The German Workers' Party, which would become the Nazi Party, is founded.

The German Workers' Party (German: Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, DAP) was a short-lived, far-right political organization established in Weimar Germany in the aftermath of World War I. Founded on January 5, 1919, by Anton Drexler, a locksmith, and Karl Harrer, a journalist, the DAP emerged amidst a climate of national humiliation following Germany's defeat, economic hardship, and intense political polarization. Its initial aim was to draw disillusioned workers away from socialist and communist movements and towards a nationalist, anti-Semitic, and anti-capitalist agenda. Although it only existed formally until February 24, 1920, the DAP holds historical significance as the direct precursor to the infamous Nazi Party.

The Nazi Party, officially known as the National Socialist German Workers' Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP), was a far-right political party active in Germany from 1920 to 1945. It was the driving force behind the totalitarian regime of the Third Reich and the ideology of Nazism, which plunged Europe into World War II and perpetrated the Holocaust.

Origins and Early Ideological Evolution of the Nazi Party

The Nazi Party officially formed on February 24, 1920, evolving directly from the German Workers' Party (DAP). Its roots were deeply embedded in the extremist German nationalist, racist, and populist culture of the *Freikorps* – irregular paramilitary units composed primarily of ex-soldiers. These groups were instrumental in suppressing communist uprisings and left-wing insurrections in post-World War I Germany, fostering a strong anti-republican and anti-democratic sentiment. The party’s foundational objective was to redirect German workers from the appeal of communism towards an aggressive *völkisch* nationalism, an ethno-nationalist ideology emphasizing a culturally and racially unified "people's community."

Initially, the Nazi political strategy employed anti-big business, anti-bourgeois, and explicitly anti-capitalist rhetoric, particularly as laid out in the party's 25-Point Program. This populist approach was designed to attract working-class support. However, as the party sought to expand its influence and secure financial backing, particularly from industrialists and conservative elites, this rhetoric was gradually downplayed. By the 1930s, the party's primary focus had decisively shifted to vehemently antisemitic and anti-Marxist themes, positioning itself as the bulwark against both "Jewish Bolshevism" and "international finance capital."

The Core Ideology of Nazism: Race, Community, and Expansion

At the very heart of Nazism lay pseudoscientific racist theories, which formed the bedrock of its worldview and policies. This was most profoundly expressed in the idea of the "people's community" (*Volksgemeinschaft*), a concept that envisioned a harmonious, unified national community based on shared "Aryan" racial identity. The party aimed to unite all "racially desirable" Germans as national comrades, creating a society where individual interests were subordinate to the collective good of the racial community.

Conversely, this concept necessitated the exclusion and persecution of those deemed undesirable. Individuals classified as either political dissidents, physically or intellectually inferior, or of a "foreign race" (*Fremdvölkische*) were systematically ostracized from the *Volksgemeinschaft*. The Nazis sought to strengthen what they perceived as the "Germanic people," or the "Aryan master race," through a brutal program of racial purity and eugenics. This included forced sterilizations and, ultimately, mass murder. Alongside this, the party implemented broad social welfare programs for "racially pure" Germans and demanded a collective subordination of individual rights, which were to be sacrificed for the supposed good of the state and the "people."

Persecution, Genocide, and the Holocaust

To safeguard the supposed purity and strength of the "Aryan race," the Nazis instigated a systematic campaign of persecution and, ultimately, extermination against numerous groups. These included Jews, Romani (often referred to as Roma and Sinti), Poles and most other Slavs, as well as individuals with physical and mental disabilities. Beyond these, the regime disenfranchised and segregated homosexuals, black people, Jehovah's Witnesses, and any political opponents who challenged the one-party state.

The culmination of this persecution was the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question," a chilling code name for an industrial system of genocide. This state-sponsored, systematic extermination program resulted in the murder of approximately 6 million Jews and millions of other targeted victims, an atrocity now universally known as the Holocaust. Concentration and extermination camps like Auschwitz-Birkenau became symbols of unparalleled human suffering and barbarity, where victims were subjected to forced labor, starvation, torture, and mass murder, often in gas chambers.

Adolf Hitler's Rise to Power and the Third Reich

Adolf Hitler, who had been the party's charismatic and totalitarian leader since 1921, strategically capitalized on Germany's economic woes, political instability, and deep-seated resentments to gain power. His masterful propaganda and exploitation of public fear of communism helped the Nazi Party ascend to become the largest party in the Reichstag. On January 30, 1933, despite initial reservations, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. Hitler rapidly dismantled democratic institutions, suppressed all political opposition, and established a totalitarian regime known as the Third Reich, centralizing all power in his hands as Führer.

Legacy and Aftermath

Following the comprehensive defeat of the Third Reich at the end of World War II in Europe in May 1945, the Nazi Party was officially "declared to be illegal" by the Allied powers. The Allied occupation forces subsequently initiated widespread denazification programs in Germany and in territories previously occupied by Nazi forces. These efforts aimed to eradicate Nazi ideology, remove former party members from positions of influence, and punish those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, notably through the Nuremberg Trials.

Today, the use of any symbols, emblems, or gestures associated with the Nazi Party, such as the swastika or the Nazi salute, is strictly outlawed in many European countries, including Germany and Austria, reflecting a strong legal and social commitment to remembering the atrocities of the past and preventing any resurgence of such extremist ideologies.

Frequently Asked Questions About the German Workers' Party and the Nazi Party

What was the German Workers' Party (DAP)?
The German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, DAP) was a short-lived, far-right political party founded in Weimar Germany on January 5, 1919. It served as the direct precursor to the Nazi Party and existed until February 24, 1920.
When was the Nazi Party (NSDAP) established?
The Nazi Party, or National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), was officially established on February 24, 1920, evolving directly from the German Workers' Party (DAP).
Who founded the German Workers' Party?
The German Workers' Party was founded by Anton Drexler and Karl Harrer.
How did Adolf Hitler become involved with the Nazi Party?
Adolf Hitler joined the DAP in September 1919 as a political education officer and rapidly rose through its ranks due to his powerful oratorical skills, eventually becoming its leader in 1921 after it was re-established as the NSDAP.
What was the *Volksgemeinschaft* in Nazi ideology?
The *Volksgemeinschaft*, or "people's community," was a central concept in Nazi ideology. It envisioned a racially pure and unified national community of "Aryan" Germans, from which all "undesirables" (such as Jews, Roma, and political opponents) were excluded.
What was the "Final Solution"?
The "Final Solution" was the Nazi regime's code name for the systematic, state-sponsored genocide of European Jews during World War II, which resulted in the murder of approximately 6 million Jews in the Holocaust.
When did Hitler become Chancellor of Germany?
Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg on January 30, 1933.
What happened to the Nazi Party after World War II?
After the defeat of the Third Reich in World War II, the Nazi Party was declared illegal by the Allied powers, and extensive denazification efforts were undertaken to dismantle its influence and prosecute its leaders.