Weimar Germany: Kapp Putsch 1920 May 2026

: Under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forced to reduce its army to 100,000 men. When the government ordered the disbandment of the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt , a powerful Freikorps (paramilitary) unit, its leaders rebelled.

: 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. WEIMAR GERMANY: Kapp Putsch 1920

: Many right-wing nationalists believed the military had been "stabbed in the back" by socialist and Jewish politicians at home. : Under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was

Weimar Germany: The Kapp Putsch of 1920 The of March 1920 was a right-wing coup attempt aimed at overthrowing the fledgling Weimar Republic and establishing an autocratic government. While the coup successfully seized control of Berlin for several days, it ultimately collapsed due to a massive general strike and the refusal of the civil service to cooperate. 1. Origins and Causes He was supported by General Walther von Lüttwitz,

: Without a functioning infrastructure or economy, the Putsch leaders could not govern. Kapp fled to Sweden on March 17, just four days after the coup began. 4. Consequences and Historical Significance

The Putsch exposed the fragile nature of the Weimar Republic and the deep-seated divisions within German society.

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 .