The Development of the Nazi Party

1920 to 1923

Aims of this lesson

By the end of this lesson you will• Understand the main developments in the Nazi

Party between 1919 and 1923• Understand and describe the main Nazi symbols• Describe the main features of the SA and

evaluate its role in the early years of the Nazi Party.

• Evaluate the threat that it posed to the government in October 1923

The Early Nazi Party

• Party foundered as the German Workers Party (DAP) in 1919

• Leader Anton Drexler• Hilter sent to spy on it and was

asked to join – very quickly became its leader

• Changed its name to the National Socialst German Workers party (NSDAP)

• Shortened to Nazi Party

The SA

• The brown shirts – Hitler's armed thugs who protected meetings and attacked his opponents

• Leader Ernst Roehm• Very violent but got the job

done – many had previously been members of the Freikorps

Party symbols

• Used the colours of the old German flag – red white and black – to form the Nazi flag

• Used an old religious symbol – the Swastika – to represent the party

• Striking and easily recognisable

The situation in 1923

• The Party were only known in Bavaria but not in the rest of the country

• No one had heard of AH• Hitler had linked up with

Ludendorf and was looking for an opportunity to take power

• They posed very little threat to the state in 1923