Hitler and the Nazis

Germany 1918–1945: Hitler and the Nazis

Brief Biography: Adolf Hitler

• Born in 1889 in Braunau am Inn, Austria, Adolf Hitler grew up in a strict household. His father, Alois, was a customs official, and his mother, Klara, was caring but overprotective. Hitler struggled academically, except in subjects such as history and art.

• He dreamed of becoming a painter and twice applied to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts but was rejected both times. These failures deeply affected him and contributed to feelings of bitterness and inadequacy.

• By the age of 18, both parents had died, leaving Hitler effectively homeless. He lived in Vienna between 1908 and 1913, surviving by selling small paintings and postcards. During this period, he was exposed to widespread anti-Semitic, nationalist, and social Darwinist ideas that shaped his future beliefs.

• In 1913, Hitler moved to Munich to avoid conscription into the Austrian army, which he despised. When the First World War broke out in 1914, he volunteered for the Bavarian Army.

World War I Service
• Hitler served as a dispatch runner on the Western Front, a dangerous job that required delivering messages under fire.
• He fought in several major battles, including Ypres, the Somme, and Passchendaele, earning both the Iron Cross Second Class (1914) and the Iron Cross First Class (1918) — a rare award for a soldier of his rank.
• In October 1918, he was temporarily blinded in a mustard gas attack. While recovering, he learned of Germany’s defeat and the Kaiser’s abdication. He claimed that the shock of defeat caused a second “temporary blindness.”
• Like many soldiers, Hitler felt betrayed by politicians who had signed the Armistice. This “stab-in-the-back” myth became central to his later propaganda.

Entry into Politics
• After the war, Hitler returned to Munich and was employed by the German army to investigate small political groups.
• One of these was the German Workers’ Party (DAP), founded by Anton Drexler in 1919. Hitler was impressed by its nationalist and anti-Semitic ideas and soon joined, becoming its 55th member.
• His oratory skills quickly made him a key figure in the group, which would soon evolve into the Nazi Party.

The Birth of the Nazi Party, 1919–1923

Background
• The DAP was founded in January 1919 in Munich by Anton Drexler, a locksmith, and Dietrich Eckart, a journalist. It was one of many small right-wing nationalist groups opposing the Weimar Republic.
• When Hitler joined in September 1919, the party had only a few dozen members. However, his speeches attacking Jews, communists, and the Treaty of Versailles attracted attention and funding.

Growth and Reorganisation
• In 1920, Hitler was appointed head of propaganda and helped draft the 25-Point Programme, setting out the party’s beliefs.
• On 24 February 1920, the DAP changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) to appeal to a wider audience — combining nationalism and socialism.
• The swastika was adopted as its symbol, and meetings attracted large crowds, especially among war veterans and unemployed young men.
• By late 1920, the party had enough funds to buy its own newspaper, the Völkischer Beobachter, which spread Nazi ideology across Munich.

The SA and the Führerprinzip
• In 1921, Hitler established the SA (Sturmabteilung or Storm Troopers), a paramilitary organisation made up largely of ex-soldiers and Freikorps members. They protected Nazi meetings, attacked opponents, and intimidated rivals — particularly communists.
• When other leaders wanted to merge with a rival nationalist group, Hitler threatened to resign. Realising his popularity, the party made him undisputed leader in July 1921 under the principle of Führerprinzip (leader principle), giving him absolute authority.
• Membership rose rapidly — from 1,100 in 1920 to 3,000 by 1922 and 20,000 by late 1923.

Analysis – Why was this significant?
• Hitler transformed the NSDAP from a small discussion group into a dynamic national movement.
• The creation of the SA gave the party an image of discipline and strength.
• His personal leadership style and propaganda turned him into the figurehead of German nationalism.

The 25-Point Programme

• The 25-Point Programme, introduced in February 1920, combined nationalist, socialist, and racist ideas.
• It demanded the abolition of the Treaty of Versailles and the unification of all German-speaking peoples (Grossdeutschland).
• It called for strong central leadership under a single Führer, the exclusion of Jews from citizenship, and the confiscation of war profits.
• It also included socialist elements such as nationalisation of key industries, profit-sharing, and land reform.
• The Programme was deliberately vague, allowing the Nazis to appeal to different groups — workers, nationalists, small business owners, and ex-soldiers.

Key ideas included:
• Strong Germany – rejection of Versailles, rearmament, and expansion.
• Führerprinzip – one strong leader with total authority.
• Racial Purity – only those of “German blood” could be citizens.
• Lebensraum – territorial expansion for living space in Eastern Europe.
• Autarky – self-sufficiency to make Germany independent.
• Anti-Communism and Anti-Semitism – destruction of both viewed as threats.

Analysis – Why was this significant?
• The Programme became the ideological foundation of Nazism.
• Its combination of nationalism and socialism helped broaden support.
• However, its racial and anti-Semitic themes were the basis for later persecution and genocide.

The Munich Putsch, 1923

Context
• By 1923, the Weimar Republic faced major crises: hyperinflation, the French occupation of the Ruhr, and widespread political unrest.
• Hitler believed the government was weak and that a right-wing uprising could seize power — similar to Mussolini’s March on Rome (1922).
• He also feared that Chancellor Stresemann’s reforms would stabilise Germany, reducing the Nazis’ appeal.

Key Events
• On 8 November 1923, Hitler and 600 SA men stormed into a beer hall in Munich where Bavarian leaders Gustav von Kahr, Otto von Lossow, and Hans von Seisser were meeting.
• Hitler declared a “national revolution” and demanded their support to overthrow the Weimar government.
• The following day, 9 November, Hitler and around 3,000 supporters marched through Munich, but they were met by armed police. Shots were fired, killing 16 Nazis and 3 policemen.
• The putsch collapsed, and Hitler was arrested two days later.

Consequences and Analysis
• Short-term failure: The NSDAP was banned, and Hitler was imprisoned for treason, showing that the Nazis lacked the strength to seize power by force.
• However, the trial gave Hitler national publicity. His speeches were widely reported, presenting him as a patriotic hero.
• He was sentenced to five years but served only nine months in Landsberg Prison.
• The failed putsch taught him that power had to be gained legally through elections, not revolution.

Kampf and Hitler’s Imprisonment

• While in prison, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”), outlining his main political ideas — nationalism, racial purity, anti-Semitism, and expansionism.
• He blamed Jews and communists for Germany’s defeat and called for a strong authoritarian leader.
• Mein Kampf became the blueprint for Nazi ideology and propaganda.

Analysis – Why was this significant?
• The book clarified the long-term goals of the Nazi movement.
• It established key Nazi beliefs later implemented after 1933.
• The imprisonment allowed Hitler to plan for legal political takeover.

The ‘Quiet Years’, 1925–1928

• After his release, Hitler rebuilt the Nazi Party, focusing on organisation and propaganda rather than rebellion.
• The party was re-founded in 1925, and Hitler created a national structure with branches (Gaus) across Germany, each led by a Gauleiter.
• Despite improved organisation, the Nazis won few votes — only 12 Reichstag seats in 1928.

Analysis – Why was this significant?
• The Nazis learned to use elections, not violence.
• Their limited early success concealed long-term growth and groundwork for future expansion.

The Bamberg Conference, 1926

• The Bamberg Conference resolved internal divisions between the northern (more socialist) and southern (more nationalist) branches of the party.
• Hitler used it to assert his control and reaffirm the Führerprinzip.
• He rejected policies that sounded “too communist,” such as land redistribution, to reassure middle-class supporters.

Analysis – Why was this significant?
• The conference strengthened Hitler’s authority and unified the party.
• It shifted Nazi policy firmly towards nationalism and anti-communism.
• It marked the emergence of Hitler’s dominance as unquestioned leader.

Rebuilding and Reorganising the Nazi Party

• Hitler appointed talented organisers such as Joseph Goebbels as propaganda chief, who modernised Nazi messaging through posters, rallies, and radio.
• The SA was restructured for discipline, while a new elite unit — the SS — was formed in 1925 as Hitler’s personal bodyguard.
• Nazi youth, women’s, and workers’ organisations were established to build loyalty among all sections of society.
• The Nazis gained support from major industrialists such as Thyssen, Krupp, and Bosch, who feared communism and donated money.
• The use of rallies and the Völkischer Beobachter newspaper helped build a powerful image of unity and national pride.

Analysis – Why was this significant?
• The Nazis became a national political force with an efficient structure and clear leadership.
• Propaganda portrayed Hitler as Germany’s saviour.
• Even though electoral success was limited, the foundation for future growth was solidly laid.

Why the Nazis Struggled Before 1929

• Despite reorganisation, the Nazis remained a fringe party through the late 1920s.
• The Weimar Republic appeared to stabilise under Stresemann’s leadership, and confidence in democracy grew.
• The Dawes Plan (1924) and new currency restored economic stability; unemployment fell, and extremist parties lost appeal.
• Hitler was temporarily banned from public speaking (until 1927), limiting his national profile.
• The memory of the failed Munich Putsch still embarrassed the party.

Analysis – Why was this significant?
• The Nazi Party’s lack of electoral success did not mean weakness — it allowed them to reorganise without government pressure.
• When the Great Depression hit in 1929, the groundwork laid during these years allowed rapid expansion.

Timeline Summary – Hitler and the Nazis, 1919–1928

• 1919 – Hitler joins the German Workers’ Party (DAP) in Munich.
• 1920 – DAP renamed National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP); 25-Point Programme announced.
• 1921 – Hitler becomes leader; SA created as Nazi paramilitary group.
• 1923 – Hyperinflation crisis; failed Munich Putsch; Nazi Party temporarily banned.
• 1924 – Hitler imprisoned; writes Mein Kampf; Nazis win 32 then 14 seats in elections.
• 1925 – Party re-founded; SS created; Hitler begins reorganising nationally.
• 1926 – Bamberg Conference; Hitler asserts full control of the party.
• 1927 – Propaganda modernised under Goebbels; local party branches expanded.
• 1928 – Nazis still a minor party with 12 Reichstag seats but over 100,000 members.