2.1 Early development of the Nazi Party, 1920-22

Question 1

What was Hitler’s job after the war ended?

Answer 1

Keeping an eye on local political activists

Included attending DAP (German Workers’ Party) meetings

Question 2

What were the 5 parts to taking over the Nazi Party?

Answer 2

Party Policy
Hitler's personal appeal
Party organisation 
Party leadership
the SA (Sturmabteilung) / Brownshirts

Question 3

What was the DAP strongly opposed to?

Answer 3

Weimar politicians who deposed the Kaiser and accepted ToV
democracy - weak and Weimar Constitution
Jews - undermined economy

Question 4

What was the 25 Point Programme?

Answer 4

A document explaining the party’s policies

Question 5

How did Hitler’s public speaking skills help the DAP?

Answer 5

Rehearsed speeches carefully to start off quietly and slowly and becoming a rant - persuasive
Gestures - lean forward and fixate his eyes on audience to capture them, wave his hands in the air
Publicity photos and paintings showing him speaking

Question 6

What did Rudolf Schussler do for the party?

Answer 6

Became full-time admin
Meetings more organised and better advertised
Membership and funds increased

Question 7

Why did the DAP add ‘NS’ to their name?

Answer 7

Nationalist and Socialist - 2 main points of 25 Point Programme
Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party - clarified policies and appealed to wide demographic

Question 8

What benefit were the swastika and straight armed salute to the party?

Answer 8

Made them distinguishable from other nationalist parties

Question 9

What was the name of the newspaper the Nazi Party bought in December 1920?

Answer 9

The People’s Observer (Volkischer Beobachter)

Question 10

How did the circulation of the paper change within the year?

Answer 10

11,000 - 17,000 people

Question 11

When did Hitler become leader of the NSDAP and what did he do first?

Answer 11

July 1921

Surrounded himself with carefully selected supporters

Question 12

4 main supporters Hitler chose?

Answer 12

Rudolf Hess - wealthy academic, deputy
Hermann Goering - young, wealthy WW1 fighter pilot
Julius Streicher, publisher, founded Nazi newspaper (The Stormer)
Ernst Rohm - scarred ex-army officer, popular with ex-soldiers

Question 13

What is a paramilitary force?

Answer 13

Private group run like a military force

Question 14

When were the SA formed and what did they do?

Answer 14

August 1921
Paraded the streets as a show of force
800 - impressed people with power and organisation
Disrupted meetings of other parties
At NSDAP meetings - controlled crowds and violently subdued opposition

Question 15

Who was in charge of the SA? What was the problem with them?

Answer 15

Ernst Rohm

Wild and difficult to control

Question 16

Who were the Stosstrupp/Shock Troop

Answer 16

Trusted members of the SA who acted as Hitler’s bodyguard

The SS

Question 17

How had Hitler consolidated his control of the NSDAP by January 1922?

Answer 17

Convinced members to give up their right to elect a leader
No policy discussion at conference - he dictated it
His key speech was 2.5 hrs long

Question 18

How did NSDAP numbers change between 1921 and November 1923?

Answer 18

Around 2,000 to 50,000