The Palm Sunday Putsch was an attempt by the Republican Protection Force under the command of Alfred Seyffertitz [de] to overthrow the Bavarian Soviet Republic and to restore the government of Johannes Hoffmann, which had fled to Bamberg, that was appointed by the Landtag of Bavaria.

The success of the militia led to a second communist dominated phase of the Soviet Republic around figures such as Eugen Levine and Max Levien and away from pacifist and anarchist intellectuals.

[1] Eisner was elected the first prime minister of the Bavarian Republic by the Munich Workers' and Soldiers' Council and formed a provisional government with members of the MSPD and the USPD, where he came in sixth place.

As a result, debates intensified over whether democracy in Bavaria should be implemented through a pluralistic parliamentary form of government or a soviet republic.

The opposing groups, the Parliament on one hand and the Council of Soviets denied each other the legitimacy to form a new government which created a political power vacuum.

In March, the state parliament opposed this interim solution of the Council and elected Johannes Hoffmann as head of a new minority government tolerated by the BVP consisting of the MSPD, the Bavarian Farmer's Bund and, for the time being, the USPD.

Hoffmann was deposed and fled to Bamberg where he and the remaining cabinet members initiated measures to lead the overthrow of the Munich Soviet Republic.

However, important decision-makers in the republic were able to evade arrest, including Ernst Toller, Gustav Landauer and leading KPD politicians.

During a quickly convened assembly of the workers' and soldiers' councils, Eugen Leviné claimed leading positions within the Soviet government for himself and his party, the KPD.

Ernst Toller, who was accused of high treason in July, was able to escape the death penalty due to renowned intellectuals interceding on his behalf.