Bavarian Political Police Report on the Events of November 8, 1923
After the three gentlemen had entered the room, Adolf Hitler called out: "No one leaves the room alive without my permission." At the door a member of the bodyguard walked up and down continually, holding a pistol. Then Hitler turned to Excellency von Kahr with the statement: "The Reich Government has been formed, the Bavarian Government has been overthrown. Bavaria is the springboard for the Reich Government. There must be a Reich governor in Bavaria. Pöhner [the Police chief of Munich and sympathetic to the Nazis] is to become Minister-President with dictatorial powers. You will be Reich Governor. Reich Government—Hitler; national army—Ludendorff; Lossow—army minister; Seisser—police minister.
"I know this step is a difficult one for you, gentlemen, but the step must be taken, it must be made easier for the other gentlemen to make the leap. Everybody must take up the post which he is allotted. If he does not, then he has no right to exist. You must fight with me, achieve victory with me, or die with me. If things go wrong, I have four bullets in my pistol, three for my colleagues if they desert me, the last bullet for myself." While saying this, he put the pistol which he had been holding all the time to his head. While he was speaking to Excellency von Kahr, he noticed Major Hunglinger [General Seisser’s aide] in the room and motioned with his hand for him to leave.
Kahr declared to Herr Hitler: "You can arrest me, you can have me shot, you can shoot me yourself. Whether I live or die is unimportant." Whereupon Hitler turned to Colonel von Seisser who accused him of not keeping his promise [not to attempt a putsch.] Hitler replied: "Yes, that's true, but I did it in the interests of the fatherland. Forgive me."
Herr von Lossow tried to say something to the other two gentlemen. But this was prevented by a shout: "You gentlemen are not allowed to talk to one another." Lossow then stepped back to the window, disgusted with the proceedings. While looking out between the curtains, he noticed in front of every window a group of armed men, some of whom looked into the room with their guns at the ready. Hitler, who clearly saw the unpleasant impression this made, waved them away with his hand. Excellency von Lossow asked: "What is Ludendorff's attitude to the affair?" Hitler replied: "Ludendorff is ready and will soon be fetched." Hitler then left the room. He got no answer during this time, either from Herr von Kahr or from the other gentlemen....
Ludendorff then entered the room in a hat and coat and, without asking any questions, with obvious excitement and with a trembling voice, declared: "Gentlemen I am just as surprised as you are. But the step has been taken; it is a question of the fatherland and the great national and Völkisch cause, and I can only advise you, go with us and do the same." ...
Shortly after Ludendorff, Pöhner entered the room. Hitler, Ludendorff and Weber [leader if a paramilitary group called Oberland] now began a process of urgent persuasion. Excellency von Kahr, in particular, was besieged on all sides. Moved by the feelings previously described, Lossow at last gave Ludendorff the consent he wanted with the dry comment, "All right." After some hesitation. Colonel von Seisser also nodded his agreement. Then Hitler, Ludendorff, and Dr Weber, with Pöhner also, worked on Excellency von Kahr with coaxing and pleading. Lossow and Seisser were asked to take part in the coaxing, but neither replied. ... Hitler could no longer go back, whatever the position of Kahr, Lossow, and Seisser might prove to be. Hitler kept bringing this out with statements like: "The deed has been done, there is no going back. It has already passed into history."
After long urging, Kahr declared: "I am ready to take over the destiny of Bavaria as the representative of the monarchy." Hitler insisted that this statement should be made in the hall. Herr von Kahr replied that after the way in which he had been led out of the hall he refused to go back into the hall. He wanted to avoid any public fraternizing. But Hitler insisted with the words: "You will be carried shoulder high. You will see what jubilation will greet you: the people will kneel before you." Kahr replied: "I can do without that." They then went into the hall....