After the Explosion
The explosion destroyed not only the pillar behind Hitler’s lectern, but also the entire ceiling. Eight people died and more than sixty were injured by falling rubble. The search for the would-be assassin began immediately after the bomb’s detonation. The police called a major alarm and border controls were intensified without delay. All the Bürgerbräukeller employees were questioned and the site itself was closely examined. Only a few hours after the event, it was clear it had been an “explosion of a highly volatile material in conjunction with a timed detonator.”
The explosives specialists from the Munich police force and the special commission swiftly convened by the Reich Security Main Office assumed that “excellent expert work” had been done. Although they found parts of the detonators and the explosive device after searching the rubble, they had no leads to indicate the bomber. Nor did establishing the makes of clock through the Reich Patent Office help any further. A large reward was announced for the bomber’s capture, resulting in hundreds of messages and denunciations. Not until days later did they receive information on an as yet unknown “tradesman” often seen in the Bürgerbräukeller hall in the weeks before the assassination attempt.
