The Early Growth Of The Nazi Party

Question 1

What was the DAP ? Who founded it, what ideas did they agree with and what happened to it

Answer 1

• Deutsche Arbeiterpartie- German workers party
• founded by Anton Drexler in the begging on 1919
• agreed with ideas of both socialist and Nationalistic such as the Völkisch idea of a pure German people
• remained small by the end of 1919 and had caught the attention of the government

Question 2

How did Hitler become a member of the DAP ? Where do we get this info from

Answer 2

• attended one of the DAP’s meetings as an informant for the army
• made a powerful speech in response to a speaker that he disagreed with
• Drexler was impressed and asked him to join- Very soon after Hitler joined
• We know it from Mein Kampf

Question 3

What is the other reasons for why Hitler joined ?

Answer 3

Possibly encouraged by his army superiors nevertheless it started his journey to becoming leader

Question 4

What where some of the themes Hitler commonly spoke on ? What did he see it all as?

Answer 4

• the Dolchstoss theory
• his disgust at the treaty of Versailles
• his hatred of Weimar the ‘November Criminals’
• what he saw as the communist Jewish conspiracy bent on destroying Germnahy

Question 5

What did the DAP make him?

Answer 5

Due to his enthusiasm he was made responsible for recruitment and propaganda
Good public speaker

Question 6

What did Hitler and Drexler write in 1920? What was it and what where some key points

Answer 6

The twenty five point programme
- political manifesto
Included scrapping the treaty of Versailles, only citizenship for people of German blood (no Jews), only Germans can vote, creation of new government

Question 7

When was the 25 point programme announced ? What other key thing happens

Answer 7

At a key meeting in Munich (münchen)
national socialist is added to the parties name (just before programme is announced)
All in 1920

Question 8

What where some key things that happened to the party in 1920?

Answer 8

• party grew rapidly mainly down to Hitler (public speaking attracted hundreds to the NSDAP meetings)
• Increased membership lead to the party buying its own newspaper the Völkischer Beobachter (National observer)
• Hitler becomes leader of the party in July 1921

Question 9

What happened to Hitler in 1921?

Answer 9

• becomes leader of the NSDAP (nazis) in 1921
• has the title of Führer
• it meant he had absolute power and authority over the party
• this was called the Führerprinzip (the leadership principles)

Question 10

What was the Sturmabteilung (SA) and what was their role ?

Answer 10

• a protection unit for the Nazi speakers led by Ernst Röhm
• by mid 1921 became more commonly know as the brown shirts
• became a private army for the Nazis which during the period 1921-23 where used to disturbed social democratic parties meetings and communists
• pledge take to become a member which confirmed loyalty to the NSDAP

Question 11

What are some key points for the Hitlers party in 1920-23 ? Think members, themes and what he used the Jewish people for.

Answer 11

• membership increased from 1,100 in 1920 to 55,000 in 1923
• speeches still included anti-Weimar criticism but now references to a pure Aryan race and vitriolic comments about Jews
• he and his followers used them as a scapegoat for Germanys problems