A Brief History
On November 8, 1923, a World War I decorated disaffected and discontent German veteran led his Nazi Party followers in an unsuccessful coup against the German Weimar government, an event known to history as The Munich Beer Hall Putsch. The failure of this attempted coup resulted in Adolf Hitler being convicted of treason and sentenced to prison where he wrote his Nazi bible, Mein Kampf. Despite a five year sentence, Hitler served only 9 months in jail and on his release resumed his quest for power at the head of the Nazi Party. Would Hitler and the Nazis have ended up in power without this experience? Maybe, maybe not. That is more grist for the “What If” mill. As it was, the Nazis and Hitler did take power in 1933 and before being deposed in 1945 had caused a war that cost more lives than any other war in history (perhaps 60 to 80 million lives).
Digging Deeper
November 8, 1923 became a sacred date in the timeline of Nazi history, and on the 10 year anniversary of this event, in 1933, the Nazi propaganda machine released the Munich exhibition, Der Ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew).
Hitler and the Nazi Party had taken control of Germany in 1933, and this degenerate exhibition of art depicting Jews in stereotypical and unflattering ways (cartoonishly ridiculous caricatures) set the tone for the Nazi vision of eventually attempting to eradicate Jews from Germany and Europe. This was just one of the many events designed to create anti-Jewish fervor among the German people as a tool to unite the masses behind the Nazi Party and Hitler. Over 2 million Germans attended the exhibition! Seriously, with such huge attendance the world had to take note of this bizarre preoccupation with anti-Jewish government sanctioned hate. And yet, civilized world powers did nothing to prevent the tragedy that would follow. The Nazi regime (Reich) managed to kill around 6 million Jews before the war was over.
On November 8, 1939, shortly after World War II in Europe had started, Hitler and top Nazi officials were in Munich for the annual Beer Hall Putsch anniversary, when a leftist trade unionist (carpenter) German failed in his plot to blow up the top Nazis, including Hitler. Johann Georg Elser, then 30 years old, saw Hitler and his henchmen as sure to bring war and doom to Germany, and thought the only way to solve this situation would be to kill these top Nazis. Interestingly, he later stated he did not mean to topple the Nazi regime, just get rid of the extremist Nazi leadership. Elser scoped out the site of the annual remembrance ceremonies in Munich in 1938, taking photos and planning his attack. Over the next year he worked in an armaments factory and over time stole a large quantity of explosive cartridges and detonators. Elser built and tested bombs, and when satisfied with his design, went to Munich and staged his hidden bomb a week in advance. On November 4 and 5, 1939, Elser attended a dance party at the site, allowing him to place the clock timers on the explosives. On November 6, Elser left for Stuttgart so as not to be in the area when the great event took place. Hitler and his entourage ruined Elser’s careful plans by starting and stopping Hitler’s speech earlier than scheduled because of war planning pressing concerns. Only 13 minutes after Hitler and his buddies left, the bomb exploded as planned, with the expected force, and killed 8 people with another 63 injured. Casualties would have been higher, but many people had cleared the area when Hitler left. Hitler took his lucky escape as a sign from Providence proving he was chosen to lead Germany. Elser was arrested later that night and imprisoned, but not executed until April 9, 1945 in Dachau concentration camp, just before the end of the war in Europe. The Nazi government used the failed assassination attempt as an excuse to blame British spies for complicity in the plot.
The Nazi Germans and Adolf Hitler are remembered by history as one of the most iconic Evil Regimes to have existed. If Germany did not lose World War I, perhaps there would have been no Nazis and no Hitler. If Hitler had been killed during the Beer Hall Putsch, or if it had been successful, things may well have gone quite differently. If Elser and his bomb had been successful, the course of World War II may have been dramatically different. Question for students (and subscribers): Perhaps you would like to weigh in on some of the “What Ifs” involved? Please feel free to share your thoughts on this subject in the comments section below this article.
If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!
Your readership is much appreciated!
Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Charles River Editors. The Beer Hall Putsch: The History and Legacy of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party’s Failed Coup Attempt in 1923. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015.
Pridham, Geoffrey. Hitler’s Rise to Power: The Nazi Movement in Bavaria 1923-33. Lume Books, 2016.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="14878 https://www.historyandheadlines.com/?p=14878">85 Comments
I think it’s ridiculous how Hitler only had to stay in prison for 9 months when his sentence was for five years and it was rightfully sentenced.
Thinking about all of the possible “what ifs” really is intriguing. Like to think of Hitler being killed and possibly never gaining the control that he did. History would be dramatically different but it makes me wonder what other terrible things could have had the potential to come from that time.
There are so may things that could have changed history drastically if things like Hitler actually was assassinated
It’s just amazing to think how many people supported him and if they would have only known the destruction and killing he did. There’s just so many “what if’s” if only ones of those would have happened who knows how many lives could’ve been saved.
6 million Jewish people dead is absolutely awful.
It is disgusting how many Jews died during the holocaust. Hitler was a evil man.
I cannot fathom why people would follow and support such an evil person.
I have difficulty understanding Hitler and the Nazis hate for the Jewish people. I also do not understand why the world let this happen. Many countries including the U.S. did not want to become involved and because of their slowness to react over 6 millions Jewish peopled died.
I am actually fascinated at how Hitler could brain wash masses of people to follow such an evil plan.
I know that this wasn’t the only attempt on hitlers life, it just amazes me how close these people got to killing him.
Its amazing how many people actually followed Hitler, and believed his words.
It is insane to me that Hitler was released from prison after 9 months when he was sentenced 5 years. Maybe the outcome of Germany and the world would have been different if he would have served his full sentence.
I was not aware that Hitler had been convicted of treason and sentenced to prison where he wrote his Nazi bible. There are so many ‘ifs’ to think of that could have changed history and prevented the Holocaust from happening.
How sad and horrible. I agree with Lydia (see below), it is remarkable to think of there being so many “what if’s” surrounding Hitler.
I think that if Hitler would have finished his five year sentence history would be completely different. It may have prevented or delayed the Holocaust.
The idea of hitler being killed early would of changed the world we live in today, so many lives would of been saved
I was completely astonished when I read this article about Hitler. I had no idea he was sentenced and sent to prison to only be released early. To only think that the holocaust could have prevented if he was not released may have saved thousands of lives is sickening considering how horrible the Holocaust was.
When i think of hitler, stalin or any of his kind i get sick. Disgusted at how he treated people which he may have relate too. If he could just been stopped i wonder how it would impact our future but for every culture.
I think that it is unbelievable how Hitler, Stalin and their followers treated people. People often say that if it weren’t for the US then a majority of Europe would be speaking German right now. It makes me wonder if the US had not gotten involved in WWII what the outcome of central Europe would have been.
The Holocaust was a travesty!! It has to be the most evil event in history this far, although isis is pretty bad too. What if Hitler never had the chance to commit so many murders, how different the lives of six million and their families would be.
The Holocaust was one of the worse events in the history of the world. One thing that really struck out to me was that the article stated that if the Nazis did not lose World War 1, then Hitler may have not had the ability to kill the Jews. I think that this is really significant because it is something that many Americans forget about.
The fact that Hitler wrote a “Nazi Bible” during his time in prison is absolutely sickening. I will never understand what goes through the minds of horrible people like Hitler. I did not know that he only served 9 months in prison for all of the tragedy he caused. I feel that history would be much more different if he served the time that he deserved and a lot more families would not have been destroyed.
The holocaust was one of the most cruel events in history. It is interesting to think how history could have been different if that speech would have went that extra 13 minutes.
I cannot believe Hitler escaped from so many assignation attempts. It is very troubling to me that the Holocaust may have been nonexistent if Hitler was killed.
This article points out a lot of the what ifs? It is hard to think about how many near misses there were, or about how one different choice could have lead to a completely different story.
I heard about the Holocaust from my art class, we studied about the memorial museum, that was so harmful to see many Jewish people been killed at that time, and as I know, Hitler also has Jewish origins, why he could do the harmful thing to Jewish.
I have never been a big fan of the what if areas. This article was a very interesting article. I had taken a class in high school about the Holocaust, but we never discussed this event.
It is sad to read this article. Nazi is evil. A huge number of Jews were killed by Holocaust. This is a blasphemy against life. Hope we can remember this history and avoid to make the same mistake in the future.
Wow, I wonder what history would have looked like if Hitler would have been killed in the bombing.
This article points out a lot of the What Ifs and I wonder what the world would be like if Hitler had been killed in the bombing like Rose also mentioned.
I believe the holocaust was one of the worst things to happen in our world. It always surprises me hearing about the amount of people that agreed to it and followed Hitler.
It is crazy that when Hitler held the Nazi party and over 2 million German’s showed up. This really goes to show you how powerful Hitler was. It is hard to believe that one man had that much say and power over a nation of people
I liked learning more about Elser and his bomb, but I don’t think that it is necessary to think about the what if’s because what has happened, happened.
I think that if Hitler had been killed, another man would have taken his place and could have been a lot worse.
Hitler was a great speaker. If he wasn’t. Imagine how differently history would have been?
Hitler was very charismatic which I think is one of the many reasons he was able to gain control of Germany.
What a cruel way to try and kill someone. Just because you want someone dead doesn’t mean you should put everyone else there in danger, they are innocent people.
I think Hitler’s time in jail may have helped him because it gave him time to think and plan out what he wanted to do to Germany.
It would be incredible to be as influential and charismatic as Hitler to use for the better. I just find it horrible how other lives were risked as a part of the assassination attempt.
Hitler had such a great influence that if someone would have killed him his legacy would have went on and someone would have taken his place.
Hitler was a great leader and political figure, his ideas were just very absurd and corrupt.
Hitler’s crazy ideas are proven even more thinking he was chosen because he had missed the explosion.
Reading about all of the “what if’s” in this article was bizarre. Hitler escaped death, only to bring death to so many under his command.
A five year sentence turned into 9 months and then becoming head of the Nazi party sounds mildly corrupt.
I do wonder what would happen if something different would have happened to Hitler. Perhaps Nazi Germany would not have existed or been so evil.
It was a very sad and unfortunate time.
Good thinking Hitler, you were the chosen one to lead because you escaped death. Maybe I should lead since I have escaped death as well. His logic was blurred by his ego.
The world would be a different place had Hitler never come into power. The atrocities of the Shoah will always be remembered.
I agree it would be different if he wasn’t in charge.
I am in utter disbelief that it was acceptable to form a racist art exhibition at that point in time! What’s even more unbelievable is that it was highly attended by the public!
Truly horrific time in the German history. Unfortunate the bomb did not do its job.
ThIs was without a doubt a terrible time and person. It is interesting to think what the world would be without the German nazi power.
This was a terrible time and gad it still isn’t that way.
its hard to read what all Hitler and the Nazi’s did. I couldn’t imagine what the world would be like if it still was that way.
What ifs will drive you crazy. There were a hundred events that could have derailed the Nazi party and avoided the sensless death of millions.
It’s hard to wonder what would of happened if Hitler was where the bomb went off because if he died would another hateful person take his place.
You can’t help but to think what Germany would of been like without Hitler. I think Hitler should of served his full time in prison and maybe things would of turned out differently.
The Nazi party is comparable to the modern day Islamic extremist groups. The movement is so large and full of propaganda, no matter who is killed someone will fill their position. At the time Hitler took control, Germany was such a disaster, the people were just looking for a leader. If was not going to be Hitler, it was going to be someone else with the same ideology.
If Hitler would have been killed in the explosion things would have been different but who to say that someone else wouldn’t have stood up in his place and possibly be worse.
I cannot help but wonder if the assassination attempt was successful, if the higher ranks of the Nazi group would still have viewed it as a sign that they were to run Germany just as how Hitler seen it that he had that close of a call with the attempt..
I don’t like to what if, but if they would have kept Hitler lock up to served his full time, he might not had the influence he had over Germany. I just don’t understand why Hitler hated the Jewish people and how he could have turn so many German people against them.
Hitler was a horrible man! The world would have been much better off without him. If he had been killed at Beer Hall Putsch, the world would have been a better place.
To think what would have happened if hitler was killed really makes me think how things would be different.
Hittler may have been a horrible man, but you really can’t deny his accomplishments. It its amazing how he went from being an artist, serving in WWI only accomplishing a relatively low rank, working in intelligence after WWI rearranging the German military, to running Germany. Wether Hitler was a genius or not his ability to manipulate people, even though very perverse, truly worked in his favor in the political scene.
Had Hitler been killed, there would not have been so many Jewish people killed and the war would’ve ended much differently. Also, many people did not know that Hitler didn’t drink alcohol and his moral character was a good one. Maybe, if he had done things that questioned his character early on, people wouldn’t have supported him so much.
I find it disheartening that the whole worlds stood by and let Hilter lead the genocide of the Jews. I wonder if it was due to lack of communication or lack of power in other countries. Stories of Hitler always make him sound like a force to reckoned with but it is also portrayed like the whole world stood by and watched it happen. Maybe if that bomb would have killed Hitler, there would have been more Jews survive the holocaust.
Playing the “what if” game is something that I’m sure a lot of people do a lot because there are so many things that could have happened but didn’t. Not having WWII could have saved a lot of lives but what if something else would have happened that would have been a lot worse than what WWII actually was?
Hitler served only 9 months in jail and on his release resumed his quest for power at the head of the Nazi Party. He should’ve died while being in jail. Then that would’ve saved so many jewish peoples lives that were killed in the war.
Its unbelievable that Hitler only had to serve 9 months out of his 5 year sentence. Hitler and his Nazis caused a lot of damage to Germany. I believe things would have been completely different is Germany never lost World War I.
Hitler should’ve served life in prison instead of 9 months. 6 million Jews would’ve been saved and the war would’ve never happened.
I feel extreme outrage that Hitler was released after nine short months. Just think if he actually served his full sentence maybe millions of innocent people wouldn’t have died.
I hear people say “If I knew then what I know now…” I can not help but think would Hitler have been released from prison after only 9 months, what if he would have stayed and spoke in Munich for just 13 more minutes. Would things have been different? Would many lives have been saves? I like to think so.
Hitler has to be the most infamous name in world history. No matter what article you read or news item you see that references the guy, he’s universally despised by almost the entire civilized world.
It makes me sad to think that one thing (a bomb, a successful uprising, different war outcome, etc) could have stopped so many people from losing their lives.
I find it very strange that Hitler only served nine months out of his 5 year sentence. I believe if he had spend his entire sentence things would not have gotten out of hand like they did. What do you believe? How do you think history would have changed? How many lives do you think could have been saved?
I believe things would have been entirely different had Hitler served his full sentence. I also believe, had Hitler been killed by the bomb, Things wouldn’t have turned out the way they did for others and the death toll wouldn’t have been nearly as high. I have always wanted to read Hitlers book.
Whether hitler served his entire sentence or not, the war had already began. He started spouting his ideas from prison, and the charismatic and convincing person he was, i believe that he could have still instilled his ideas into society. To what extent is the question. The real regret is that the British solider who had Hitler in his sights in WWI, did not shoot him. That would have done the world a favor.
Obviously, if any of those scenarios had occurred the world would be an entirely different place today. However, I believed the world needed to be taught the tragic lessons of WWII and that is why history occurred for a reason. On a side note, I’m not a fan of Hitler to say the least, but to be convicted of treason and imprisoned, only to leave prison early and rise to be the leader of the Nazi party is a remarkable accomplishment. Hitler was lucky to survive all the assassination attempts on his life while he was in power. Imagine all the paranoia he must have felt while commanding WWII. Nevertheless, WWII is a very sad time in world history and Hitler was an evil man.
I’m not so sure the world would be different today if Hitler served his sentence fully. Who’s to say someone else would not have done what he did?
Hitler is someone I have always thought to be a strong, convincing, powerful person. Though I am 100% against his beliefs and actions, it is hard to ignore the traits in which he possessed. At the point he was imprisoned, he had already taken lead and convinced so many others to follow his footsteps. In my opinion he was just as much harm while in prison as he was out. Things would have carried out differently, however I believe it was too late in the process to end much better. .
We could ask “what if” for our entire life. Hitler was a special breed. His way to manipulate individuals and their mind is a psychologists dream to research.
If Elser would of been successful he could of saved a lot of live. Why did Hitler only serve 9 months of a 5 year sentence? Good behavior???
Only if Hitler could have stayed there a little longer and when that bomb exploded it would have killed him.
Hitler only served 9 months out of a 5 year sentence?! Can we say corrupt government who aided in his release? Also, Mein Kampf was an interesting read to say the lease. I had to read the book to the best of my ability in high school for a history project. Lastly, Hitler was a sick and twisted man!
Hitler was just a horrible person… if only that bomb could have gotten to him before he was killed.