{"id":1964,"date":"2018-01-21T11:19:02","date_gmt":"2018-01-21T11:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?page_id=1964"},"modified":"2026-05-06T16:36:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T16:36:35","slug":"kapp-putsch","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/european-history\/weimar-nazi-germany\/kapp-putsch\/","title":{"rendered":"Kapp Putsch. Freikorps attempt to seize control"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Kapp Putsch.\u00a0In March of 1920 a right wing group, led by Wolfgang Kapp rose in Berlin. This group consisted of members of the paramilitary Freikorps. The Kapp Putsch gained support from leading members of the military such as General Ludendorff. It was particularly challenging for the Interim Government<\/a> led by Ebert to deal with as they could not be certain of the support of the armed forces.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wolfgang Kapp and the Putsch of 1920<\/h3>\n

Kapp was a right wing journalist who opposed the government on the grounds that he held it responsible for the humiliating\u00a0Treaty of Versailles<\/a>. Many believed that it was left wing politicians who were responsible for the collapse of the Second Reich<\/a>. This view was shared by many leading officers of the German Army, who Kapp turned to for support. Two significant officers chose to support Kapp, General Luddwitz and General Ludendorff. On 13th March, Luddwitz and Kapp orchestrated an uprising in Berlin. The Kapp Putsch was initially succesful in it’s aims. Troops sympathetic to the uprising took control of Berlin and a Right Wing Government was proclaimed by Luddwitz.<\/p>\n

\"Kapp<\/a>
Kapp Putsch. Sign reads: Stop! Anyone who passes will be shot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

President Ebert forced to relocate Government<\/h3>\n

Ebert, the president, was forced to leave Berlin. The government could not be sure of support from the army, though much of the officer corps had not joined the uprising, nor could he utilise the Freikorps as had been done with success against the\u00a0Spartacist’s<\/a>. On this occasion Ebert turned to the ordinary people and called for a General Strike. This, if successful, would make it impossible for the uprising to succeed as they would not have the means to manage the people.<\/p>\n

Why did the Government of Germany relocate to Weimar in 1920?<\/h3>\n

On 17 March 1920 Kapp and Luddwitz fled Berlin, the strike having been successful in making the uprising unfeasible. However, despite the relative short period of time that Kapp had control of Berlin, the uprising did make several things clear:<\/p>\n