Hitler and the NSDAP

Origins

  1. After WW1 ended, Hitler's military career ended too

A. He decided to become a spy for the government, mainly spying on extremist groups

B. This was because extremist groups were becoming very popular after WW1 due to:

I. Proportional representation in the reichstag

II. Many Germans feeling betrayed and angry at Germany during the war.

  1. He stumbled upon the German worker's (formed in January 1919 by Anton Drexler) party when spying on some communist parties
  1. He came to realise that he actually agreed with what they were talking about, so he joined the party in September 1919

A. They believed that democracy was weak and that Germany needed a powerful leader

B. Jews were to blame for Germany's weaknesses

C. Communists and socialists were the reason for the Kaiser's demise

D. The socialist Weimar politicians betrayed the German nation through the signing of the treaty of versailles

Changes to the Party, 1920-1922

  1. February 1920, Hitler was put in charge of the propaganda for the German worker's party.

A. He played a huge role in increasing the popularity and membership of the party

  1. In the same year:

A. Hitler and Drexler wrote the 25 point programme

B. The party was renamed to NSDAP

  1. In 1921, Hitler became the party leader
  1. Hitler kept the aims of the party vague and constant throughout the years, in an attempt to appeal to multiple social groups at once
  1. His aim was to appeal to:

A. Natioanalists that hated the Treaty of Versailles

B. People that seeked to blame Jews for Germany's problems

C. The middle and upper classes that hated communists

Hitler's role 1920-1922

Hitler played a msssive role in the upbringing of the NSDAP, through some crucial actions:

  1. He was a talented speaker that could easily influence an audience
  1. He appealed to critics of the Weimar republic
  1. He controlled the NSDAP as if he was a military leader
  1. He introduced a new powerful emblem called the swastika, along with an arm salute
  1. He bought a newspaper, People's observer to spread the party's aims
  1. He surrounded himself with loyal individuals (Rohm, Goering and Hess)
  1. He was friends with a powerful German military leader (General Ludendorff)