Nazi Party

The Nazi Party, officially called the National Socialist German Workers' Party, was a far-right political party in Germany from 1920 to 1945. It started as a small group and grew from extremist and nationalist movements after World War I. The party used ideas that aimed to unite some Germans while excluding others, especially those they viewed as different.

Central to the Nazi Party's beliefs were strict ideas about race. They wanted to protect and strengthen what they called the "Aryan master race" through laws that limited the rights of many people, including Jews, Romani, Slavs, the disabled, and others. These actions reached their worst during a time known as the Holocaust, when many people were harmed and lost their lives.

Adolf Hitler, who led the party from 1921, became the leader of Germany in 1933. He took control of the country and created a strict government known as the Third Reich. After Germany lost World War II, the Nazi Party was banned, and many of its leaders were tried for their crimes. Today, symbols linked to the Nazi Party are not allowed in many places to remind us of the importance of remembering these difficult times in history.

Name

The National Socialist German Workers' Party, often called the Nazi Party, changed its name to try to get support from different groups. The word "Socialist" and "Workers'" aimed at people on the left, while "National" and "German" appealed to people on the right.

The term "Nazi" started as a nickname and was not the party's official name. It came from shortening the party's name to "Nationalsozialist." Over time, it became a common way to talk about members of the party. When Adolf Hitler took power in 1933, the use of "Nazi" decreased in Germany but continued to be used by people against the party.

History

Origins and early years: 1918–1923

The Nazi Party began as small groups near the end of World War I. In 1918, a group called the Free Workers' Committee for a Good Peace was created in Bremen, Germany. Anton Drexler, a strong German nationalist, started a branch of this group in Munich. He did not agree with the peace treaty that ended World War I and believed Germans were a special race.

Drexler and others formed the German Workers' Party in 1919. Adolf Hitler joined this party in 1919 and quickly became an important leader. Hitler helped the party grow by giving speeches and organizing events. In 1920, the party changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers' Party, or Nazi Party.

Rise to power: 1925–1933

After some early difficulties, the Nazi Party began to grow in the 1920s. Hitler became the main leader and used powerful speeches to gain supporters. The party's ideas attracted many Germans who were unhappy with the country after World War I and during the Great Depression.

The Nazi Party won more votes in elections and became a major political force. Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933. With this role, he and his party started to take control of the country, changing laws to gain more power.

After taking power: intertwining of party and state

After becoming leaders of Germany, the Nazi Party worked to control every part of German life. They made laws that gave the party and its leaders control over the government. The party and the state became closely connected, with party leaders holding important government positions.

Defeat and abolition

The Nazi Party and its leader, Hitler, led Germany into World War II. The war ended in 1945 when Germany was defeated. The Nazi Party was then banned, and efforts were made to remove its influence from German society. The party was officially abolished in October 1945.

Political programme

Main article: National Socialist Program

The Nazi Party had a set of rules called the National Socialist Programme. It had 25 important ideas and was often called the "25-point plan." Adolf Hitler announced these ideas in 1920 when the party was still called the German Workers' Party. These ideas stayed mostly the same until the party ended.

Party composition

Command structure

The Nazi Party was led by a single chairman, called "Der Führer". This person had complete control over the party, and all other leaders followed their orders. In 1934, Hitler created an office called the Chancellery of the Führer to help manage this role.

Nazi Party offices

The Nazi Party had many offices that handled different tasks, such as foreign affairs and military policy.

Paramilitary groups

Besides the party, there were groups that supported Nazi goals. Members had to join the Nazi Party first. One important group was the Hitler Youth for boys aged fourteen to eighteen, and the League of German Girls for girls.

Affiliated organisations

The Nazi Party worked with many other groups, like unions for workers, doctors, and teachers. These groups followed the party's rules.

Regional administration

See also: Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany and List of Gauleiters

The Nazi Party made a strict system to control its power, which spread across Germany. It split regions into areas called Gaue, each led by a Gauleiter. The Gauleiters took orders directly from Hitler. The word Gau came from old times.

In areas taken after 1937, like Austria, the Nazis removed local leaders. New areas called Reichsgaue were created, where the Gauleiters also acted as state leaders. These areas were split into smaller parts called Kreise, then Zellen, and finally Blöcke, each with their own leaders.

The number of Gaue grew, and by 1941 there were 42 Gaue in Germany. Some were called Reichsgaue, including areas from Austria, the Sudetenland, and parts taken from Poland and Danzig after the start of World War II.

Later Gaue:

• Flanders, from 15 December 1944 (Gauleiter in German exile: Jef van de Wiele)
• Wallonia, from 8 December 1944 (Gauleiter in German exile: Léon Degrelle)

Gaue dissolved before 1945

Associated organisations abroad

See also: NSDAP/AO

Gaue in Switzerland

The Swiss branch of the Nazi Party set up several Party Gaue, named after local capitals. These included Gau Basel-Solothurn, Gau Schaffhausen, Gau Luzern, Gau Bern, and Gau Zürich. The Gau Ostschweiz covered three cantons: St. Gallen, Thurgau, and Appenzell.

Membership

Main article: List of Nazi Party members

The Nazi Party had people from many different backgrounds. Most were from the middle class, but there were also workers, farmers, and government workers. By 1933, the party had over 2 million members. By 1939, this number grew to 5.3 million, and by 1945, it reached 8 million — about 10% of Germany’s population at the time.

Many people in the military joined the party, especially after World War II began. The party had special groups for students and women. There was even a group for German people living outside of Germany.

See also: Nazism and the Wehrmacht

Notable members included:

• Oswald Menghin (Vienna)

• Hermann Neubacher

• Rudolf Much (Vienna)

• Arthur Seyß-Inquart (Vienna)

• Sturmabteilung

• Schutzstaffel

• Motor Corps

• Flyers Corps

• National Socialist League of the Reich for Physical Exercise

• NSDAP/AO (overseas wing)

• National Socialist German Students' Union

• Women's League

• Labour wings:

  • NSBO (1928–35)
  • DAF (1933–45)

Party symbols

The Nazi Party used special symbols and colors to show their ideas. One main symbol was the swastika, a right-facing shape. The party’s colors were red and black.

They also used a special design with a centered swastika for their party flag. Later, this flag became an important symbol for Germany. Another symbol they used was the German eagle, placed on top of a swastika inside oak leaves.

Ranks and rank insignia

Main article: Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party

Slogans and songs

Some slogans they used were "Sieg Heil!" and "Heil Hitler". Their anthem was called the "Horst-Wessel-Lied".

Election results

See also: Nazi Party election results

German Reichstag

See also: Reichstag (Weimar Republic)

Presidential election

See also: President of Germany (1919–1945)

Volkstag of Danzig

See also: Volkstag