Marinebrigade Ehrhardt
The "putsch" only failed after the government called for a general strike, which shut down the German economy. Once it had become clear that the regime established in Berlin under the nominal leadership of Wolfgang Kapp could not function on the account of the general strike, Seeckt sent Colonel Wilhelm Heye to meet with General Walther von Lüttwitz, the real leader of the Kapp "putsch", to inform him that it was time to end the "putsch". Ludendorf's right-hand man, Colonel Max Bauer asked Seeckt to become dictator; he refused contemptuously. At the same time, Seeckt showed his sympathy for the "putsch" by arranging with Captain Hermann Ehrhardt that the "Marinebrigade Ehrhardt" should march out of Berlin with all the honors of war, during the course of which march the men of the "Marinebrigade Ehrhardt" fired on jeering Berliners, killing a number of them. Only those few officers and soldiers who had attempted to defend the republic were dismissed. The officers led by Seeckt who had done nothing to defend the republic were allowed to continue with their jobs. Seeckt's remark to the leaders of the republic, that "Reichswehr" do not fire on "Reichswehr"", was controversial. His reserved attitude towards the Weimar Republic is illustrated by a brief conversation held with President Ebert. When asked by Ebert where the Reichswehr stood, Seeckt answered “The Reichswehr stands behind me”, and on being asked whether the Reichswehr was reliable, Seeckt answered: “I don't know if it is reliable, but it obeys my orders!”.