In 1917, he became head of the "Regierungsbezirk" (provincial) government of Upper Bavaria, continuing in the post even after the establishment of the People's State of Bavaria in November 1918 ended the Wittelsbach monarchy, though for pragmatic reasons: he wanted to help defend middle- and upper-class interests from further disruption. In support of this goal, Kahr proposed the creation of a civil defence force, but his suggestion did not meet with the approval of Prime Minister Johannes Hoffmann. Not long after, in April 1919, the Bavarian Soviet Republic was proclaimed. Kahr fled Munich with Hoffmann and the rest of the state government to Bamberg, where they called for volunteers to help crush the Soviets. Those who responded were organised into "Freikorps".