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The National Socialist Workers' (Nazi) Party grew out of the increasing instability of the Weimar Republic, which was tottering under high unemployment, strikes, civil unrest and runaway inflation.
 The Nazis planned a revolution (putsch) and on November 8th broke up a political meeting at a Munich beer hall and announced the formation of a new "national government". Next day, with their stormtroopers positioned at key points, Hitler and a large group of Nazis set off from the beer hall to take over the city.
They were met in Munich's main square by a small but heavily armed police squad; one of its commanding officers was 28-year-old Matthaeus Koelz. When the shooting stopped sixteen Nazis and two policemen lay dead or dying. Hitler escaped but was arrested later and tried for treason. Sentenced to five years, he was freed after only nine months by a Nazi-sympathising judge. While in prison he wrote "Mein Kampf" (My Struggle); his inexorable rise to power had begun, and Koelz began to fear the "knock on the door" from Hitler's stormtroopers.
But artistically he began to do well. In 1929 he completed his studies at the Academy and won a travel scholarship worth almost a year's salary. He went to Italy to study and to work. He was painting steadily and competently and was attracting the attention of purchasers and patrons.
A first major purchase by an
important gallery was secured. He received several important commissions for book illustrations and was asked to paint a portrait
of the Bishop of Munich.
Then, yet again, his fate was
decided by forces outside his
control. In 1933 Hitler finally succeeded in gaining supreme power. The Nazis became the dominant party in a right-wing Coalition Government and Hitler was elected Chancellor.
Koetz decided to take his family to Yugoslavia. He was fearful that the Nazis would begin to settle old scores, and needed freedom to work on a major painting which he had already begun - a massive anti-war triptych called "Du sollst nicht toten" (Thou shaft not kill).
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