Later in 1920, Hitler incorporated the swastika as the party’s official symbol. He could have got the idea of the swastika, form seeing them in a church whilst singing in the choir as a teenager. This was also when the right armed salute was introduced by Hitler. Following this Hitler than put forward his 25 point programme. which included the union of Germans in the German Reich. The rejection of the Treaty of Versailles and citizenship which was determined by race so no Jew could be considered German. He wanted all income not earned by work to be confiscated, and also a reconstruction of the education system. These were some of the main ideas outlined by Hitler as part of the 25 point programme. Most of the points reinforced the party’s nationalist and Anti-Semitic ideas.
4) Hitler originally became involved with the DAP, as he was an undercover spy with the army. He was sent into the DAP meeting to investigate, as the army were keeping an eye on both Marxists and nationalists fearing an uprising.
Whilst there Hitler strongly disagreed with statements made in a speech, so got up and began speaking strongly against it, stunning everyone in the room, after this the DAP founder Anton Drexler approached Hitler urging him to return to another meeting. Upon returning Hitler becomes the party’s fifty fifth member.
5) Hitler would have liked the party’s ideas, mainly because they shared the same political views as him. These being the ideas of Anti-Semitism and pro-nationalism.
There are also indications from Hitler’s early life, that suggest why Hitler would like the party’s ideas.
Hitler was born in April 1889, in a small Austrian village. His father Alois was a civil servant, who was very strict. Hitler would often argue with his father who would lash out at him. So Hitler learned from a very early age that ‘the one who wields the greatest power prevails’. Also Alois showed keen Austrian patriotism which provided Hitler with a strong nationalist role model
In Complete contrast his mother Klara was very affectionate towards him from an early age as she feared losing him like she had lost other children.
As a teenager Hitler took part in a boys choir, at a church which was decorated with swastikas. Hitler would have seen these swastikas regularly, so they would have stuck in his mind, this could be why he used it as the official symbol of the Nazi party.
Also when Hitler was young he really enjoyed reading books about cowboys and Indians. Where the white man would always win his battles against Native Americans. Even at an early age Hitler could have formed his ideas on a superior race, that the Aryan race was superior to all others. Hitler also showed an obsessive interest in war. He would look his father’s war books over and over again, and started thinking that war was a glorious event. He would later be part of a enthusiastic German Crowd on August 1st 1914, celebrating the start of the war.
Hitler’s father Alois being an Austrian Civil servant showed loyalty to the Austrian Monarchy. Despite this Hitler would show a obsession with German Nationalism, he would sing German Anthems, listen to German music and use the German greeting “Heil,”
After the death of both his parents and failing in his pursuit of a career in art, Hitler moved to Vienna in February 1908. After once again trying to pursue art an failing again, Hitler was homeless and was eating at charity shelters. Here Hitler lived near to the Jewish community.
It was in his years in Vienna 1908-1913 that Hitler transformed his thoughts on Jews. Hitler himself describes a single incident as his “greatest transformation of all”. He describes a man as “an apparition” suggesting he was a ghostly figure, who was wearing eastern style clothing a “caftan”, and had black hair. Hitler continued “scrutinising feature for feature” whilst staring at this mans “foreign face” before concluding with thought “Is this German?” It was from this moment that Jews became more distinguished from the rest of humanity in Hitler’s eyes.
It was this time in Vienna when Hitler’s beliefs on Jews became extreme; these thoughts were fuelled by his own misfortune in Vienna and the success of the Jewish Community that was around him.
So then Hitler tried to leave Austria when he was 24 to avoid service in the Austrian army. He was tracked down but still managed do dodge army service, after failing a medical. Hitler’s reluctance to serve the Austrian army could be due to the fact that he was obsessed with German Nationalism.
Then in August 1914 Hitler was part of a crowd in Munich celebrating the announcement of the war. After this Hitler volunteered for the army, he was part of the Bavarian regiment.
During the war Hitler was very fortunate not to have died, he was sending message very close to the battlefield. Hitler’s bravery meant that he received the Iron Cross twice.Although his luck did run out when he was it by a shell fragment during a battle. Whilst recovering Hitler was in Munich were he was disgusted by the Anti-War attitude of the German civilians. He blamed the Jews for this saying they were undermining the war effort. This added to the growing anti-Semitic Beliefs he had already picked up in Vienna.
After returning to front line in March 1917, Hitler was injured again in October 1918 in a chloride gas attack he was left temporarily blinded. Whilst recovering in hospital the news of the armistice being signed, and the end of the war reached Hitler. He was angered by the news and blamed Politian’s and Jews, he believed that they undermined the war effort.
During Hitler’s early life all the way through to the end of the war, there are many indicators that he would like the DAP’s ideas. His hatred towards Jews became more apparent when he was homeless, living near the Jewish community who were rich and owned successful businesses. He began to analyse physical features of the Jews, believing that they were inferior and not German. He believed that Jewish Politian’s were responsible for the end of the war, and convinced himself of a Jewish-Marxist conspiracy to destroy the German people. There were early signs of his beliefs when his was young, reading stories about the white man defeating Native Americans. These anti-Semitic beliefs were shared by the other DAP members.
Hitler had anti-communist beliefs and like the DAP linked the Jews to them, also they believed that the Jews were promoting and spreading communist ideas.
Also the DAP’s strong nationalist ideas were shared by Hitler, this can also be seen in Hitler’s early life. As he enjoyed listening to German music and using German Greetings from an early age. These nationalist roots can be seen later on to, with his reluctance to serve the Austrian Army, buy willingness to serve the German Army.
Hitler’s experiences in early life through to the war contributed to the beliefs he formed, these beliefs were the same as the ideas the DAP were promoting. So through the DAP Hitler could openly express his views which were being shared by the other members. This is why Hitler would of liked the DAP’s ideas as they were so similar to his own.
6) Soon after joining the DAP in 1920, Hitler was made head of the propaganda. Hitler was an important member in the party as he was recruiting new members, mostly young men he had known in the army. He was assisted in his recruitment by Captain Ernst Röhm, who himself was a new member. Hitler knew that ex-soldiers were angry with the ending of the war, and were looking for someone to blame just as he was. So Hitler effectively used the DAP’s anti-Semitic beliefs to recruit more members, who he knew were blaming Jewish Politian’s for the end of the war.
Hitler was devoted to the DAP’s campaign and worked very hard. He was an excellent speaker and often got very emotional in his speeches. As well as showing his anger against Jews, Hitler also was infuriated by the Treaty of Versailles. There emotional outburst were working, and the DAP’s members were increasing.
Hitler knew that that there were threats of a uprising from the communist political party’s, so he would play on the fears of the German public to gain there support. It was working as many Germans did not want a Russian style communist revolution
Hitler’s most important action as the leader of the DAP was the outlining of the Twenty Five Points with Anton Drexler. The points included; the rejection of the Treaty of Versailles, union of all Germans in the German Reich, citizenship to be determined by race, additional territories for the German people, all income not earned by work to be confiscated, reconstruction of the education system, religious freedom except for religions which are danger to German people, and a strong central government for the execution of effective legislation.
These points were important as different points appealed to different members of German society. Like the racist areas of the programme would of appealed to the middle class who were envious of the wealthy Jewish Businessmen, also the urban and peasant workers were fearing that they could be replaced by people of other races.
The nationalistic points of the programme which included the scraping of The Treaty of Versailles, would have applied to a majority of German people who felt the treaty was extremely harsh.
Also the points included some socialist ideas; Hitler wasn’t always in support of socialist especially if the included racial equality. Although he included some in the programme as he knew the ideas were popular among German people, and a way to gain support. Some of the points were all German citizens to have equal rights and duties and the health system to be raised. This appealed to many members of the German Society including; the peasants’, tenant farmers, urban workers all who wanted equal opportunities.
Finally the programme included some anti-democratic ideas which included; the confiscation of all profit made by war, the division of large department stores to be leased to small traders. This would of appealed to the peasants’ and the urban workers as they wanted the chance to be equal with the rest of society.
After the party announced The Twenty Five Points, Hitler changed the party’s name to National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) also known as the Nazis. Hitler then incorporated the swastika as the party’s official symbol. He eventually became Führer of the Nazi Party in July 1921.
Hitler became the most important member of the party after first recruiting ex-soldiers by using the party’s anti-Semitic and nationalist ideas. Then he realised that to gain even more support the party would have to appeal to the more members of the German Society. So this is he introduced The Twenty Five Point Programme, which was designed to appeal to the largest amount of people possible. By the end of 1920 the party had increased to around three thousand members. this is what Hitler the most important member of the party.
