for November 7, but he denied this to me and assisted to attend a November 8 meeting with the general state commissar. I called for a meeting with Kampfbund leadership to plan a November 8 putsch on the major cities of Bavaria. I felt that Kahr was a traitor, and I could not listen to Lossow and wait 14 days to implement the dictatorship, the time to strike was now.
On the evening of November 8 at 8:30 PM, Kahr was giving a speech at the Burgerbraukeller. I interrupted, arriving with 600-armed storm troopers carrying heavy machine guns.

I then stood on a chair and fired a shot from my pistol declaring that the revolution has begun.

I then made the declaration that no one in the hall had power anymore and I proclaim myself the leader of the new Reich government, and I named the head of my Army to be World War I veteran General Ludendorff. Things started turning for the worse when neither the Army nor the state police joined our revolution.

I did not want to make that declaration of being the new Reich Chancellor until November 9, which I regret not doing sooner. In the early hours of that morning the military and state police along with the Triumvirate declared to the public that they were completely against our putsch. We then made our way out to the Burgerbraukeller and marched down the street heading to the war ministry.

On our march through the streets is when shots were fired, lasting for about a minute and a half. In the commotion 14 of my fellow party members were killed as a gunfight ensued between ourselves and the police. As we were marching, my arms were linked with Edwin von Scheubner-Richter. As our arms were linked a shot was fired which I assumed was meant from me, but hit Scheubner-Richter and killed him instantly. During the commotion, I sustained an injury to my shoulder. I was lucky enough to be swept away from the scene by my comrades. I was then treated by Dr. Walter Schultz who was a member of the SA medical corps, this allowed me to get treated without the police being notified. The day November 10th left me totally depressed and dejected by the outcome of our putsch, soon after I was arrested for my participation in the failed revolution.

If you enjoyed my work