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The years 1919–1923 were a period of almost continuous crisis. Understanding why the Republic survived is just as important as understanding the threats it faced.
Key Definition: A putsch is an attempted seizure of power by a small group using force. Germany experienced several putsches between 1919 and 1923.
When the government tried to disband Freikorps brigades, Wolfgang Kapp and General von Luttwitz declared a new government. The army refused to intervene — General von Seeckt: 'Reichswehr does not fire on Reichswehr.' The putsch was defeated by a general strike called by trade unions and the SPD.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Defeated by | General strike by workers and trade unions |
| Aftermath | Few participants punished |
| Significance | Exposed anti-democratic sympathies of military and judiciary |
Exam Tip: The Kapp Putsch shows the greatest threat came from the right. Spartacists were brutally suppressed while Kapp's co-conspirators went unpunished.
Between 1919 and 1922: 376 political assassinations — 354 by the right, 22 by the left.
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