Early Years of Nazi Party

• Adolf Hitler was 29 years old when the first World War ended
• Hitler was in hospital after temporarily losing his sight when the news of the armistice broke
• Hitler joined the local army as a spy watching local activist groups
• Hitler first came into contact with the DAP (German Workers Party) in 1919
• The DAP was formed by Anton Drexler in March 1919 with only 23 people attending the first meeting
• Hitler joined the DAP in September 1919
• By 1922, Hitler had total control of the party
• Ways Hitler achieved leadership of the party

  1. Development of party policy

  2. Personal appeal

  3. Reorganization of the party
• Hitler published his 25-point program in February 1920
• Key points of Hitler's 25-point program

  • Opposition to the Weimar government, especially the November criminals
  • Anti-democracy beliefs
  • Deeply anti-semitic views blaming Jews for Germany's economic problems
• Hitler believed democracy to be weak and wanted a single strong ruler in charge of Germany
• Hitler's speeches were persuasive, drawing the audience in with passion, shouts, hand gestures, and escalating speech volume and language
• Around 3,000 people would come to hear Hitler speak by the end of 1920
• Hitler reorganized the party in 1920, setting up a permanent office and renaming it the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP or Nazi)
• Hitler worked on spreading the appeal of the party more widely to more people
• Party's evolution

  1. Meetings became more organized and better advertised

  2. Rename to the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP or Nazi)

  3. Creation of a logo (swastika) and straight arm salute

  4. Establishment of the Volkischer Beobachter (People's Observer) newspaper

  5. Selection of important leaders

  6. Development of links with business and military leaders

  7. Formation of the Sturmabteilung (SA) private army

  8. Formation of the Schutzstaffel (SS)

  9. Hitler gaining complete control of the NSDAP
• Branding of the party

  • Use of the swastika and straight arm salute to set the party apart
• Newspaper

  • Volkischer Beobachter (People's Observer)
• Important leaders chosen

  • Rudolf Hess (Deputy Leader)
  • Hermann Goering (Leader of the Luftwaffe)
  • Ernst Röhm (Leader of the SA)
  • General Ludendorff
• Formation of the Sturmabteilung (SA)

  Private army made up of the unemployed and ex-army soldiers, expected to be completely loyal to Hitler
• Formation of the Schutzstaffel (SS)

  Act as Hitler's personal bodyguard
• Hitler used the SA and SS to ensure discipline within the party and undermine other parties of the Weimar Republic
• Hitler gained total and dictatorial control of the NSDAP at the party conference in January 1922