Founding of the Nazi Party

• The Nazi Party, officially known as the National Socialist German Workers' Party, was founded in 1920, evolving from the German Workers’ Party.
• Anton Drexler and Dietrich Eckhart were among the key early figures within the party.
• Adolf Hitler joined in 1919 and quickly rose to prominence due to his riveting speech style and his powerful oratory skills.

Ideologies of the Nazi Party

• Nazi ideology largely stemmed from Hitler’s personal beliefs, which he expressed in his book, Mein Kampf.
• Ultra-nationalistic: Nazis placed Germany and the Aryan race at the pinnacle of importance, aiming to enhance national unity and pride.
• Social Darwinism: Argued that the Aryan race was superior and such races should be preserved and strengthened while weaker ones should be dominated or eliminated.
• Lebensraum: Advocated for German territorial expansion primarily towards the East to accommodate the so-called superior Aryan race.
• Anti-Marxism: Believed Marxism, especially communism, was a threat to Germany and blamed it on the Jews.
• Anti-Semitism: Blamed Jews for Germany's struggles after World War I. This escalated into massive human rights abuses, culminating in the Holocaust.

Early Rise and Challenges 1921-1923

• Hitler was appointed as party leader in 1921, establishing a commanding presence within the party.
• The party was banned temporarily after the failed Munich Beer Hall Putsch in November 1923, set up to seize power in Munich. Hitler was subsequently imprisoned.
• Hitler used the trial and his imprisonment to gain attention and sympathy; during this time, he wrote the first volume of Mein Kampf.
• Despite the early setbacks, the failed coup significantly raised the party's profile nationally, setting the stage for their rise in the 1930s.

The Swastika and Propaganda

• The Nazi Party adopted the swastika, an ancient symbol often associated with luck and prosperity, as their emblem in 1920.
• Propaganda was heavily utilised, effectively manipulating public perception of the party. Themes often revolved around anti-Semitic and Nationalistic sentiments.