German Workers Party (Nazi Party) Is Formed
The German Workers Party, or Deutsche Arbeiter Partei (DAP), was established on January 5, 1919, against a backdrop of economic turmoil and political instability in post-World War I Germany. Founded by Anton Drexler and Karl Harrer, the party emerged from the Thule Society, a right-wing organization with anti-Semitic views. Initially lacking structure and financial support, the DAP gained momentum after Adolf Hitler attended a meeting in September 1919, where he delivered a compelling speech that aligned with his own nationalist beliefs. By 1920, the party was renamed the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP), commonly known as the Nazi Party, and adopted the swastika as its emblem.
Under Hitler's leadership, the party sought to gain political power amidst widespread discontent over the Weimar government's handling of reparations and economic challenges. The failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, an attempt to seize control of the Bavarian government, resulted in Hitler's imprisonment, during which he authored *Mein Kampf*. Despite a temporary ban, the Nazi Party re-emerged as a legitimate political force by 1926, capitalizing on the economic despair of the Great Depression to gain traction.
By 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor, leading to the establishment of a totalitarian regime characterized by oppressive laws targeting Jews and other minorities, ultimately contributing to the catastrophic events of World War II and the Holocaust. The formation of the DAP marked the beginning of a dark chapter in history that would have devastating consequences for millions.
German Workers Party (Nazi Party) Is Formed
German Workers Party (Nazi Party) Is Formed
During a time of economic instability and political unrest, the German Workers Party, Deutsche Arbeiter Partei (DAP) was formed on January 5, 1919, by Anton Drexler, a toolmaker, and Karl Harrer, a journalist. An outgrowth of the Thuler Society (a right-wing Bavarian group known for its belief that Jews and Slavs were inferior to Aryans), the DAP initially lacked organization, structure, and financial backing. Looking as though it would fade into obscurity as another one of the many short-lived political parties cropping up all over the country during this time, the DAP attracted the attention of Adolf Hitler, who attended his first meeting on September 12, 1919.
Uninspired by any of the speakers, Hitler was ready to leave when he became enraged by a speech on Bavarian secession from Germany. Hitler's belief in a unified Germany spawned an impassioned 15-minute speech in which he captivated the audience. He was later asked by Drexler to join the party. When he saw many of his own beliefs articulated in the DAP pamphlet he agreed, realizing that he could mold the small, poorly run party as he wished.
In 1920 the German Workers Party officially changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazional Socialistiche Deutsche Arbeiter Partei). The first two syllables of the name sound like “Na-zi” in German, and thus the Nazi Party was born. Using the swastika as its symbol, the Nazi Party soon created its own flag, and on February 24 it unveiled an outline of the future Third Reich. By 1921 Hitler was in complete control of the party and was given full dictatorial powers over it.
In April 1921 Germany refused to pay its next installment of reparations to the Allies for the cost of World War I, but by September 1923 it had reconsidered and resumed its payments. The German people were incensed with the resumption of the payments, which they felt placed an unfair financial burden on their already troubled economy, and the Nazis saw their chance to gain control of the government. Their plan, known as the Beer Hall Putsch, called for kidnapping Bavarian government officials who were attending a meeting in Munich and forcing them at gunpoint to accept Hitler as their new leader. Hoping to gain the support of the German army, the Nazis would then announce a nationwide revolt and destroy the democratic government in Berlin, where they would seize control. The putsch, which took place on November 8, 1923, was a failure and Hitler was jailed. While in prison, he wrote his famous memoir Mein Kampf, the first volume of which was published on July 18, 1925. Upon his release, Hitler resumed his role as head of the Nazi Party, although it had been banned by the government after the putsch. When this ban was lifted in February 1926, the Nazis became a legitimate party, able to participate in German elections.
With the onset of the Great Depression in October 1929, the Nazi party gained in membership as the troubled populace became increasingly disenchanted with a German government unable to solve their economic woes. Growing disunity within the government enabled Hitler and the Nazi Party to (gain 107 seats in the Reichstag, the German parliament, during the election of 1930, and the unraveling of a democratic German government began.
The Nazis were supported by wealthy industrialists, who saw the party as working toward rebuilding the German economy after years of hardship following World War I. Nazi stormtroopers began terrorizing parts of the populace in the name of societal order, while Hitler set about manipulating the 84-year-old president Paul von Hindenburg. The Nazi Party continued to gain popular support, and by 1933 Hindenburg had made Hitler chancellor of Germany. Hitler soon began instituting such oppressive laws as those banning freedom of speech (with the excuse of halting the spread of communism). After he was declared dictator on March 28, 1933, he set out to enlarge German territory by absorbing neighboring Austria and dismembering Czechoslovakia. He also sought to eliminate Germany's Jewish population so as to advance the “superior” Aryan race. The laws he announced at the Nuremberg rally of September 9–15, 1935, further oppressed Jews by depriving them of their citizenship and outlawing intermarriage between Germans and Jews. During World War II, which began when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, the Nazis developed their Final Solution—the complete extermination of the Jewish people.
The birth of the DAP in Germany on January 5, 1919, must have seemed unimportant at the time, but it was to have nightmarish consequences, for this obscure political party provided the means for Hitler's serpentine rise to power.