Nazi Party
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Nazi Party
German political party of National Socialism. Founded in 1919 as the German Workers' Party, it changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers' Party when Adolf Hitler became leader (192021). The nickname Nazi was taken from the first word of its full name, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter-Partei. The party grew from its home base in Bavaria and attracted members from disaffected elements throughout Germany. It organized strong-arm groups (later the SA) to protect its rallies. Though the failed Beer Hall Putsch diminished the party's influence, the effects of the Great Depression brought millions of new members, and in 1932 the party became the largest bloc in the Reichstag. After Hitler was named chancellor in 1933, he obtained passage of the Enabling Act, and his government declared the Nazi party to be the only political party in Germany and required bureaucrats to become members. The party controlled virtually all activities in Germany until Germany's defeat in World War II (1945), after which the party was banned.
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Nazi Party
(Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei; National Socialist German Workers' Party), German political party founded on January 5, 1919. The Nazi Party was an outgrowth of the Political Workers' Circle, a small, extremely antisemitic right-wing group that began meeting in November 1918. In 1919 the circle developed into the German Workers' Party; this was the first time that the ideology of National Socialism was touted by an official political party. Adolf Hitler joined the party that same year.
In early 1920 the party was renamed the National Socialist German Workers' Party; in 1921 Hitler became the party's undisputed leader. The party was banned in 1923 when Hitler attempted to take over the Bavarian government and failed. It was revitalized in February 1925.
The Nazi Party structure was based on the Fuehrerprinzip, or leadership principle. At the heart of the party stood extreme Antisemitism and racist ideology. Hitler was the Fuehrer, the ultimate, authoritarian party leader. The party was managed by 18 high-ranking officials and 32 territorial party leaders; sub-organizations associated with the party included the Storm Troopers (SA), the SS, the Hitlerjugend youth movement, and worker and teacher unions. The Nazi Party multiplied exponentially during its years of existence, growing from 6,000 members in 1922 to 8.5 million in 1945.
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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
Mentioned in
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(1976 Culture & Society Film)
Marsch Zum Fuehrer
(1940 History Film)
SS
(elite quasi-military unit of the Nazi party)
Highway to Battle
(1961 Action Film)
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