The Bund Bayern und Reich ("League for Bavaria and Empire", or "Bavaria and Empire League") was a right-wing paramilitary organization based in Bavaria during the Weimar Republic. It became the largest of such organizations in Bavaria throughout the 1920s.
Following the chaos of the November Revolution, and due to the inefficiency of the defeated German army, Einwohnerwehr ("civilian militia", or "civil guard") groups were formed to suppress the revolting Soviet Republics, as well as combat looting and sabotage. The Einwohnerwehr became a powerful force, owning the weapons depots and rising to a membership of 300,000 in Bavaria alone. [1]
The government later ordered those units dissolved after pressure from the Allies in 1921, and Einwohnerwehr began to form various paramilitary groups. [2] One of the primary successors of the Einwohnerwehr was the Bund Bayern und Reich, formed in 1922. Leadership was initially held by Dr. Georg Escherich and Hermann Kriebel; however these two men, believing themselves too conspicuous, gave command to Dr. Otto Pittinger. [3] Pittinger, a physician who had served as a medical officer in World War I, had formerly led the Organization Pittinger, which protected secret weapon depots owned by Einwohnerwehr. [1] Escherich and Kriebel had hoped Pittinger to be just a front man for them; however, with support from Gustav von Kahr, Pittinger soon became the true leader of the organization. [4]
Bayern und Reich supported pro-monarchist efforts, antisemitism, and sought to fight Marxist elements in Bavaria. It promoted a return to the borders of the German Empire, Christian traditions, and freedom from the limits placed on Germany by the Versailles Treaty. Membership was limited to "Aryans". [5] Their slogan was, "First the Homeland, then the World!" [6]
Among the various "Fatherland societies" that sprung up during this time period, Bayern und Reich was, despite some of its more extreme views, decidedly center. While ready to work through legal or semi-legal methods, it was not above using lobbying tactics or even blackmail. Likewise, while it held nationalist views, it likewise attempted to maintain some of the history and tradition of old Bavaria. [7] This included the restoration of the Bavarian monarchy, [8] and hence they were loyal to the House of Wittelsbach. [9] Over time, many within Bayern und Reich began to push for a separation of Bavaria from Germany until Bolshevism could be countered. [9] [10] Inspiration to split from Berlin was also inspired by the German government's willingness to comply with the Allied demands that the Einwohnerwehr be dissolved. [6]
The organization was divided between political and military sub-organizations that were for the most part semi-autonomous. [11] Pittinger ran both the civilian and military activities of the organization, but was advised on military matters by retired lieutenant colonel Paul Schmitt. [12] The military units under Bayern und Reich command were likewise the largest in Bavaria: six infantry regiments, ten signal troops, twelve-and-a-half artillery batteries and one platoon, twenty infantry battalions, sixty-five infantry companies, and the same number of "cadre" units. [13] The organization also had the largest number of arms and weaponry than any other group, with over 65,000 rifles and 1200 machine guns alone. [14]
In the social make-up of Bayern und Reich, the leaders were generally older and better established in life, both in regards to a civilian or military past. It held close connections with wealthy and powerful sponsors, especially those business owners and industrialists who needed protection from leftist rioters. The organization likewise drew many more peasants than the more radical groups, and even attracted such a large group of workers that some left-wing groups complained of Bayern und Reich's reaching power among the working class. [15]
Much of Pittinger's power came from the support of Ritter von Mohl, commanding general of Reichswehr forces in Bavaria. Von Mohl refused to arm or train groups other than Bayern und Reich, hence the need for unity under the organization. [16] However, in 1922 von Mohl was removed from command because of his political activities, and the primary force behind Bayern und Reich's unity was taken away. [17]
That same year, division was becoming most visible within the organization between right-monarchist factions calling for the restoration of the Wittlesbachs, and the right-radical factions focusing on racial purity and nationalism. [18] The latter factions were largely led by Ernst Röhm and Adolf Heiss. Pittinger and Röhm both had misgivings about the current Weimar government; however, whereas Pittinger was willing to work within the system for change (or as much as was possible), Röhm saw revolution as the only possible policy. [2] The two men continued to clash over various issues, until finally Pittinger accused Röhm of misappropriating goods and funds given for the administration of the Bavarian state, the Reichswehr, and Bayern und Reich. Röhm responded by accusing Pittinger of cowardice and unpatriotic behavior. Finally, Röhm and Heiss split from Bayern und Reich in 1923 and formed the Reichsflagge. Several other, smaller factions split from Bayern und Reich shortly thereafter. [19]
Despite the various splits, Bayern und Reich continued to be the largest paramilitary organization in Bavaria, as well as the one with the most significant position within Bavaria; [12] in the summer of 1923, it boasted nearly 57,000 members in its ranks, [5] with over 37,000 members of military service. [13]
At the death of Ludwig III, the last Bavarian monarch, some Bavarians believed that Bayern und Reich would use the situation to start what became nicknamed the Königsputsch ("King Coup"). Reportedly, there was some activity towards this, but the intervention of Crown Prince Rupprecht prevented it. [5]
At the beginning of 1922, Ritter von Kahr was forced to step down as Minister President of Bavaria, and he was replaced by the mild conservative Graf von Lerchenfeld-Köfering. After the assassination of Walther Rathenau, the Jewish foreign minister, the federal government passed the Law for the Protection of the Republic, which increased the punishments for politically motivated acts of violence and banned organizations that opposed the constitutional republican form of government along with their printed material and meetings. Many in right-wing organizations saw their existence threatened. Lerchenfeld, under pressure from the right-wing groups, passed its own Bavarian decree. The federal government reached an agreement that gave Bavaria more control over the cases covered by the law. [20] Bavaria in turn withdrew its own decree, further angering the right-wing groups. [21]
Dissatisfied with the current state of Bavarian politics, and seeking to place von Kahr in control, Pittinger plotted a coup in July 1922. This collapsed in the face of opposition from those in the Reichswehr, including Franz von Epp and the militant Bund Overland. [22]
In August 1922, Pittinger and several other right-wing leaders met at a huge rally in Munich. The rally was entitled For Germany - Against Berlin, and was resolved to defeat "Jewish Bolshevism" seemingly being protected by the government. Among those present was Adolf Hitler, the recently appointed chairman of the quickly growing NSDAP. Hitler's group consisted only in 800 SA men, while Pittinger was present with 30,000. [23] Pittinger hoped to launch a putsch to overthrow the Bavarian government, followed by the Reich government. Hitler, eager to see the Weimar Republic overthrown, agreed to support the coup.
Pittinger, however, began to have misgivings about his putsch, largely stemming from his inability to obtain support from certain sectors. On the eve of the coup, Hitler sent Kurt Ludecke throughout North Germany, alerting nationalists to the upcoming uprising. When Ludecke drove back to Pittinger's place, he found the Bayern und Reich chairman coming out of his house. According to Ludecke, he asked Pittinger, "Is this the coup d'état?" Pittinger simply ignored him, got in his car, and drove off to a vacation in the Alps. In the end, only the National Socialists were ready to march. [24]
Beside Pittinger's withdrawal, the Bayern und Reich putsch failed for a number of reasons: the embarrassing revelation that some conspirators had taken French funds; [22] the discovery of the plan by the police; and a lack of coherency among the various right-wing groups about end goals (e.g., some wanted to restore the Bavarian monarchy, some wanted to unite with Austria in a Catholic state, etc.). [25] Hitler was especially angered by the debacle, both from Pittinger's last-minute withdrawal, as well as the problem of handling various factions. He told Ludecke:
I was ready - my men were ready! From now on I go my way alone. No more Pittingers, no more Fatherland societies! One party. One single party. These gentlemen, these counts and generals - they won't do anything. I shall. I alone. [24]
Hitler began to plan his own putsch. Emotions grew with the French invasion of the Ruhr valley, and the seeming weakness of the federal government. With the fear of an uprising from Hitler growing among many in Bavaria, Pittinger promised von Kahr and other leaders that Bayern und Reich would stand with the government. [26] During the putsch itself, Pittinger would go on to warn regiment units in Chiemgau, as well as the Bezirksamt ("district office"), of Hitler's actions. [27]
In the aftermath of the failed putsch, Bayern und Reich continued to distance itself from the more revolutionary elements, and began to cooperate more closely with other monarchist organizations. [1] Because it didn't participate in the putsch, it held its legal status, and continued to be a powerful support base for von Kahr's government, though Pittinger expressed dissatisfaction that von Kahr did not assume full dictatorial powers. [28] The league's moderate politics, while losing members to more radical groups, kept it closely connected with the government and Reichswehr. [29]
As the organization grew, the military wing required a more elaborate form of leadership; retired general Otto von Stetten was placed in charge of the military branch in 1923, with Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Preitner serving as his assistant. In June of that year, retired general Ludwig von Tutschek replaced von Stetten. Conflict quickly rose between Pittinger and von Tutschek, due largely to the fact that the power of the military leader was never properly outlined. While Pittinger saw himself as the sole leader of Bayern und Reich, von Tutschek demanded full autonomy over all military concerns. As a result, difficulties grew in the organization, and local branches became more and more difficult to maintain. [12] Ammunition and arms also became a problem, especially after the departure of Röhm, so that at some point Tutschek was eventually told by General Kaiser that Bayern und Reich was now the worst armed of all the paramilitary groups. [14]
Pittinger died while on a return trip from the Adriatic sea in 1926. [30] He was replaced by von Stetten, who was a much weaker leader and organizer than Pittinger. Membership began to drop. [5] The remainder of Bayern und Reich eventually merged with the quickly growing Der Stahlhelm ("The Steel helmet") organization in 1929. The absorption by Stalhlem of Bayern und Reich transformed it from a negligible factor in Bavarian politics into a powerful bloc. [31] The Stahlhelm would eventually merge with the SA in 1935. [1]
The Night of the Long Knives, also called the Röhm purge or Operation Hummingbird, was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2 July 1934. Chancellor Adolf Hitler, urged on by Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler, ordered a series of political extrajudicial executions intended to consolidate his power and alleviate the concerns of the German military about the role of Ernst Röhm and the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazis' paramilitary organization, known colloquially as "Brownshirts". Nazi propaganda presented the murders as a preventive measure against an alleged imminent coup by the SA under Röhm – the so-called Röhm Putsch.
The Sturmabteilung was the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and early 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for Nazi rallies and assemblies, disrupting the meetings of opposing parties, fighting against the paramilitary units of the opposing parties, especially the Roter Frontkämpferbund of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) and the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), and intimidating Romani, trade unionists, and especially Jews.
The Beer Hall Putsch, also known as the Munich Putsch, was a failed coup d'état by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff and other Kampfbund leaders in Munich, Bavaria, on 8–9 November 1923, during the Weimar Republic. Approximately two thousand Nazis marched on the Feldherrnhalle, in the city centre, but were confronted by a police cordon, which resulted in the deaths of 15 Nazis, four police officers, and one bystander.
Ernst Julius Günther Röhm was a German military officer and a leading member of the Nazi Party. Initially a close friend and early ally of Adolf Hitler, Röhm was the co-founder and leader of the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazi Party's original paramilitary wing, which played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power. He served as chief of the SA from 1931 until his murder in 1934 during the Night of the Long Knives.
Reichswehr was the official name of the German armed forces during the Weimar Republic and the first years of the Third Reich. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Imperial German Army was dissolved in order to be reshaped into a peacetime army. From it a provisional Reichswehr was formed in March 1919. Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, the rebuilt German Army was subject to severe limitations in size, structure and armament. The official formation of the Reichswehr took place on 1 January 1921 after the limitations had been met. The German armed forces kept the name Reichswehr until Adolf Hitler's 1935 proclamation of the "restoration of military sovereignty", at which point it became part of the new Wehrmacht.
The Bavarian People's Party was a Catholic political party in Bavaria during the Weimar Republic. After the collapse of the German Empire in 1918, it split away from the national-level Catholic Centre Party and formed the BVP in order to pursue a more conservative and particularist Bavarian course. It consistently had more seats in the Bavarian state parliament than any other party and provided all Bavarian minister presidents from 1920 on. In the national Reichstag it remained a minor player with only about three percent of total votes in all elections. The BVP disbanded shortly after the Nazi seizure of power in early 1933.
The Kampfbund ("Battle-league") was a league of nationalist fighting societies and the German National Socialist Party in Bavaria, Germany, in the 1920s. It included Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party (NSDAP) and its Sturmabteilung (SA), the Oberland League and the Bund Reichskriegsflagge. Hitler was its political leader, while Hermann Kriebel led its militia.
Hermann Ehrhardt was a German naval officer in World War I who became an anti-republican and anti-Semitic German nationalist Freikorps leader during the Weimar Republic. As head of the Marine Brigade Ehrhardt, he was among the best-known Freikorps leaders in the immediate postwar years. The brigade fought against the local soviet republics that arose during the German Revolution of 1918–1919 and later was among the key players in the anti-democratic Kapp Putsch of March 1920. After the brigade's forced disbanding, Ehrhardt used the remnants of his unit to found the Organisation Consul, a secret group that committed numerous politically motivated assassinations. After it was banned in 1922, Ehrhardt formed other less successful groups such as the Bund Viking. Because of his opposition to Adolf Hitler, Ehrhardt was forced to flee Germany in 1934 and lived apolitically in Austria until his death in 1971.
Gustav Ritter von Kahr was a German jurist and right-wing politician. During his career he was district president of Upper Bavaria, Bavarian minister president and, from September 1923 to February 1924, Bavarian state commissioner general with dictatorial powers. In that role he openly opposed the government of the Weimar Republic in several instances, including by ceasing to enforce the Law for the Protection of the Republic. He was also making plans with General Otto von Lossow and Bavarian police commander Hans von Seisser to topple the Reich government in Berlin. In November 1923, before they could act, Adolf Hitler instigated the Beer Hall Putsch. The three turned against Hitler and helped stop the attempted coup. After being forced to resign as state commissioner general in 1924, Kahr served as president of the Bavarian Administrative Court until 1930. Because of his actions during the Beer Hall Putsch, he was murdered during the Nazi purge known as the Night of the Long Knives in June 1934.
Colonel Hans Ritter von Seisser was the head of the Bavarian State Police in 1923.
Adolf Hühnlein was a German soldier and Nazi Party (NSDAP) official. He was the Korpsführer of the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK) from 1933 until his death in 1942.
Otto Hermann von Lossow was a Bavarian Army and then German Army officer who played a prominent role in the events surrounding the attempted Beer Hall Putsch by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in November 1923.
Ernst Pöhner was Munich's Chief of Police from 1919 to 1922. He was a vigorous anti-communist and anti-Semite who was in office when Bavarian Minister President Gustav Ritter von Kahr had Ostjuden, or "Eastern Jews", expelled from Bavaria. As part of an anti-Semitic campaign throughout Germany in 1920, Kahr ordered the mass expulsion from Bavaria of the so-called Eastern Jews, many of whom had lived there for generations.
The Freikorps Oberland was a voluntary paramilitary organization that, in the early years of the Weimar Republic, fought against communist and Polish insurgents. It was successful in the 1921 Battle of Annaberg and became the core of the Sturmabteilung (SA) in Bavaria while several members later turned against the Nazis.
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Otto Pittinger was a Bavarian medical officer, politician and soldier. He was an influential leader in Bavarian politics during the early days of the Weimar Republic, and was leader of the Bund Bayern und Reich.
The Einwohnerwehr, or "Citizens' Defense," also called the Civil Guard or Civil Defense, was a far-right paramilitary in Weimar Germany that existed in violation of the Treaty of Versailles from the German Revolution of 1918-19 until 29 June 1921. It was established with the goal of defending Germany against Communist uprisings and foreign attacks, though it was also hostile to the Weimar Republic. It was based in Bavaria, where anti-Berlin and anti-republican sentiment attracted such activity. On 29 June 1921 the German government gave in to Allied demands and dissolved the Citizens' Defense. Its militants moved on to fight in other far-right paramilitaries with similar goals.
Ludwig Ernst August Schneidhuber was a German military officer and an SA-Obergruppenführer in the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazi Party's paramilitary organization. He held several high-level SA commands and was the Police President in Munich. He was murdered along with many other SA leaders in the Night of the Long Knives.
Wilhelm Schmid was a German military officer and an SA-Gruppenführer in the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazi Party's paramilitary organization. He held high level positions in the Supreme SA Leadership and as an SA field commander in Bavaria. From 1933 to 1934, Schmid also was a deputy of the Reichstag. He was arrested and executed during the Night of the Long Knives.
Fritz Ritter von Kraußer, born Friedrich Wilhelm Kraußer, was a German military officer who was a highly decorated veteran of the First World War. He later became an SA-Obergruppenführer in the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazi Party's paramilitary organization. Kraußer was also a deputy of the Reichstag. He was murdered along with many other SA leaders in the Night of the Long Knives.
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