How did tensions between the Bavarian government and Berlin contribute to the Beer Hall Putsch?

The tensions between the Bavarian government and the central government in Berlin were a primary catalyst for the Beer Hall Putsch. Throughout the early 1920s, Bavaria served as a stronghold for right-wing, anti-republican forces that frequently defied the Weimar Republic authorities.1

The conflict reached a critical point in 1923 when Reich Chancellor Gustav Stresemann ended passive resistance to the Ruhr occupation. This decision sparked outrage in Bavaria, leading the state government to appoint Gustav, Ritter von Kahr as Generalstaatskommissar with dictatorial powers, bypassing consultation with Berlin.2

Bavaria’s defiance included:
* Open Disobedience: The state government refused to carry out Reich orders, including measures against the Nazi Party.2
* Military Conflict: Bavarian authorities attempted to detach the local army corps from its allegiance to the Reich, with Gen. Otto von Lossow refusing orders from his superiors in Berlin.2
* Political Shelter: Bavaria provided a refuge for extreme right-wing groups and paramilitary organizations that sought to overthrow the republic.21

These tensions created an environment of instability that Adolf Hitler and Erich Ludendorff sought to exploit, hoping to use the Bavarian government's defiance as a springboard for a national revolution against Berlin.23