He was closely linked to Gustav von Kahr, who had staged his own "putsch" in 1920 but who opposed the 1923 Hitler "putsch". Pöhner was a central figure in the Hitler "putsch" being named as Bavaria's prime minister on the night. He was subsequently convicted with Hitler in 1924 for five years, but released three months later, dying in a mysterious car accident in 1925. He is mentioned in "Mein Kampf".