The Nazi Party, officially known as the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, was a far-right political group in Germany that was led by Adolf Hitler. It rose to power in the 1920s and 1930s by promoting extreme nationalism, anti-Semitism, and the idea of Aryan racial superiority. The Nazi Party was significant to the events of Nazi Germany, the Holocaust and World War II.
NAZI PARTY – BACKGROUND
After the defeat in World War I, German society experienced a major crisis that had both economic and societal impacts. For example, following its defeat in World War I, Germany was made to accept the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which significantly hurt the German economy by causing mass hyperinflation. As well, a large number of Germans felt that they were betrayed by signing unfavourable peace terms that unfairly hurt the country. These circumstances contributed to the creation of various nationalist movements, including the creation of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), which is also known as the Nazi Party. As such, the Nazi Party was established and grew among the backdrop of a tumultus time in German history.
Socialism in the party’s title was considered not to represent classical left-wing socialism, but as a right-oriented ideology or ‘national solidarity’, that is, national unity needed to address some of the higher goals. According to Hitler’s definition, socialism is an ideology that has as the highest goal the benefit of its own people. As such, despite its name, the National Socialist Party acted as an extremely right-oriented political movement.
A ‘swastika’ was accepted as a sign of the ‘Aryan’ race, replacing the cross on the German flag. A red flag with a white field in the middle and a black swastika was also selected. At the top of the swastika, surrounded by wreaths of oak leaves, there was another traditional symbol, the German eagle. These became the predominant symbols of the Nazi Party throughout its reign of power in Germany.
NAZI PARTY – HISTORY
EARLY HISTORY
The Nazi Party was founded in 1919 as the German Workers’ Party (DAP) in Munich, in the aftermath of World War I. In 1920, under the influence of Adolf Hitler, the party adopted its new name and a fascist ideology combining ultranationalism, anti-communism, anti-Semitism, and authoritarianism. In fact, these aspects became the foundation of Nazi ideology and were driving forces that led to events such as World War II and the Holocaust.
The founder of the party was Anton Drexler. Adolf Hitler initially joined the party, which at that time counted about 60 members and soon became its leader. As the 55th member of the party, he was registered under number 555, in an attempt to show that the party had more members than they really did. At the first mass meeting on February 24th, 1920, Hitler read the party’s program, which consisted of 25 points. Two themes were the backbone of the entire program: the German defeat in World War I and nationalism.
HITLER BECOMES LEADER OF THE NAZI PARTY
Hitler took leadership over the Nazi Party in 1921 while Drexler remained as an honorary president. Very quickly, Hitler declared himself as the leader, taking the title ‘Führer’, and assumed near total control over the party. Next, Hitler created the Sturmabteilungen (SA) in 1921. This was the paramilitary wing of the party and they acted as ‘Stormtroopers’ for the Nazi cause. For instance, SA members were known to carry out the earlier violent attacks against those that did not support the Nazi Party. Furthermore, it was essentially the police of the Nazi Party and had the task of securing of meetings, attacking socialists and communists, and persecuting Jewish people.
Also, Hitler worked to create and develop the basics of what would eventually become the Hitler Youth. This was a paramilitary youth organization that promoted the ideals of fascism and the Nazi Party in general. The Hitler Youth existed from 1922 to 1945 and was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung (the S.A.). It was made up of different sections for male youth ages 14–18; younger boys for ages 10–14; and a general girls section. The Hitler Youth were viewed as future “Aryan supermen” and were indoctrinated in anti-Semitism. The organization put more emphasis on physical and military training than on academic study.
BEER HALL PUTSCH
The SA were famously involved in the events of the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, which was a failed coup attempt by Hitler and led to his arrest. During his time in prison, Hitler wrote ‘Mein Kampf’ (My Struggle), his autobiographical book that outlined his views and political goals. For instance, in his argued that the world was a racial struggle for domination, in which the Aryan race is superior to others.
After his release from prison, Hitler worked to grow the popularity of the Nazi Party and have it achieve power through democratic means. It should also be noted that the SS (Schutzstaffel) was created at this time. The SS was created to act as Hitler’s personal guards and went on to be responsible for the events of the Holocaust. Regardless, the Nazi Party continued to gain popularity in German society throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s. In fact, the Great Depression of the 1930s drastically weakened the Weimar Republic, which was the German government of the time. The economic crisis created by the Great Depression led to further hardships in Germany including: mass unemployment, poverty, and political extremism. The Nazi Party promised to restore German pride, rebuild the economy, and destroy communism. Eventually, by 1932, the Nazi Party had 800,000 members and had become the largest party in the Reichstag, which was the German parliament.
REICHSTAG FIRE
Under pressure from conservative elites who believed they could control Hitler, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor of Germany on January 30th, 1933. Having become Chancellor, Hitler prevented all attempts by his opponents to gain a majority in parliament, and was presented with an opportunity in February of 1933 when the Reichstag building was set on fire. Hitler believed this was his chance to use the people’s fear of communism as a means of gaining complete control of Germany. The fire was blamed on communists to build on people’s fears that there was a communist revolution emerging in Germany. Due to public and political concerns, the day after the fire Hitler asked for and received from President Hindenburg the Reichstag Fire Decree. It suspended most civil liberties in Germany and was used by the Nazis to ban publications not considered “friendly” to the Nazi cause.
After the Reichstag Fire in February of 1933, the Nazis pushed through the Reichstag Fire Decree and the Enabling Act, which gave Hitler sweeping powers and essentially dismantled the German democratic government. The Gestapo, SS, and SA were all used to eliminate political opponents, silence dissent, and enforce Nazi Party ideology.
NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES
Soon, however, the SA became the main problem facing Hitler and the Nazi Party. More specifically, Hitler did not trust the SA and its leadership because he did feel as though he had complete control over it. In a violent attack in June of 1934, Hitler with the help of the SS and the Gestapo, ordered an attack on SA, in which their leader, Ernst Röhm, and 700 other members of the SA were killed. This attack is known as the ‘Night of Long Knives’, and was a purge of the Nazi Party’s own ranks. The attack allowed Hitler to further consolidate the power of the Nazi Party in his own fascist dictatorship.
President Paul von Hindenburg died on August 2nd, 1934. Rather than holding new presidential elections, Hitler’s cabinet passed a law proclaiming the presidency dormant and transferred the role and powers of the head of state to Hitler as Führer und Reichskanzler (leader and chancellor). As head of state, Hitler now became supreme commander of the armed forces. Hitler’s rise to power of Germany was complete.
KRISTALLNACHT
Attacks on the Jewish continued throughout this period and was fully supported by the Nazi Party. For instance, the passage of the Nuremberg Laws essentially abolished their German citizenship; they were also banned from marrying or have relations with a German. As well, the Nazi Party sanctioned attacks against the Jewish people, such as during the events of Kristallnacht. Also known as the ‘Night of Broken Glass’, it was an organized attack against Jewish people, Jewish businesses and synagogues that took place on November 9th to the 10th in 1938. The events of Kristallnacht took place across Nazi Germany and Austria. It was significant because historians consider it to be an early example of the Nazi regime’s persecution of Jewish people, which ultimately resulted in the brutality of the Holocaust.
WORLD WAR II
Throughout the late 1930s, the Nazi regime implemented numerous policies that prepared it for the eventual outbreak of World War II. For instance, the Nazis worked to remilitarize the nation following World War I. As well, Hitler aggressively argued in favor of expanding Germany’s territory in Europe, which ultimately led to the Nazi German invasion of Poland in 1939. This essentially was the outbreak of World War II. Throughout the time period of World War II, the Nazi regime worked to support the war effort, but also carried out the events of the Holocaust. Under Nazi rule, Germany carried out a systematic genocide that resulted in the murder of 6 million Jewish people, as well approximately 5 million others that were considered ‘undesirable’ in German society. The events of the Holocaust and World War II, highlight the brutality and extremist ideology of the Nazi Party. In fact, as the war turned against Germany, the Nazi regime became more brutal and desperate. They carried out mass executions and used child soldiers in major battle situations. Hitler remained in power until his suicide on April 30th, 1945, just before Germany’s surrender in May of 1945.
Before the proclamation of the end of the war, many members of the Nazi Party fled or committed suicide. Some, having burned their Nazi identity cards, tried to fit into the postwar German society. With the fall of Nazi Germany, the Nazi Party was banned, and its leaders were tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Nuremberg Trials. Many, including Hermann Goering, Joachim von Ribbentrop, and others, were executed or imprisoned.
NAZI PARTY – STRUCTURE
The Nazi Party was a highly centralized and structured organization. Above all else, it was structured to promote absolute loyalty to Adolf Hitler, who held the title of Führer (Leader). The structure of the Nazi Party combined military organization and ideological indoctrination, which allowed it to function as both a political movement and as a tool of totalitarian control. The Nazi Party used propaganda, mass rallies, and strict discipline to build a cult of personality around Hitler and maintain ideological control over German society.
LEADERSHIP
The Nazi Party had a highly structured leadership, with Adolf Hitler having absolute authority as the Führer.
- Führer (Leader): At the top was Adolf Hitler, who held absolute authority. As Führer, Hitler had total control over policy, ideology and actions of the Nazi Party.
- Deputy Führer: Initially held by Rudolf Hess, then Martin Bormann, this position oversaw internal party affairs and acted as Hitler’s proxy in many decisions.
- Reichsleiter (National Leaders):
These were top-ranking officials responsible for specific domains, such as:- Joseph Goebbels – Propaganda
- Heinrich Himmler – SS and internal security
- Robert Ley – German Labor Front (DAF)
- Alfred Rosenberg – Ideological education
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION
The Nazi Party was divided geographically to maintain tight control across Germany and occupied territories:
- Gau (Regions): Germany was divided into 42 Gaue, each led by a Gauleiter, who acted as the party’s regional dictator, directly accountable to Hitler.
- Kreis (District): Each Gau was divided into Kreise (districts), led by a Kreisleiter.
- Ortsgruppe (Local Group): Local branches representing towns or cities, led by an Ortsgruppenleiter.
- Zelle (Cell): Subdivisions within Ortsgruppen, responsible for managing neighborhoods or parts of a town.
- Block (Block): The smallest unit, each Blockleiter monitored a few dozen homes, ensuring ideological loyalty and surveillance of citizens.
RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
To reach all people in German society, the Nazi Party developed specialized branches for propaganda, indoctrination, and mobilization:
- SA (Sturmabteilung – Stormtroopers): The Nazi Party’s original paramilitary wing, responsible for intimidating political opponents.
- SS (Schutzstaffel): Originally Hitler’s bodyguard, it evolved into a powerful elite force controlling internal security, concentration camps, and carrying out the major events of the Holocaust.
- NSDAP Women’s League: Promoted traditional gender roles, encouraging women to focus on motherhood, loyalty, and domestic life.
- Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend) & League of German Girls (BDM): Indoctrinated boys and girls with Nazi values, preparing boys for military service and girls for motherhood.
- German Labor Front (DAF): Replaced independent trade unions, controlling workers and promoting the Nazi work ethic.
- National Socialist Teachers League, Doctors’ League, and Lawyers’ League: Professional organizations that enforced ideological conformity within professions.
SECURITY ORGANIZATIONS
These organizations used terror and repression to instill fear in the people under control of the Nazi Regime:
- Gestapo (Secret State Police): Suppressed opposition through surveillance, arrest, and torture, often collaborating with the SS. The Secret Police of Nazi Germany.
- SD (Sicherheitsdienst): The SS intelligence agency responsible for gathering information on enemies of the Nazi regime.
