Kurt Ludecke
Encyclopedia
Kurt Ludecke was an ardent German
nationalist, a playboy and international traveler who joined the Nazi party in the early 1920s and who used his social connections to raise money for the NSDAP. Before attending a rally at which Adolf Hitler
was a featured speaker, Ludecke had assumed that Hitler was simply "one more fanatic
," but after hearing Hitler speak at a mass demonstration at the Konigsplatz
in Munich
, he had adopted Hitler as his hero: "His appeal to German manhood was like a call to arms, the gospel he preached a sacred truth." The next day he spoke to Hitler for four hours and offered himself to Hitler and the Nazi cause "without reservation .... I had given him my soul."
, a rather preposterous plan for a coup d'état in Munich was hatched by an obscure Munich civil servant named Dr. Otto Pittinger. The nationalist organizations (including the Nazis) would overthrow the Bavarian government via a putsch and replace it with a dictatorship under the former Minister President of Bavaria
, Gustav Ritter von Kahr
. Ludecke's mission was to help coordinate support of the Northern German right-wing revolutionaries, in preparation for spreading the putsch throughout Germany.
Upon his return to Bavaria, Ludecke found that Pettinger was going on vacation instead of running a coup and that Hitler was furious, announcing to Ludecke that he would never again rely on others for help in a coup.
Ludecke offered his services to Hitler as an envoy to Mussolini
soon after the Italian dictator marched on Rome and rose to power in Italy. His attempts to raise money from Mussolini were, however, not productive. But Ludecke persuaded Mussolini to send Dr. Leo Negrelli
to Munich to interview Hitler on Oct. 16, 1923 for the Corriere Italiano, providing visibility for the Nazis in Italy.
Ludecke also visited Henry Ford
in Michigan, to see if Ford—a vocal anti-Semite -- would contribute funds to the struggling Nazi Party. Ludecke's introduction was provided by Siegfried
and Winifred Wagner
, who were Hitler supporters. However, Ford declined to contribute.
The reflections and memoirs of Ludecke are sometimes relied upon by historians.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
nationalist, a playboy and international traveler who joined the Nazi party in the early 1920s and who used his social connections to raise money for the NSDAP. Before attending a rally at which Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was a featured speaker, Ludecke had assumed that Hitler was simply "one more fanatic
Fanaticism
Fanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in some cases sports, or with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby...
," but after hearing Hitler speak at a mass demonstration at the Konigsplatz
Königsplatz
Königsplatz is a square in Munich, Germany.-Architecture:The square was designed with the creation of the Brienner Straße at the command of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria by Karl von Fischer and laid out by Leo von Klenze....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, he had adopted Hitler as his hero: "His appeal to German manhood was like a call to arms, the gospel he preached a sacred truth." The next day he spoke to Hitler for four hours and offered himself to Hitler and the Nazi cause "without reservation .... I had given him my soul."
Activities
In the wake of the uproar over the Law for the Protection of the Republic, after the assassination of Walther RathenauWalther Rathenau
Walther Rathenau was a German Jewish industrialist, politician, writer, and statesman who served as Foreign Minister of Germany during the Weimar Republic...
, a rather preposterous plan for a coup d'état in Munich was hatched by an obscure Munich civil servant named Dr. Otto Pittinger. The nationalist organizations (including the Nazis) would overthrow the Bavarian government via a putsch and replace it with a dictatorship under the former Minister President of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Gustav Ritter von Kahr
Gustav Ritter von Kahr
Gustav Ritter von Kahr was a German right-wing conservative politician, active in the state of Bavaria...
. Ludecke's mission was to help coordinate support of the Northern German right-wing revolutionaries, in preparation for spreading the putsch throughout Germany.
Upon his return to Bavaria, Ludecke found that Pettinger was going on vacation instead of running a coup and that Hitler was furious, announcing to Ludecke that he would never again rely on others for help in a coup.
Ludecke offered his services to Hitler as an envoy to Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
soon after the Italian dictator marched on Rome and rose to power in Italy. His attempts to raise money from Mussolini were, however, not productive. But Ludecke persuaded Mussolini to send Dr. Leo Negrelli
Leo Negrelli
Leo Negrelli, born in Trieste, died in Spain in 1974. As a member of the Sursum Corda he was one of the organisers of Gabriele D'Annunzio‘s arrival in Fiume in 1919....
to Munich to interview Hitler on Oct. 16, 1923 for the Corriere Italiano, providing visibility for the Nazis in Italy.
Ludecke also visited Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
in Michigan, to see if Ford—a vocal anti-Semite -- would contribute funds to the struggling Nazi Party. Ludecke's introduction was provided by Siegfried
Siegfried Wagner
Siegfried Wagner was a German composer and conductor, the son of Richard Wagner. He was an opera composer and the artistic director of the Bayreuth Festival from 1908 to 1930.-Life:...
and Winifred Wagner
Winifred Wagner
Winifred Wagner was an English woman married to Siegfried Wagner, Richard Wagner's son. She was the effective head of the Wagner family from 1930 to 1945, and a close friend of German dictator Adolf Hitler....
, who were Hitler supporters. However, Ford declined to contribute.
The reflections and memoirs of Ludecke are sometimes relied upon by historians.