Empire in Progress

Chapter 13: Beer Hall*(2)

Views:

Ludendorff arrived as soon as Hitler returned to them. He was furious that Hitler had kept him in the dark and was furious at the assignment that made Hitler, not Ludendorff, German dictator and commanded a non-existent army. But he controlled himself. He said that this was a national matter and he could only advise others to cooperate. Hitler added: "We can no longer look back, our actions have already marked the pages of world history." Lossov later denied that he had responded by saying: "I will take your Excellency's wishes as orders." But Ludendorff intervention played a decisive role. When Karl still objected, Hitler used all his magic powers. He said: "If your Majesty allows me, I will immediately drive to see His Majesty (Crown Crown Prince of Bavaria Lubberecht) and tell him: The German people have risen up and made up for the unfair treatment suffered by your Majesty's late father. ” After hearing these words, even Karl surrendered and agreed to cooperate and serve as the king’s representative. They achieved a semblance of unity and marched back into the hall. They each spoke briefly at the podium, pledged allegiance and shook each other's hands as the audience jumped into their seats and cheered wildly. Hitler was overjoyed and relieved, and said excitedly: "I will fulfill the oath I made five years ago when I was temporarily blind in the military hospital: I will work tirelessly and tirelessly until the government of sinners in November. Until a strong, free and glorious Germany is built again on the tragic ruins of today's Germany." As soon as he finished his speech, the entire venue erupted into slogans of "Germany above all else."

At around 11 o'clock in the morning on November 9th—that day happened to be the National Day of the German Republic founded in 1919—three thousand Hitler's followers gathered outside the beer hall again. The unbridled procession, led by Hitler, Göring and the famous General Enrique Ludendorff, marched towards the center of Munich. They were stopped by the police on the road, and Göring jumped out of the crowd and threatened to kill the hostages he had held the night before. The police had no choice but to move out of the way and let them proceed. But as they prepared to assemble from the narrow streets to Munich's spacious Opera Square, they were once again blocked by police. "Don't shoot!" shouted one of Hitler's bodyguards, "His Excellency General Ludendorff is here!" Hitler waved the revolver in his hand and kept shouting "Surrender! Surrender!" No one knows yet. Who fired the first shot? But just after the gunshot, both sides fired bullets. Göring was shot in the thigh and calf. Hitler pressed his body against the pavement and was not injured. The future Chancellor of the Third Reich was the first to run for his life. When the procession approached the police blockade, he used his left arm to hold Hitler's right arm, and when the latter fell to the ground, he pulled Hitler down with him. Perhaps Hitler thought he was injured. He felt a sharp pain and later discovered that he had dislocated his shoulder. But the fact remains that, according to the testimony of Dr. Walter Schulz, a follower of his own party who was also present at the march (and corroborated by other witnesses), Hitler "was the first to jump up and run backwards." , leaving his dead and injured companions lying in the street. He boarded a car waiting nearby and drove at once to Hanfstengl's country house in Schönfen, where he was nursed by Putz's wife and sister, and where, two days later, he He was arrested. In this conflict, 16 Nazis and 3 policemen were killed.

Bavarian dignitaries were gathering here that night. But the coup ultimately failed, Hitler was arrested, and the Weimar Republic government smashed the Nazi Party headquarters and sealed the party newspaper "Volkswahersobserver."

After the failure of the Beer Hall Putsch, the Nazi Party was ordered to disband. Some of its leaders were arrested, some rebelled, and some fled abroad. The Nazi movement fell into a low ebb.

Only one day later, news of the beer hall coup reached Essen. Lin Wei learned the news while having lunch with his parents. Gustav and Berta did not pay too much attention to it. I don’t know how many incidents have occurred in Germany this year. Lin Wei knew that Hitler was by no means one of those temporary figures, but Lin Wei told himself not to be anxious, now was not the time, Lin Wei was waiting.

Lin Wei was waiting, and so was Hitler. Hitler was a clever man who was accustomed to speculation. He saw that his trial would not only not ruin his future, but would provide him with a new forum in which he could not only discredit the Bavarian military authorities who had arrested him, but more importantly, he could For the first time, he was able to make himself famous beyond Bavaria, and spread throughout Germany and even the world. He was fully aware that in addition to major German newspapers, newspapers from all over the world had sent reporters to Munich to cover the trial.

Lin Wei told Gustav that he would go to Stark's house in Munich to visit his classmates. Although Gustav didn't know why Lin Wei went all the way to Munich, he still agreed to Lin Wei's trip to Munich. Lin Wei immediately rushed to Munich from Essen and stayed with the Stark family. On February 26, 1924, all of Munich and even the entire Bavarian Federation paid attention to this day. Lin Wei also rushed to Munich early to wait for the special court. The trial of Hitler.

Although Ludendorff was the most prominent of the ten prisoners in the dock, Hitler immediately shifted public attention to himself. He was the center of attention in the courtroom throughout. Hitler's first speech took four hours, but Hitler faced the judges and representatives of the world press and proudly declared: "I alone bear full responsibility for the coup. But I do not become a criminal because of this. If "I stand here today as a revolutionary. I am a revolutionary who opposes the revolution. Opposing the traitors of 1918 is not treason at all."

If it is treason, then the three men who led the Bavarian government, the army and the police, and the three men who conspired with him to oppose the national republican government are also guilty and should stand in the dock with him instead of as The main accuser took the witness stand. Hitler said: "One thing is certain, Losov, Karl and Sessel have the same goal as ours - to overthrow the national government... If our cause is indeed treason, then throughout this period Losov, Karl and Sessel must have been with us for treason, for during these weeks we had nothing to talk about but the object for which we are now being tried." Hitler very cunningly turned the tables on the treason, and made the culprits feel guilty. , the restless Bavarian Big Three are at a disadvantage.

It's hard for these three to deny this because it's the reality. Faced with Hitler's challenge, Karl and Sessel remained silent, and only General Losov defended himself boldly. "I'm not a desperado," he told the court. "I hold a high position in the state government." The general expressed disapproval of the former corporal who, driven by arrogant ambition, wanted to hold the Army and the state together. All the contempt of the frustrated politician was vented by the leader's nose. He said how quickly the ambitions of this shameless demagogue developed. Not many days ago, he expressed his willingness to just act as a "drummer" in the patriotic movement! 

Just a drummer? Hitler knew how to answer: "What a narrow vision a villain has! Believe me, I don't think getting a ministerial post is a goal worth striving for. I don't think going down in history as a minister is the right thing to do." It is not something that a great man should strive for. If so, you are in danger of being buried with other ministers. My goal from the beginning was 1000 times higher than being a minister. I want to be the destroyer of Marxism . I have to complete this task, and once I complete this task, the title of minister will be just a ridiculous title to me."

Hitler, who spoke like a sword, cited the example of the musician Wagner. "When I first stood in front of Richard Wagner's tomb, I couldn't help but stand in awe of him because he did not allow the inscription on his tombstone to be inscribed 'Grave of His Excellency Baron Richard von Wagner, Privy Councilor and Music Director'. I respect him because he, like so many others in German history, contributed to history without claiming any title. My willingness to be a drummer in those days was not out of modesty. It was the highest wish. --The rest are insignificant."

Others attacked him for wanting to make the leap from drummer to dictator. He didn't want to deny it. Hitler said: "A person who is born to be a dictator is not forced to do so. That is his desire. He is not driven forward by others, but drives himself forward. There is nothing arrogant about this." Is a worker who works hard at heavy labor proud? Is a person who has the brain of a thinker, thinks day and night, and invents for the world arrogant? Anyone who feels that he has a natural obligation to govern the people of a country has no right to do so. Say, 'If called upon, I will obey.' No! Stand up without hesitation."