Pacelli’s report to Gasparri about a failed counter-revolution attempt on Feb. 19, the assassination of Kurt Eisner on Feb. 21, and the ensuing political situation in Bavaria - Feb. 23, 1919
Source: Timeline
Feb. 21, 1919 Kurt Eisner, President of the State of Bavaria, is assassinated in Munich by Count Anton von Arco auf Valley.
Italian original at www.Pacelli-Edition.de and English translation of Nuncio Pacelli’s report to Rome on Feb. 23 with details of the event and the ensuing political chaos in Bavaria
Feb. 23, 1919 Pacelli’s report to Gasparri about a failed counter-revolution attempt on Feb. 19, the assassination of Kurt Eisner on Feb. 21, and the ensuing political situation in Bavaria:
Most Reverend Eminence,
Following up my respectful enciphered report no. 301 of yesterday, I have the honor to report to Your Most Reverend Eminence concerning the recent tragic events in Munich, to the extent it is possible for me in the current difficult circumstances to verify the innumerable reports that are flowing about and which, after all, I have no way to obtain from direct sources.
Just last Wednesday, the 19th, there was an attempt at a second revolution, about which I have not yet been able to learn with exactitude, nor the precise purpose of it, nor who was really directly involved. Toward evening that day, several hundred armed sailors occupied the Central Train Station, the Post, the Telegraph and Telephone, and seized also the Landtag building, declaring that they were obliged to guarantee the security of parliamentary activities, which were supposed to begin on Friday. Later they went as far as to imprison the President of Police. But when they attempted to occupy the barracks of the General Command as well as that of the Pioneers, then they were prevented by soldiers who, with machineguns and rifles, re-occupied all the rooms that had fallen into the hands of the sailors and liberated the President of Police. In this way it was possible to organize a service of public security, while the leader of the aforementioned sailors was arrested. The Government published a proclamation stigmatizing what had happened and promising the fullest freedom and security for the activities of the upcoming Landtag. This attempt at revolution was said to be a maneuver by monarchists and Prince Joachim, son of the ex-German Kaiser, who was in Munich incognito, was searched and accompanied militarily to the frontier, although on the other hand no proof could be found of his complicity in the deplorable event.
Relative calm returned, even though not everyone was tranquil about the possibility that the Landtag could conduct its proper activities without incident.
On the 21st, the day the Parliament was to begin, the streets leading to it were militarily occupied from the earliest hours of the morning. It appeared that all possible measures would be taken to assure the most absolute protection to the Landtag. The Deputies and those invited to the galleries were put through rigorous security. Especially crowded was the gallery for the journalists, among whom were many correspondents for foreign newspapers. The Ministers and Deputies took their positions. The only one missing was Minister President Kurt Eisner. Then there appeared in the hall, white as a cadaver, Mr. Feschenbach, the young secretary of Kurt Eisner, and announced in an emotional voice that the Minister President had been assassinated. An unheard-of clamor then took over the Hall. Cries of terror were heard everywhere, and only with great effort could the President of the Assembly succeed in quelling the tumult somewhat. A Deputy, Dr. Sussheim, proposed that the session be adjourned, and all the party leaders agreed with him. In the adjacent rooms and corridors cries of indignation over the attack went back and forth, and there were remonstrances against Interior Minister Auer, the well-known political adversary of Eisner. The exits of the Parliament were hermetically sealed and militarily occupied, and a rigorous search was begun on everyone, to ascertain if there were any weapons.
After about one hour the session was reopened. Auer immediately took the floor, deploring with emotion and strong expressions the assassination of the Minister President, all the more since Eisner had already decided to submit the resignation of his entire Cabinet to the hands of the Landtag. Minister Auer’s speech was generally approved and interrupted by gestures of satisfaction. But while Deputy Süssheim was presenting the motion for adjournment of the Landtag sine die, an individual dressed like a soldier but with a civilian hat rushed into the hall, leaped at Minister Auer, and emptied three revolver shots right into his chest. The Minister was seen to place his hands on his heart and topple onto a chair. Then shots were heard throughout the hall and a frightful confusion took over the crowd. A Center Party Deputy, Osel, one of the more respected members of the party, fell, shot by a bullet; other deputies and spectators were wounded. Someone approached Auer to see if he was still alive, and since he was still breathing, he was transported to the Clinic, where he is lying even now between life and death.
As has been generally reported, this is how the assassination of Kurt Eisner occurred. He went alone on foot from the Foreign Ministry to the Landtag, which is nearby, when a young man who looked like a student emptied three revolver shots into his neck; Eisner raised his arms, staggered, fell backwards to the ground, and died immediately.
The killer was a Count Arco-Valley, who was immediately attacked by a soldier and mortally wounded, though there is hope now of saving his life. Since he is a noble, an officer in the army, and a Catholic, the Socialists have found nothing better for exciting the people against the nobility, the officials, and the clergy. The agitation in the city is extraordinary. All offices and public buildings are closed. The Tramways are not running. Automobiles with soldiers and armed civilians are speeding down the streets. Ringing of church bells was compelled, to convoke the people for a rally held on the Theresienwiese [the Oktoberfest field]; large numbers of airplanes flew noisily over the city at low altitude, dropping from on high thousands of revolutionary manifestos. Red flags, already fluttering everywhere, are now seen at half mast. All the city newspaper offices have been occupied, and just yesterday a newspaper entitled Newspaper of the Central Council came out, which is replacing the other papers that are compelled by force of arms to cease their work. The Munich Council of soldiers, workers and farmers met immediately. A Central Council of the Bavarian Republic has been created, establishing a Committee of public safety and formed from elements that are most passionately for the revolution. Levin, the Leader of the Spartacists who takes part in the Central Council, is strongly advocating a Ministry Council patterned on Russia. None of the Ministers are present there, except for the Communication Minister and the Social Affairs Minister. The Minister for Military Affairs has been arrested. Timm, the Justice Minister, and Hoffmann, the Education Minister, are missing. As of now the new Government has not been formed, and the Province is under the command of the Central Council of soldiers. The Council has proclaimed a three-day general strike and has ordered that all the proletariat be armed. In fact work has been suspended everywhere for the past two days, and today manifestos are being posted with the rules, indicating that the workers can have weapons. Various hotels and private houses have been searched and are being guarded by armed military personnel. At night machinegun and rifle fire is heard all around, and armed soldiers make rounds of the city. Various victims have already been denounced. What could happen next is not predictable. Days of bloodshed and terror perhaps lie ahead for unfortunate Bavaria; may God spare it such a grave disaster!
Meanwhile a war against the Clergy is also beginning. Access for priests to the Military Hospitals has been strictly forbidden, contrary to the decision of the Soldiers’ Council of the hospitals themselves. A priest may only provide his services in case of death and only if the patient so requested. Moreover, Mass is denied, and religious counsel is denied. The arrest of the leading personalities of the former Royal Court has also begun. Taken as hostages so far have been the Grand Master of Ceremonies, the Head of the King’s Civil Cabinet, several members of the Senate, many officials; their safety has been assured, if and so long as there are no further counter-revolutionary attempts. No one is safe any longer in his own house. Today the dissolution of the army is being announced, and the creation of a republican security guard force formed primarily from the proletariat. All of the accomplishments, sacrifices and deeds of the “Bavarian People’s Party” and of the parties of order, to create a Parliament that could give the Province tranquility and peace, have been miserably destroyed by the rash act of the assassination of Eisner. There is now just one tenuous hope, and it is that the Majority Socialists will not go along with the Independents and the Spartacists. In that case it would be impossible to create a republic directed by Councils of soldiers, workers and farmers, since they would not have the majority of the people behind them, who at least until now have been for the aforesaid Socialists. But the situation today is still so murky that it is impossible to make any predictions. Meanwhile the Communist movement is spreading to all of Bavaria; to Nuremberg, to Augsburg where revolutionary activities of exceptional seriousness have occurred (in the latter city some of the demonstrators broke into the Bishop’s palace), and a state of siege has been proclaimed there. (note: I learned today from a reliable source that the Bishop of Augsburg managed to flee, miraculously, and only the Canons were present there).
Humbly bowing to kiss the Sacred Purple, with sentiments of profound veneration, I have the honor to remain,
Your Most Reverend Eminence’s
Most Humble, Most Devoted, Most Obliged Servant,
Eugenio, Archbishop of Sardis
Apostolic Nuncio
Source: www.Pacelli-Edition.de, Document No. 317.