Despite the apparent strength of the Marinebrigade, the Putsch collapsed on 17 March. The primary cause was the General Stike that Ebert called on 13 March, which resulted in a nearly total shut down of all services nation-wide. The other factor was the fact that the other Freikorps units did not support the Putsch, believing that it was premature. Below are scenes from the General Strike.
Protestors who have burned Kaap and von Lüttwitz in effigy. The writing on the card says, "A quarter of a million participants."
Despite organizing technicians to operate the city's services, the Marinebrigade was unable to restore basic services such as water. Fortunately, Berlin still had an ample number of hand pumps dating back to the early 19th Century. Many were still in operation at the end of WWII. And I know for a fact that one was still operational in Steglitz in 1958.
Public transportation was nonexistent, making it possible for anyone who owned any sort of horse-drawn conveyence to become and instant public transportation company. The scene shown here was common throughout Berlin during the Putsch.
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