I saw Hitlers rout at Munich.
8 November 1923, is celebrated by the Nazi party as the anniversary
of the first putsch in Munich in 1923. The following dramatic
story told by Elizabeth Castonier, who witnessed the rout
of
Hitler
and his followers, is reproduced from the Evening Standard.
Nobody in Munich took much notice of a man called
Adolf
Hitler in 1923. I used to see him marching through the
streets, followed by a straggling band of youngsters. These
boys, and a few disgruntled men were the only people who would
listen to his harangues, chiefly against the Jews. Friends
of mine in Munich, had a son who joined the Hitler partly.
It was called the Nazionalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei
(abbreviated NSDAP). He was 16 and have a party card, of which
he was very proud. He was a nice boy, not very strong but
filled with idealism. I remember one day early in November
1923 he came home and told his mother that he needed a new
pair of shoes. Very strong shoes. He said. Also he would need
some hard-boiled eggs, a loaf of bread and a great sausage.
You going away for the weekend, skiing ? Asked his mother.
The boy answered seriously, no, not this time. We are marching
to Berlin, to upset the government and to kill the Jews !
Silly boy. His mother replied. But she promised him all he
asked, for she thought he was going on some boyish excursion
with other youngsters of the
Hitler
party. A day or two later, it was 8 November 1923, we were
returning home about 2200 hrs in the evening. The most important
street in Munich Ludwigstrasse, was empty. But from the distance
we could hear singing, and the Tramp of marching feet. And
suddenly, from a side street, there emerged a group of young
men with flags, rucksacks, sticks and carrying old-fashioned
rifles. They marched right up to the Ministry of War. The
door opened a very old man, a porter, put his head out. Yelling
and shouting, the boys poured in. While we watched, some of
them were posted in the entrance, others dragging an old rusty
machine-gun, barred side of the road, but most of them surrounded
the building and stood motionless, sticks or guns across their
shoulders. We tried to find out what was happening. The party
has overthrown the Bavarian government, one of the older ones
told us.
Adolf
Hitler has ordered us to take over the Ministry and the
guarded against enemies. We shrugged our shoulders and went
home. Did nobody in Munich, could believe that all this was
serious. At midday,
Hitler
and his followers marched bravely through Munich. There were
youngsters, young men and older men, carrying banners, sticks
and rifles. In the forefront marched General
Erich
von Ludendorff. Next came
Adolf
Hitler,
Hermann
Göring and
Rudolf
Hess all shouting commands. It was supposed to be the
march on Berlin. the German army. As
Erich
von Ludendorff approached the Feldhernhalle, he saw the
troops drawn up. Machine guns and the tank. Halt came the
command to the Nazi's. Holds all we fire! The mob marched
on. The soldiers, and the armed police fired. The procession
fell flat on the ground some of them dead.
A few minutes later three figures, got up and fled, leaving
their followers to themselves. They were
Adolf
Hitler,
Hermann
Göring and
Rudolf
Hess. Only
Erich
von Ludendorff marched on. There was panic. We saw those
bewildered children, some only 15 years old, much to the steps
of the Feldhernhalle some tried to break through the line
of death spitting machine guns and were killed. Some tried
to get into the palace, but found the gates closed in their
faces. In a few minutes, the soldiers had cleared the whole
place. Only the dead were left.
It was not yet all over. There were still those left in the
conquered Ministry of War office. Half a dozen of them, from
16 to 20 years of age, and half dead with fatigue, were still
holding out on their posts they did not know their leader
had quit.
From a side street, a tank appeared. An elderly officer, with
many medals climbed out and walked towards the boys, ignoring
the old machine gun they had posted in front of the building.
Gentleman he said, it is no use trying to resist. An old machine
gun, let me see oh my God, the oldest model can't fight against
a tank. You are very brave men. Come along. Your leader has
fled, has run away. The whole joke is over. Resistance useless.
Go home to your parents. The man who spoke was General Franz
Ritter von Epp. Years later, he was to be governor of
Bavaria, under
Adolf
Hitler.
My friend's son got home, in the late afternoon. He did not
say where he had been. Never again did he mention this march
on Berlin. He was disgusted that the man who had promised
them honour have run away.
Other:
Articles:
The Second Great War.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
The War Illustrated.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
2194 Days Of War.
ISBN-10: 086136614X
For a complete list of
sources
