The Nazi Party, or NSDAP, was active from 1920 to 1945, promoting Nazism. It emerged from nationalist and populist culture, focusing on anti-big business and anti-capitalist rhetoric. The party gained popularity during the Great Depression, emphasizing racial segregation and the Aryan master race. Led by Adolf Hitler, it led to the Holocaust and was declared illegal after World War II.
On February 24, 1920, the German Workers' Party (DAP) changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) and presented its 25-point program at the Hofbräuhaus.
Adolf Hitler is elected as the chairman of the NSDAP with only one dissenting vote. The Executive Committee of the party is dissolved, and party founder Anton Drexler resigns soon after.
On January 12, 1922, Adolf Hitler is sentenced to three months for a disturbance that occurred on September 14, 1921.
On June 24, 1922, Hitler is incarcerated while German Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau is assassinated. Some of those involved are linked to the Organisation Consul.
On July 27, 1922, Hitler is released from incarceration.
On January 28, 1923, the first Parteitage (Nazi Party Day) was held in Munich under the slogan Deutschland Erwache (Germany Awake).
The trial of Adolf Hitler for his involvement in the failed Beer Hall Putsch begins.
Adolf Hitler is sentenced to a five-year prison term for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch, during which he writes Mein Kampf with Rudolf Hess.
Adolf Hitler's failed attempt at an armed overthrow of local authorities in Munich, known as the Beer Hall Putsch, took place on November 8, 1923. This event marked a significant setback for the Nazi Party, leading to Hitler's arrest and subsequent trial.
The Beer Hall Putsch was an unsuccessful attempt led by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party to take control of the Bavarian state government in 1923. It aimed to trigger a nationwide insurrection against the Weimar Republic but ultimately failed, resulting in the temporary ban of the Nazi Party and Hitler's imprisonment.
Adolf Hitler is released from Landsberg Prison after serving a portion of his sentence.
Following the Beer Hall Putsch, Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders were arrested and charged with high treason. Hitler used his trial as a platform for propaganda, gaining sympathy and support. Despite being sentenced to five years in prison, he was released after serving only one year.
The ban on the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) is lifted in Bavaria.
The National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) is reestablished.
Bavaria prohibits Adolf Hitler from delivering public speeches.
The first volume of Adolf Hitler's autobiographical manifesto, Mein Kampf, is published.
The Schutzstaffel (SS) is established as a protective unit for Adolf Hitler.
The Nazi Party 'Re-founding Congress' took place in Weimar on July 3rd and 4th, aiming to re-establish and strengthen the party's presence and ideology.
In the Reichstag elections on March 20th, the NSDAP, led by Hitler, secured 2.6% of the vote, indicating a growing but still relatively minor support for the party.
On August 2nd, the 'Party Day of Composure' took place in Nuremberg, likely a significant event showcasing the unity and discipline within the Nazi Party.
The Liberty Law campaign officially began on October 22nd, with the Nazi Party joining a coalition of conservative groups under Hugenberg's leadership to oppose the Young Plan, marking a pivotal moment in the party's political strategy.
In a significant election, the Nazi Party secures 6 million votes in national polling, establishing themselves as the second largest party in Germany.
Geli Raubal, the half-niece of Adolf Hitler, tragically passes away, influencing Hitler's personal life and political decisions.
The Harzburg Front is established, forming a coalition between DNVP, Stahlhelm, and the Nazi Party, shaping political alliances in Germany.
Adolf Hitler suffers a convincing defeat by Hindenburg in the first round of the German presidential election, impacting the political landscape.
Chancellor Brüning issues a ban on the SA (Sturmabteilung) and SS (Schutzstaffel) in Germany.
Chancellor Brüning steps down from his position and is succeeded by Franz von Papen.
Franz von Papen forms his cabinet after becoming the new Chancellor of Germany.
Chancellor Papen lifts the ban on the SA and SS in Germany.
Violent clashes erupt between the police, SA, and Communist Party supporters during the Altona Bloody Sunday incident.
Franz von Papen uses an emergency decree to dissolve the Prussian government led by Otto Braun and takes over as Reichskommissar.
The Nazi Party secures a significant victory in the Reichstag election, becoming the largest party with 13.7 million votes and 230 seats.
Konrad Piecuch, a Polish communist activist involved in uprisings against German rule, is murdered by the SA in Germany, with Hitler defending the perpetrators in the press.
In the Reichstag election, the Nazi Party experiences a decline in support, receiving 11.7 million votes and 196 seats.
Adolf Hitler became the German Chancellor on January 30, 1933, marking the beginning of the Nazi regime's rise to power.
On February 28, 1933, Hitler was granted emergency powers through the Reichstag Fire Decree, marking the beginning of the Nazis' totalitarian control over Germany and the suppression of opposition parties.
The Reichstag Election on March 5, 1933, resulted in a slim majority for Hitler's coalition, although the Nazi Party itself did not secure a majority. The party received 17.2 million votes (43.9%) and won 288 seats.
On March 9, 1933, Heinrich Himmler assumed the position of Police President in Munich, a role that would later see him rise to prominence within the Nazi regime as the head of the SS.
The Nazis raised a swastika flag on top of the Frankfurt am Main city hall after winning the municipal elections, marking their ascent to power in the city.
Joseph Goebbels was appointed as the Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda on March 13, 1933, a position through which he would wield significant influence in shaping Nazi propaganda and ideology.
Hjalmar Schacht took over the role of President of the Reichsbank on March 16, 1933, succeeding Hans Luther. His tenure would be marked by economic policies that supported the Nazi regime's goals.
On March 17, 1933, Sepp Dietrich took command of Hitler's personal bodyguard, the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, solidifying his position within the inner circle of the Nazi leadership.
The Dachau concentration camp was opened on March 22, 1933, marking the beginning of a system of brutal repression and persecution under the Nazi regime. It became one of the first concentration camps established by the Nazis.
Members of the Nazi Party and its affiliated organizations organize a nationwide boycott of Jewish-owned businesses in Germany.
The Law to Secure the Unity of Party and State was enacted, making the Nazi Party a public corporation. It established Party courts as official legal institutions of the State and considered any crime against the Party as a crime against the State.
The Law on the Reconstruction of the Reich formally abolished the Landtage of the German states, transferring states' sovereignty to the Reich and effectively ending federalism in Germany.
The Law on the Abolition of the Reichsrat formally abolished the Reichsrat, the upper house of the German parliament, consolidating power within the Reich government.
Hitler convinced top army and navy officials to support his bid to succeed Hindenburg as president by promising to reduce the SA and expand the regular army and navy.
In 1934, Hitler's regime carried out a purge known as the 'Night of the Long Knives', where the paramilitary storm troopers were suppressed. This event was seen as a move to establish law and order and was supported by the German middle class.
The Anschluss refers to the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938, violating the Treaty of Versailles. This event marked a significant step in Adolf Hitler's expansionist policies.
In October 1938, the Reich Ministry of the Interior declared all German passports held by Jews invalid. Jews were required to surrender their old passports and have the letter 'J' stamped on them to make them valid.
On November 9, 1938, a nationwide pogrom known as Kristallnacht took place where members of the Nazi Party and other Nazi formations carried out violent attacks against Jews, including burning synagogues, looting Jewish properties, and causing the death of at least 91 Jews.
On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, leading to the outbreak of World War II. This event triggered declarations of war from Great Britain and France against Germany.
Germany's Bundesbank is addressing its troubling Nazi past, likely involving collaboration or support for the regime during World War II.