Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

104 DER FUEHRERbetter control also over the legal army, which still was too closelyconnected with that illegal army, especially in Bavaria. It also tried toforce, upon these bands of legal and illegal soldiers, recognition for thenew black, red, and gold flag of the republic. Any of these great andpetty causes seemed likely to touch off the explosion which would sendall Germany up in flames.In March, 1921, the worst of all happened: the Communists succeededin starting a revolt in central Germany. This seemed to give Simonssome justification for the illegal army. But the majority ofparliamentarians regarded resistance against the combined will ofFrance and England as hopeless. On May 10, 1921, Simons and thewhole government fell. A new government, led by Reich ChancellorDoctor Joseph Wirth and Foreign Minister Doctor Walter Rathenau,made a new, almost heroic attempt to arrive at a true peace with Franceand England. Rathenau tried to convince German public opinion thatFrance really had some claims for a German indemnity. The newgovernment accepted the London ultimatum. It demanded that Bavariadissolve the Citizens' Defense. The menace of civil war hung like ablack cloud over Germany. Hitler was exultant; he believed that hishour had already struck:We will incite the people, and not only incite, we will lash them to afrenzy. We will preach struggle, the inexorable struggle against thisparliamentary brood, this whole system which will not cease beforeeither Germany has been totally ruined or else one day a man with aniron skull appears. His boots may be dirty, but he will have a clearconscience and a steel fist, he will put an end to the speeches of thesematinee heroes and show the nation some action.But his hour had not struck yet. The civilian elements were still toostrong. Bavaria herself was not united. The leaders of the bourgeoisparties began to be horrified at the illegal army, and for this Hitler'sthreats may have been partly responsible. Bavaria gave in. On June 29,the Reich government dissolved the Citizens' Defense, and the Bavariangovernment looked on in silence. This was the political death of PremierKahr; he finally resigned on September 21, 1921.