Nsdap transcript. National Socialist Workers' Party of Germany

In Germany in 1920, the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP), in Russian - NSDAP, or NSRPG) began to exist, and since 1933 it has become the only legal ruling party in the country. By decision of the anti-Hitler coalition, after the defeat in 1945, it was dissolved, the Nuremberg trials recognized its leadership as criminal, and its ideology unacceptable due to the threat to the existence of humanity.

Start

In 1919, the German Workers' Party (DAP) was founded in Munich by railway mechanic Anton Drexler on the platform of the Free Workers' Committee for Peace (Freien Arbeiterausschuss für einen guten Frieden), which was also founded by Drexler. His mentor, Paul Tafel, director of the company and leader of the Pan-German Union, presented the idea of ​​​​creating a nationalist party that would rely on the workers. Since its creation, there have already been about 40 members under the wing of the DAP. The political party's program was not yet sufficiently developed.

Adolf Hitler joined the ranks of the DAP already in September 1919, and six months later he announced the “Twenty-Five Points Program,” which entailed a change of name. It now finally acquired its name as the National Socialist German Workers' Party. Hitler did not come up with innovations himself; National Socialism had already been proclaimed at that time in Austria. In order not to copy the name of the Austrian party, Hitler proposed the Socialist Revolutionary Party. But he was convinced. Journalism picked up the idea, shortening the abbreviation to “Nazi”, since the name “social” (socialists) already existed, by analogy.

Twenty five points

This fateful program, approved in February 1920, will have to be presented briefly.

1. Greater Germany must unite all Germans on its territory.
2. To achieve a waiver of all the terms of the Versailles Treaty, thereby confirming Germany’s right to independently build relations with other nations.
3. Lebensraum: demand additional territory to produce food and settle the increasing German population.
4. Grant citizenship based on race. Jews will not be German citizens.
5. All non-Germans can only be guests.
6. Official positions must be occupied by people with appropriate qualifications and available abilities; nepotism of any kind is unacceptable.
7. The state is obliged to provide conditions for the existence of citizens. If there are insufficient resources, all non-citizens are excluded from the list of beneficiaries.
8. Stop the entry of non-Germans into Germany.
9. All citizens have not only the right, but also the obligation to participate in elections.
10. Every German citizen must work for the common good.
11. Illicit profits are confiscated.
12. All profits gained from the war are confiscated.
13. Nationalization of all large enterprises.
14. Workers and employees participate in the profits of large industries.
15. The old-age pension must be decent.
16. The need to support traders and small producers, transferring all large stores to them.
17. Reforms in land tenure, stopping speculation.
18. Speculation is punishable by death, and all criminal offenses are mercilessly punished.
19. Replacement of Roman law with German law.
20. Reorganization of the German educational system.
21. State support for motherhood and encouragement of youth development.
22. Universal conscription, national army instead of professional.
23. All media in the country must be owned only by Germans; non-Germans are prohibited from working in them.
24. Religion is free, except for religions that are dangerous to Germany. Jewish materialism is prohibited.
25. Strengthening the central government to effectively implement legislation.

Parliament

On April 1, 1920, Hitler’s party became official, and since 1926, all its provisions have been recognized as inviolable. From 1924 to the party gained strength and quickly strengthened. Parliamentary elections show an increase in the German vote from year to year.

If in May 1924 the National Socialist German Workers' Party gained only 6.6% in the elections, and in December even less - only 3%, then already in 1930 the votes became 18.3%. In 1932, there was a significant increase in adherents of National Socialism: in July 37.4% voted for the NSDAP, and finally, in March 1933, almost 44% of the votes were received by Hitler’s party. Since 1923, NSDAP congresses have been held regularly, there were ten of them in total, and the last one took place in 1938.

Ideology

Totalitarianism combines elements of socialism, racism, nationalism, anti-Semitism, fascism and anti-communism. That is why the National Socialist German Workers' Party declared its goal to build an Aryan state with racial purity and vast territory, which has everything necessary for the well-being and prosperity of the thousand-year Reich.

Hitler first made a report to the party in October 1919. Then the history of the party was just beginning, and the audience was small - only one hundred and eleven people. But the future Fuhrer captivated them completely. In principle, the postulates in his speeches never changed - the emergence of fascism had already occurred. At first, Hitler talked about how great he saw Germany and declared its enemies: Jews and Marxists, who doomed the country to defeat in the First World War and subsequent suffering. Then they spoke about revenge and about German weapons that would eliminate poverty in the country. The demand for the return of the colonies, contrary to the “barbaric” Treaty of Versailles, was reinforced by the intention to annex many new territories.

Party structure

The National Socialist German Workers' Party was built on a territorial principle, the structure was hierarchical. Absolute power and unlimited powers belonged to the party chairman. The first head from January 1919 to February 1920 was the journalist Karl Harrer. He took an active part in the creation of the DAP. He was succeeded by Anton Drexler, who a year later became honorary chairman of the party when he handed over the reins of power to Adolf Hitler in July 1921.

The party apparatus was directly led by the Deputy Fuhrer. From 1933 to 1941, this position was held by the Deputy Fuhrer who created the Headquarters, who immediately in 1933 headed the transformation of the Headquarters into the Party Chancellery in 1941. Since 1942, Bormann has been the Fuhrer's secretary. In 1945, Hitler wrote a will in which he established a new party post - a minister for party affairs appeared, who became its head. Bormann did not stay at the head of the NSDAP for long - about four days, from the thirtieth of April until the signing of the capitulation on the second of May.

His fight

When the Nazis attempted a coup, Bavarian Commissioner Gustav von Kahr issued a decree banning the National Socialist Party. However, this had no effect; the popularity of both the party and its Fuhrer grew at a tremendous pace: already in 1924, forty Reichstag deputies belonged to the NSDAP. In addition, party members hid under other names of newly created organizations. This applies to the Greater German People's Community and the People's Bloc, and the National Socialist Liberation Movement, and many other parties that are small in number of members.

In 1925, the NSDAP again reached a legal position, but its leaders disagreed on purely tactical issues - how much socialism and how much nationalism should this movement contain. Thus, the party was divided into two wings. The entire year of 1926 passed in splits and fierce struggle between the right and left. The party conference in Bamberg was the climax of this confrontation. Then, on May 22, 1926, without overcoming the contradictions, Hitler was nevertheless elected as their leader in Munich. And they did it unanimously.

Reasons for the popularity of Nazism

In Germany, the severity of the economic crisis in the early twenties of the twentieth century was at its peak, and discontent among all segments of the population grew by leaps and bounds. Against this background, it was not so difficult to seduce the masses with the ideas of nationalism and militarism, proclaiming a race of masters and the historical mission of Germany. The number of adherents and sympathizers of the NSDAP grew rapidly, attracting thousands and thousands of boys from various classes and estates into the ranks of the Nazis. The party developed dynamically and did not disdain populist techniques when recruiting new followers.

The cadres that made up the backbone of the NSDAP were very impressive: for the most part they were members of paramilitary associations and veterans' unions dissolved by the government (the Pan-German Union and the German People's Union of Offensive and Defense, for example). In January 1923, at the first party congress, Hitler performed the ceremony of consecrating the NSDAP banner. At the same time, Nazi symbols appeared. After the end of the congress, the first torchlight procession of six thousand SA stormtroopers took place. In the fall, the party already numbered more than 55 thousand people.

Preparing to take over the world

In February 1925, the previously banned newspaper Völkischer Beobachter, the printed organ of the NSDAP, began publishing again. At the same time, Hitler made one of his most successful acquisitions - Goebbels came over to his side and founded the Angrif magazine. In addition, the NSDAP received the opportunity to broadcast its theoretical research through the National Socialist Monthly. In July 1926, at the Weimar NSDAP congress, Hitler decided to change party tactics.

Instead of terrorist methods of struggle, he recommended that political opponents be squeezed out of all administrative structures and elected to the Reichstag and land parliaments. This had to be done, of course, without losing sight of the main goal - the eradication of communism and the revision of the decisions of the Versailles Treaty.

Raising capital

Using all sorts of tricks, Hitler managed to interest the most significant financial and industrial figures in Germany in the NSDAP program. The party was trusted and joined by such bosses as Wilhelm Kappler, Emil Kirdorff, the editor of the stock exchange newspaper Walter Funk, the chairman of the Reichsbank Hjalmar Schacht and many, many of those who, in addition to their own membership, which was good PR for the people, contributed to the party fund huge sums of money. The crisis deepened, unemployment grew uncontrollably, the Social Democrats did not justify the people's trust. Most social groups were losing ground under their feet, the very foundations of their existence were collapsing.

Small producers despaired, blaming government democracy for their woes. Many saw a way out of this situation only in strengthening power and a one-party government. Both bankers and entrepreneurs of the largest scale willingly joined these demands and subsidized the NSDAP in election campaigns. Everyone associated national and personal aspirations with this party and personally with Hitler. For the rich, this was primarily an anti-communist barrier. In July 1932, the first results were summed up: 230 mandates in the Reichstag elections against 133 for the Social Democrats and 89 for the Communists.

Divisions

In 1944, the party included nine Angeschlossene Verbände - affiliated unions, seven Gliederungen der Partei - party divisions and four organizations. The unions that joined the NSDAP consisted of lawyers, teachers, office workers, doctors, technicians, the War Victims' Union, the Public Welfare Union, the Labor Front and the Air Defense Union. They were independent organizations within the party structure and had legal rights and property.

The political party in Germany had divisions: Hitler Youth, SS (security detachments), SA (assault detachments), unions of German girls, associate professors, students, women (NS-Frauenschaft), mechanized corps. The organizations that Adolf Hitler's party joined were populous, but not too significant, these are: the cultural society, the union of large families, German communities (Deutscher Gemeindetag) and “Labour of German women” (Das Deutsche Frauenwerk).

Administrative division

Germany was divided into thirty-three Gaue - party areas coinciding with electoral districts. Their number increased over time: by 1941 there were already 43 Gau, plus the foreign organization of the NSDAP. The Gau were divided into districts, and those into local branches, then into cells and blocks. Up to 60 houses were combined in the block.

Each party organizational unit was headed by a Gauleiter, Kreisleiter and the like. Accordingly, party apparatuses were created locally; officials had insignia, titles and uniforms, which were decorated with Nazi symbols. The color of the buttonholes indicated the affiliation and position held in the structure of the organization.

Branches

The NSDAP was subordinated not only to its own party members, but also to the party in the territories of Germany's allies and in occupied countries. In Italy, until 1943 he led the National Fascist Party (it is believed that the cradle of fascism was there), after which it turned into the Republican Fascist Party. In Spain there was a Spanish phalanx completely dependent on the NSDAP.

Similar organizations also functioned in Slovakia, Romania, Croatia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, and Norway. And Belgium and Denmark literally had branches of the NSDAP on their territory, even the Nazi symbols coincided almost completely. It should be noted that all of the listed states where Nazi parties were created participated in World War II on the side of Germany, and many representatives of all these countries ended up in Soviet captivity.

Defeat

The unconditional surrender of 1945 put an end to the existence of the most inhumane party ever created by mankind. The NSDAP was not only dissolved, but also banned everywhere, property was completely confiscated, the leaders were convicted and executed. True, many party members still managed to escape to South America; the Spanish ruler Franco helped in this by providing both ships and subsidies.

By the decision of the anti-fascist coalition, Germany was completely subjected to the process of denazification, active members of the NSDAP were especially checked: dismissal from the leadership or from educational institutions is still a very small price to pay for what fascism has done on earth.

Post-war time

In Germany in 1964, fascism again raised its head. The Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands appeared - the National Democratic Party of Germany, which positioned itself as the successor to the NSDAP. For the first time since World War II, neo-Nazis came close to the Bundestag - 4.3% in the 1969 elections. Before the NPD, there were other neo-Nazi formations in Germany, Römer’s Imperial Socialist Party, for example, but it should be noted that none of them achieved noticeable results at the federal level.

Hitler considered the defeat in the war of the German Empire and the November Revolution of 1918 to be the product of traitors who “stabbed in the back” the victorious German army.

In early February 1919, Hitler volunteered to serve as a guard at a prisoner of war camp located near Traunstein, not far from the Austrian border. About a month later, the prisoners of war - several hundred French and Russian soldiers - were released, and the camp and its guards were disbanded.

On March 7, 1919, Hitler returned to Munich, to the 7th Company of the 1st Reserve Battalion of the 2nd Bavarian Infantry Regiment.

At this time, he had not yet decided whether he would be an architect or a politician. In Munich, during the stormy days, he did not bind himself to any obligations, he simply observed and took care of his own safety. He remained in Max Barracks in Munich-Oberwiesenfeld until the day the troops of von Epp and Noske drove the communist Soviets out of Munich. At the same time, he gave his works to the prominent artist Max Zeper for evaluation. He handed over the paintings to Ferdinand Steger for imprisonment. Steger wrote: “...an absolutely extraordinary talent.”

From June 5 to June 12, 1919, his superiors sent him to an agitator course (Vertrauensmann). The courses were intended to train agitators who would conduct explanatory conversations against the Bolsheviks among soldiers returning from the front. Far-right views prevailed among the lecturers; among others, lectures were given by Gottfried Feder, the future economic theorist of the NSDAP.

During one of the discussions, Hitler made a very strong impression with his anti-Semitic monologue on the head of the propaganda department of the 4th Bavarian Reichswehr Command, and he invited him to take on political functions throughout the army. A few days later he was appointed education officer (confidant). Hitler turned out to be a bright and temperamental speaker and attracted the attention of listeners.

The decisive moment in Hitler's life was the moment of his unshakable recognition by supporters of anti-Semitism. Between 1919 and 1921, Hitler intensively read books from Friedrich Kohn's library. This library was clearly anti-Semitic, which left a deep mark on Hitler's beliefs.

On September 12, 1919, Adolf Hitler, on instructions from the military, came to the Sterneckerbräu beer hall for a meeting of the German Workers' Party (DAP), founded in early 1919 by mechanic Anton Drexler and numbering about 40 people. During the debate, Hitler, speaking from a pan-German position, won a landslide victory over the supporter of Bavarian independence and accepted the offer of the impressed Drexler to join the party. Hitler immediately made himself responsible for party propaganda and soon began to determine the activities of the entire party.

Until April 1, 1920, Hitler continued to serve in the Reichswehr. On February 24, 1920, Hitler organized the first of many large public events for the Nazi Party in the Hofbräuhaus beer hall. During his speech, he proclaimed the twenty-five points drawn up by him, Drexler and Feder, which became the program of the Nazi Party. The “Twenty-Five Points” combined pan-Germanism, demands for the abolition of the Treaty of Versailles, anti-Semitism, demands for socialist reforms and a strong central government.

At Hitler's initiative, the party adopted a new name - the German National Socialist Workers' Party (in German transcription NSDAP). In political journalism they began to be called Nazis, by analogy with the socialists - Soci. In July, a conflict arose in the leadership of the NSDAP: Hitler, who wanted dictatorial powers in the party, was outraged by the negotiations with other groups that took place while Hitler was in Berlin, without his participation. On July 11, he announced his withdrawal from the NSDAP. Since Hitler was at that time the most active public politician and the most successful speaker of the party, other leaders were forced to ask him to return. Hitler returned to the party and on July 29 was elected its chairman with unlimited power. Drexler was left the post of honorary chairman without real powers, but his role in the NSDAP from that moment sharply declined.

For disrupting the speech of the Bavarian separatist politician Otto Ballerstedt, Hitler was sentenced to three months in prison, but he served only a month in Munich's Stadelheim prison - from June 26 to July 27, 1922. On January 27, 1923, Hitler held the first NSDAP congress; 5,000 stormtroopers marched through Munich.

"Beer putsch"

By the beginning of the 1920s. The NSDAP became one of the most prominent organizations in Bavaria. Ernst Röhm stood at the head of the assault troops (German abbreviation SA). Hitler quickly became a force to be reckoned with, at least within Bavaria.

In 1923, a crisis broke out in Germany, caused by the French occupation of the Ruhr. The Social Democratic government, which first called on the Germans to resist and plunged the country into an economic crisis, and then accepted all the demands of France, was attacked by both the right and the communists. Under these conditions, the Nazis entered into an alliance with the right-wing conservative separatists who were in power in Bavaria, jointly preparing an attack against the Social Democratic government in Berlin. However, the strategic goals of the Allies differed sharply: the former sought to restore the pre-revolutionary Wittelsbach monarchy, while the Nazis sought to create a strong Reich. The leader of the Bavarian right, Gustav von Kahr, proclaimed a state commissar with dictatorial powers, refused to carry out a number of orders from Berlin and, in particular, to disband the Nazi units and close the Völkischer Beobachter. However, faced with the firm position of the Berlin General Staff, the leaders of Bavaria (Kahr, Lossow and Seiser) hesitated and told Hitler that they did not intend to openly oppose Berlin for the time being. Hitler took this as a signal that he should take the initiative into his own hands.

On November 8, 1923, at about 9 o'clock in the evening, Hitler and Erich Ludendorff, at the head of armed stormtroopers, appeared at the Munich beer hall "Bürgerbräukeller", where a meeting was taking place with the participation of Kahr, Lossow and Seiser. Upon entering, Hitler announced the “overthrow of the government of traitors in Berlin.” However, the Bavarian leaders soon managed to leave the beer hall, after which Carr issued a proclamation dissolving the NSDAP and the storm troopers. For their part, the stormtroopers under the command of Röhm occupied the ground forces headquarters building at the War Ministry; there they, in turn, were surrounded by Reichswehr soldiers.

On the morning of November 9, Hitler and Ludendorff, at the head of a 3,000-strong column of attack aircraft, moved towards the Ministry of Defense, however, on Residenzstrasse, their path was blocked by a police detachment that opened fire. Carrying away the dead and wounded, the Nazis and their supporters fled the streets. This episode went down in German history under the name “Beer Hall Putsch.”

In February - March 1924, the trial of the leaders of the coup took place. Only Hitler and several of his associates were in the dock. The court sentenced Hitler for high treason to 5 years in prison and a fine of 200 gold marks. Hitler served his sentence in Landsberg prison. However, after 9 months, in December 1924, he was released.

During his 9 months in prison, Hitler’s work Mein Kampf (My Struggle) was written. In this work, he outlined his position regarding racial purity, declaring war on Jews, communists, and stated that Germany should dominate the world.

Hymn:

The name of the party before 1920 was the German Workers' Party. "Deutsche Arbeiterpartei".

Hitler himself explained the name of his party this way:

Socialism is the doctrine of how to care for the common good. Communism is not socialism. Marxism is not socialism. Marxists stole this concept and distorted its meaning. I will snatch socialism from the hands of the “socialists.” Socialism is an ancient Aryan, Germanic tradition.

The National Socialist German Workers' Party is a radical right-wing political party in Germany created by combining Anton Drexler's Independent Workers' Committee (established on March 7, 1918 as a branch of the North German Peace Association) and Karl Harrer's Political Workers' Union (established in 1918) into the German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, abbr. DAP). At a meeting in the Munich beer hall "Hofbräuhaus" on February 24, 1920, Hitler announced a 25-point program that he himself had written. At the same meeting, it was decided to change the name of the party: instead of the German Workers' Party - the National Socialist German Workers' Party. All 25 points were approved by the meeting, and the program became the official program of the party. In 1921, Hitler was only a member of the party's steering committee. His duties included campaigning and attracting new people to join the party. But in the summer of this year, Hitler decided that it was time to remove party chairman Anton Drexler and take his leadership position. Hitler differed with Drexer in that he wanted to unite the party with the socialist party. This did not suit Hitler at all. Drexer's supporters, when Hitler went to Berlin for a few days, decided to get rid of him as a party member. Hitler, returning to Munich, himself demonstratively left the party and handed over his case to the consideration and trial of party members. Drexer did not incite his colleagues to be strict with Adolf Hitler. Hitler re-joined the NSDAP on July 26, and on July 29 he was elected chairman of the party. This happened at an emergency management meeting. Drexer then left the party. At the same meeting, naturally at the instigation of Hitler, there was an innovation - the law of the Fuhrer, which was based on the unconditional subordination of all party members to the Fuhrer, and in this case, to Hitler himself. At this meeting, a new Charter was adopted with this “Führer principle”. In 1922, a new person appeared in the party. This is Julius Streicher, who is known as an ardent anti-Semite and anti-communist, famous for his rude disposition. He was a very active Nazi. He managed to persuade the entire workers' union to join this party, after which the number of NSDAP members increased significantly. The party holds many rallies and by the end of 1922 there were already 22,000 people in it. Soon, in January 1923, the first congress of the NSDAP took place. Everyone was amazed by the aesthetic design of this solemn event. Posters, symbols... But the most touching thing was Hitler’s consecration of the party banner and the procession of 6,000 stormtroopers. (The party, to protect the Fuhrer and party events, subsequently to carry out repression, persecution, murder, occupation... formed a stormtrooper guard, which was called the SA, and then the more elite SS and Gestapo guards). By the end of 1923, the party already had more than 55,000 members. On May 1, 1923, armed NSDAP stormtroopers gathered on the Oberwiesenfeld field in Munich. There, the commander of the radical organization, Captain Rem, spoke to them. Rem made it clear to Hitler that the time for rebellion had not yet come. On May 1 and 2, the “German Day” celebration took place in Nuremberg. General Ludendorff addressed the audience. The Union of Struggle was also formed there, in which all right-wing radical parties in Germany united. Hitler becomes the leader of this alliance. On September 26, 1923, the Bavarian government declared a state of emergency, then prohibited a number of mass demonstrations planned by the NSDAP. The separatists are planning to stage a putsch on November 11th. Hitler accidentally learned that on November 8, members of the Bavarian cabinet gathered in the largest Munich beer hall (accommodating more than 2,000 people), the Bürgerbaukeler. Hitler rushed there like a bullet. This is how he became a participant in the anti-government Beer Hall Putsch (anti-government coup), which took place on November 9, 1923. The putsch failed, its organizers and participants, including Hitler, were arrested and imprisoned. Some managed to hide from the police.

In 1925, Hitler was released from prison and began to restore the party, since during his imprisonment the number had greatly decreased. Everything had to almost start all over again. In prison, he became friends with a new young member of his party, Rudolf Hess, also convicted of the putsch. Rudolf Hess became his faithful assistant for many years.

Hitler was looking for points of mutual understanding with major industrialists and financial figures. He tried in every possible way to attract them to his party. They were not happy with the policies of the Social Democrats. And, seeing a difficult political and economic situation for themselves, they decided to support the Nazi party. They saw it primarily as protection against communism.

Program (25 points)

• We demand the unification of all Germans on the basis of the right of self-determination of peoples into Greater Germany.
• We demand equal rights for the German people on an equal basis with other nations and the abolition of the provisions of the Versailles and Saint-Germain peace treaties.
• We demand living space: territories and lands (colonies) necessary to feed the German people and to resettle the surplus German population.
• A citizen of Germany can only be one who belongs to the German nation, in whose veins German blood flows, regardless of religious affiliation. No Jew can be classified as a member of the German nation and be a citizen of Germany.
• Anyone who is not a German citizen can live in Germany as a guest, with the rights of a foreigner.
• The right to vote and to be elected should belong exclusively to German citizens. We therefore demand that all positions at any level - imperial, regional or municipal - be filled only by German citizens. We are fighting against the corrupting parliamentary practice of holding office solely on the basis of party affiliation without regard to character and ability.
• We demand that the state commit itself to ensuring that German citizens have the best possible work and life opportunities. If it is impossible to feed the entire population of the state, then persons of alien nations (not citizens of the state) must be expelled from the country.
• All further immigration to Germany of persons of non-German race must be suspended. We demand that all persons of non-German race who immigrated to Germany after August 2, 1914, immediately leave the Reich.
• All citizens of the state must have equal rights and responsibilities.
• The first duty of every German citizen will be to do work, mental or physical. The activities of each citizen should not diverge from the interests of society as a whole, should take place within the framework of society and, therefore, be directed for the common benefit.
• We demand a declaration of ruthless war on those whose activities harm common interests. Crimes against the nation committed by moneylenders, speculators, etc. should be punishable by death, regardless of race or creed. We demand the abolition of unearned income and interest slavery.
• In view of the enormous loss of life and property demanded of the nation by every war, personal enrichment during war must be considered a crime against the nation. We therefore demand the ruthless confiscation of war profits.
• We demand the nationalization of industrial trusts.
• We demand the participation of workers and employees in the profits of large commercial enterprises.
• We demand a significant increase in pensions for the elderly.
• We demand the creation of a healthy middle class and its preservation, the immediate removal of large stores from private ownership and their rental at low prices to small producers, the strictest consideration to ensure that small producers receive public support everywhere - at the state level, in the lands or communities.
• We demand land reform in accordance with the interests of the German nation, the adoption of a law on the gratuitous confiscation of land for public needs, the cancellation of interest on mortgages, and the prohibition of land speculation.
• We demand a ruthless fight against crime. We demand the introduction of the death penalty for criminals against the German people, moneylenders, speculators, etc., regardless of social status, religion and nationality.
• We demand the replacement of Roman law, which serves the interests of the materialist world order, with German popular law.
• In order to ensure that every capable and diligent German has the opportunity to receive a higher education and occupy a leadership position, the state must take care of the comprehensive, broad development of our entire system of public education. The programs of all educational institutions must be brought into line with the requirements of practical life. From the very beginning of the development of a child’s consciousness, the school must purposefully teach students to understand the idea of ​​the state. We demand that especially talented children of poor parents, regardless of their position in society and occupation, receive an education at the expense of the state.
• The state must direct all efforts to improve the health of the nation: ensure the protection of motherhood and childhood, prohibit child labor, improve the physical condition of the population by introducing compulsory games and physical exercises, and supporting clubs involved in the physical development of youth.
• We demand the elimination of mercenary troops and the creation of a people's army.
• We demand an open political struggle against deliberate political lies and their spread in the press. In order to create a German national press, we demand that:
  • all editors and publishers of German newspapers would be German citizens;
  • Non-German newspapers must obtain special permission from the state to publish. However, they cannot be published in German;
  • non-German citizens would be prohibited by law from having any financial interest or influence in German newspapers. As punishment for violations of this law, such a newspaper will be banned and foreigners will be immediately deported. We demand the announcement of an irreconcilable struggle against literary and cultural movements that have a corrupting influence on our people, as well as a ban on all activities aimed at this.
• We demand freedom for all religious denominations in the state as long as they do not pose a threat to it and do not oppose the morals and feelings of the German race. The party as such stands on the position of positive Christianity, but at the same time is not bound by beliefs with any denomination. She fights the Jewish-materialistic spirit within and without us and is convinced that the German nation can achieve permanent healing within itself only on the principles of the priority of general interests over private ones.
• To accomplish all this we demand: the creation of a strong centralized imperial power. The unquestioned authority of the central political parliament throughout the empire in all its organizations. The creation of estate chambers and chambers of professions to implement the general laws adopted by the empire in individual federal states. Party leaders undertake to ensure the implementation of the above points at any cost, even sacrificing, if necessary, their lives.

Organizational structure of the NSDAP

Nazi parties and movements Personalities

The National Socialist Workers' Party was built on a territorial principle and had a pronounced hierarchical structure. At the top of the pyramid of party power stood the Party Chairman, who had absolute power and unlimited powers.

• Karl Harrer 1919-1920
• Anton Drexler, from February 24 to July 29, then honorary chairman;
• Adolf Hitler, from July 29 to April 30.

To ensure the activities of the Fuhrer, a personal Office of the Fuhrer was created (organized in the year), to ensure the activities of the top party leadership there was a party office (since October 10, it was headed by Martin Bormann).

The direct leadership of the party was carried out by the deputy Fuhrer for the party. From April 21 until May 10, this was Rudolf Hess. A new deputy was not appointed, but in fact Martin Bormann became him.

The current management of party work in areas was carried out by 18 Reichsleiter (German. Reichsleiter- imperial leader). The Reichsleiter had no less power than the ministers.

By the year, the NSDAP included 9 affiliated unions (Angeschlossene Verbände), 7 party divisions (Gliederungen der Partei) and 4 organizations:

• Affiliated unions (independent organizations with the rights of legal entities and their own property)
  • National Socialist Lawyers' Union ( NS-Juristenbund)
  • Reichs German Employees Union ( Reichsbund der Deutschen Beamten)
  • National Socialist Teachers' Union ( NS-Lehrerbund)
  • National Socialist Society for War Victims ( NS-Kriegsopferversorgung)
  • National Socialist Association of German Doctors ( NSD-Ärztebund)
  • National Socialist Union of German Technicians ( NS-Bund Deutscher Technik)
  • National Socialist Public Welfare ( NS-Volkswohlfahrt)
  • German Labor Front ( die Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF))
  • Imperial Air Defense Alliance ( Reichsluftschutzbund)

• Party divisions
  • Hitler Youth ( Hitlerjugend (HJ))
  • National Socialist Union of Higher Education Teachers ( NS-Deutscher Dozentenbund (NSDD))
  • National Socialist Student Union ( NS-Deutscher Studentenbund (NSDStB))
  • National Socialist Women's Union ( NS-Frauenschaft (NSF))
  • National Socialist Automobile Corps ( Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrerkorps (NSKK))
  • security detachments, SS ( Schutzstaffel (SS))
  • assault troops ( Sturmabteilung (SA))

• Organizations
  • National Socialist Cultural Society ( NS-Kulturgemeinde)
  • Imperial Children's Union ( Reichsbund der Kinderreichen)
  • Society of German Communities ( Deutscher Gemeindetag)
  • Association of German Women ( Deutsche Frauenwerk)

In addition, many public organizations created before the founding of the NSDAP and that had no relation to it were renamed, subordinated to party influence, and subordinated to the corresponding Reichsleiter or the corresponding party organization.

The entire territory of Germany was initially divided into 33 party regions ( Gaue), which coincided with the electoral districts for the Reichstag. Subsequently, the number of Gau was increased, and in the year there were 43 Gau.

In turn, the Gau were divided into districts ( Kreise), then local branches (German. Ortsgroup- literally “local group”), cells ( Zellen), and the so-called blocks ( Blocks). The block united from 40 to 60 households. In accordance with the principle of leadership, each organizational unit was headed by a leader - Gauleiter, Kreisleiter, etc. ( Gauleiter, Kreisleiter).

To carry out work on the ground, appropriate party apparatuses were created. Party officials had their own uniforms, ranks and insignia.

Ranks and insignia of the NSDAP

(1) Anwärter (non-party member) (2) Anwärter (party member) (3) Helfer (assistant) (4) Oberhelfer (senior assistant) (5) Arbeitsleiter (work manager) (6) Oberarbeitsleiter (senior work manager)
(7) Hauptarbeitsleiter (chief work supervisor) (8) Bereitschaftsleiter (duty supervisor) (9) Oberbereitschaftsleiter (senior duty supervisor) (10) Hauptbereitschaftsleiter (chief duty supervisor)

(11) Einsatzleiter (12) Obereinsatzleiter (13) Haupteinsatzleiter (14) Gemeinschaftsleiter (15) Obergemeinschaftsleiter (16) Hauptgemeinschaftsleiter (17) Abschnittsleiter (site manager) (18) Oberabschnittsleiter (senior site manager) (19) Haup tabschnittsleiter (chief site manager)

(20) Bereichsleiter (21) Oberbereichsleiter (22) Hauptbereichsleiter (23) Dienstleiter (service chief) (24) Oberdienstleiter (senior service chief) (25) Hauptdienstleiter (chief service chief) (26) Befehlsleiter (team leader) (27) Oberbefehlsleiter (senior team leader) (28) Hauptbefehlsleiter (chief team leader) (29) Gauleiter (District Leader) (30) Reichsleiter (State Leader)

The lowest party rank for all levels was that of candidate (German. Anwarter), the highest rank depended on the place of service of the party functionary, and the color of the buttonholes and edging also depended on this:

• 1-4 local organizations ( Ortsgruppenleitung), possible highest rank of Oberabschnittsleiter (18)
• 5-16 district administrations ( Kreisleitung), possible highest rank of Dienstleiter (23)
• 17-23 regional departments ( Gauleitung), possible highest rank of Gauleiter (29)
• 24-28 imperial control ( Reichsleitung)

NSDAP after Germany's defeat in World War II

In 1945, after the surrender of Germany, the NSDAP was declared a criminal organization, banned and dissolved, its property was confiscated, its leaders were convicted, and some were executed.

By decision of the leaders of the leading countries of the anti-fascist coalition, denazification was carried out in Germany, during which the majority of former active members of the NSDAP were subjected to special scrutiny. Many were fired from leadership positions or from socially significant organizations, such as educational institutions.

National Socialist Workers' Party of Germany

(National-Sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), NSDAP, a reactionary party created in 1920 by Hitler that ruled Germany until the defeat of the Third Reich in 1945. The Sterneckerbrü beer hall in Munich, where the Nazi Party held its first meetings.

In October 1918, the leadership of the Thule Society (see Thule, society) instructed two of its members - journalist Karl Harrer and mechanic Anton Drexler to create a political workers' circle, the task of which would be to expand the sphere of influence of this society on workers. Simultaneously with the creation of the circle, Anton Drexler restored the German Workers' Party (DAP), to one of whose meetings on September 12, 1919 Adolf Hitler was sent as an informant, who liked the postulates and slogans of the party. Having become acquainted with Hitler's report on this meeting, Captain Ernst Rehm, who served as a political adviser at Franz von Epp's headquarters, instructed Hitler to join the DAP and take over its leadership.

Hitler made his first report on October 16, 1919 to an audience of 111 people. First, he outlined his vision of a “Greater Germany,” then he used his signature move - he declared Marxists, Jews and other “enemies” of Germany guilty of its defeat. "We don't forgive, we want revenge," he said. At his next speech on November 13, 1919, Hitler emphasized that “the poverty of the Germans must be eliminated with German weapons. This time must come.” He demanded the return of the colonies lost to Germany under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, calling this treaty “barbaric.” During this and subsequent speeches, Hitler did not limit himself to demanding the return of pre-war territories, but insisted on the annexation of new ones.

On February 20, 1920, the German Workers' Party was renamed the National Socialist Workers' Party of Germany. Its first public meeting took place four days later in a Munich beer hall. On February 24, 1920, Hitler presented a party program consisting of 25 points. A poster encouraging the whole family to support the National Socialists.

The NSDAP program did not differ from the postulates of most German parties. It proclaimed the need to annul the Treaty of Versailles, the return of “lost” lands, the unification of “all Germans,” i.e., the usurpation of the right to intervene in the internal affairs of other states where ethnic Germans lived, opposition to the international Jewish financial elite, refusal to pay reparations, the demand for “the fight against the policy of lies and its implementation through the press,” the closure of newspapers that opposed the NSDAP, the creation of a “national army,” which meant the revival of Germany’s military power, etc.

On the eve of 1921, the NSDAP had about 3 thousand members, but after two years its number increased 10 times.

On July 21, 1921, Hitler, in the form of an ultimatum, demanded for himself the post of chairman of the party with unlimited rights, threatening, in case of refusal, to leave its ranks. On July 29, 1921 he was elected the first chairman of the NSDAP. Anton Drexler received the post of honorary chairman. A new NSDAP charter was adopted, which affirmed the “principle of Fuhrership,” that is, unconditional subordination to the Fuhrer. In the wake of the acute economic crisis in the country and growing discontent, the ideas of militarism and nationalism, the proclamation of the “historical mission of the Germans as a master race,” the social base of the NSDAP rapidly expanded, attracting thousands of young people from different estates and classes with its dynamism and populism. In addition, the personnel reserve of the NSDAP consisted of all kinds of paramilitary associations and veterans' unions dissolved by government decree, for example, the German People's Union for Defense and Offensive, the Pan-German Union, etc.

On January 27-29, 1923, the first congress of the NSDAP took place in Munich. Its culminating moment was Hitler’s consecration of the NSDAP banner and the procession of 6 thousand SA militants.

By the fall of 1923, the NSDAP had over 55 thousand members.

After the Nazi coup attempt in Munich (see "Beer Hall Putsch" 1923), the Commissioner General of Bavaria, Gustav von Kahr, signed a decree banning the NSDAP. Nevertheless, the popularity of the party continued to grow, and at the December elections of 1924, 40 NSDAP deputies already sat in the Reichstag. In addition, new Nazi organizations were created under changed names:

The Great German People's Community (created by Julius Streicher), the People's Bloc, the National Socialist Liberation Movement, etc. In February 1925, the activities of the NSDAP were again legalized, but a split occurred in the party leadership on issues of tactics - on the degree of nationalism and socialism in the Nazi movement. At the conference of leaders of Nazi organizations in Germany, held in Bamberg on February 14, 1926 (Bamberg Party Conference), a fierce struggle broke out between the left and right wings of the NSDAP. Although internal party contradictions were never eliminated, the general meeting of the Munich district of the NSDAP on May 22, 1926 unanimously elected Hitler as its leader.

On February 26, 1925, publication of the printed organ of the NSDAP, the newspaper Völkischer Beobachter, resumed. At the same time, Goebbels, who sided with Hitler, founded the Angrif magazine. The theoretical organ of the NSDAP, the National Socialist Monthly, began to be published.

On July 3, 1926, the NSDAP congress took place in Weimar, at which Hitler announced a change in party tactics: in contrast to the opinion of the “old fighters” who preferred terrorist methods of fighting political opponents, he recommended party members to participate in elections and become members of the Reichstag and Landtags (landers). parliaments). However, he still considered the main tasks of his party to be the fight against communism and criticism of the Treaty of Versailles. At the same time, Hitler tried in every possible way to attract the attention of major industrial and financial figures in Germany to his party. An expression of confidence in it from representatives of the business community was the entry into the NSDAP of famous entrepreneurs Wilhelm Kappler, Emil Kirdorff, editor of the influential Berlin Stock Exchange Newspaper Walter Funk, Chairman of the Reichsbank Hjalmar Schacht and many others, who, among other things, contributed huge sums of money to the party fund.

In the context of a deepening economic crisis and rapidly growing unemployment (in October 1932 there were 7 million 300 thousand unemployed), dissatisfaction with the policies of the Social Democrats grew in the country. Many social groups are facing the threat of losing the foundations of their existence. Desperate small producers increasingly blamed parliamentary democracy for their woes and believed that the way out of the crisis lay in strengthening state power and creating a one-party government. These demands were supported by large businessmen and bankers, who subsidized the election campaigns of the NSDAP and associated personal and national aspirations with Hitler and his party, seeing in the Nazi movement, first of all, a reliable barrier against communism.

The NSDAP appeal dated March 1, 1932 said: “Hitler is the motto for everyone who believes in the revival of Germany... Hitler will win, because the people want his victory...” On July 31, 1932, at the next elections to the Reichstag, the NSDAP received 230 mandates (Social Democrats - 133, communists - 89 mandates), becoming the largest faction in parliament.

By January 30, 1933, when Hitler was proclaimed Chancellor of Germany, the NSDAP numbered about 850 thousand people. Mostly they came from a bourgeois environment. Workers made up one third of the total, about half of them unemployed. Over the next five months, the party's size tripled to 2.5 million. The NSDAP apparatus expanded. In the fall of 1938, there were 41 Gauleiter, 808 Kreisleiter, 28,376 Ortsgruppenleiter, 89,378 Zellenleiter and 463,048 Blockleiter in the Reich. In total, the party apparatus by this time consisted of over 580 thousand full-time leaders at all levels. From that moment on, the Nazification of the state apparatus began, which continued throughout the years of the existence of the Third Reich. It was carried out in two ways: members of the NSDAP were appointed to leadership positions in the administration at various levels, in the police, in the army, or the NSDAP took over the functions of government bodies or established control and supervision over them. The formal basis for this was the “Law on Ensuring the Unity of the Party and State” adopted on December 1, 1933.

In addition, direct political control was exercised within the party itself and in organizations controlled by it (for example, Hitler Youth, SA, SS, Students' Association, etc.). The “principle of the Fuhrer”, which excluded collegiality, was manifested in the fact that from 1921 until the last days of the NSDAP’s existence, meetings of the leadership were not held even in a narrow circle. Only meetings of Reichsleiter and Gauleiter were held, and even then irregularly, at which Hitler conveyed decisions to them for implementation. The position of the Gauleiters depended directly on the confidence of the Fuhrer, for only he had the right to appoint and remove them (from 1933 to 1945, only 6 Gauleiters were removed from their posts, having fallen out of favor with the Fuhrer for various reasons). “The will of the Fuhrer is the highest law for the party,” stated the official publication of the NSDAP (1940).

On the basis of the “Emergency Powers Law”, the activities of trade unions were banned (in their place the German Labor Front was created), many trade union activists were arrested, newspapers and magazines of democratic orientation were closed, the activities of most political parties were banned, including the SPD, the KPD, the German Center Party , Catholic People's Party, German National People's Party, etc. The NSDAP became the only political force in Germany, which was reflected in the government statement of July 14, 1933, which stated that attempts to preserve previous political parties or create new ones would be punishable by imprisonment or imprisonment. forced labor camps.

The events of the “Night of the Long Knives,” when many leaders and ordinary members of the SA were physically eliminated, demanding the previously promised second stage of social change, the “continuation of the revolution,” ended the struggle within the NSDAP and became a factor making it easier for Hitler to implement his far-reaching expansionist plans. The Reich's economy began to be put on a war footing.

In order to propagate Nazi ideas among the population and demonstrate national unity, the NSDAP constantly organized magnificent and crowded celebrations and celebrations, for example, Hero’s Day (March 1), National Labor Day (May 1), Harvest Festival, etc. The same goals were subordinated to The Nuremberg party congresses, held in 1933-38 in the first ten days of September in Nuremberg, did not have any influence on the general line of the party, but were only a spectacular propaganda event.

After the outbreak of World War II, party work became widespread in the armed forces, in particular, the institution of Nazi commissars in the troops was created. At the Nuremberg trials, the leadership of the NSDAP and many of its services were recognized as criminal, and their activities were prohibited.

Program of the National Socialist Workers' Party of Germany ("25 points"). Approved on February 24, 1920. (As stated.)

1. The unification of all Germans within the borders of Greater Germany.

2. Refusal of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and confirmation of Germany’s right to independently build relations with other nations.

3. Demand for additional territories for food production and settlement of the increasing German population ("Lebensraum").

4. Granting citizenship based on race; Jews cannot be German citizens.

5. Non-Germans in Germany are only guests and subjects of the relevant laws.

6. Appointment to official positions cannot be made on the basis of nepotism, but only in accordance with abilities and qualifications.

7. Ensuring the living conditions of citizens is the primary responsibility of the state. If government resources are insufficient, non-citizens should be excluded from receiving benefits.

8. The entry of non-Germans into the country must be stopped.

9. Participation in elections is the right and responsibility of all citizens.

10. Every citizen is obliged to work for the common good.

11. Illegally obtained profits are subject to confiscation.

12. All profits gained from the war are subject to confiscation.

13. All large enterprises must be nationalized.

14. Participation of workers and employees in profits in all large industries.

15. A decent old-age pension.

16. It is necessary to support small producers and traders; big stores should be handed over to them.

17. Land tenure reform and ending land speculation.

18. Ruthless criminal punishment for crimes and the introduction of the death penalty for profiteering.

19. Common Roman law should be replaced by "Germanic law".

20. Complete reorganization of the national educational system.

21. The state is obliged to support motherhood and encourage the development of youth.

22. Replacement of the mercenary professional army with a national army; introduction of universal conscription.

23. Only Germans can own the media; Non-Germans are prohibited from working in them.

24. Freedom of religion, with the exception of religions dangerous to the German race; the party does not commit itself to any exclusive creed, but fights against Jewish materialism.

25. A strong central government capable of effectively implementing legislation.

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National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus, abbreviated as Nazism) was the official political ideology of the Third Reich, which combined various elements of fascism, racism and anti-Semitism. The National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. The success of Benito Mussolini's March on Rome in 1922 became an inspiring example for the German fascists. German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler recognized the serious impact of Italian fascism on the formation of the Nazi Party. “When I read the history of Italian fascism,” Hitler wrote, “it was as if I were reading the history of our movement.” Under Hitler's rule, the Nazis created a strong centralized state under the leadership of the leader (Führer) and proclaimed as their main task the creation of a “racially pure state” and the conquest of “living space” - the settlement of territories in Eastern Europe by German peoples (Aryans). The policy of Nazism was based on its approval by the majority of the population, which brought Hitler to power through victory in free democratic elections.

Ideology

The ideology of the NSDAP was National Socialism - a totalitarian ideology that combines various elements of socialism, nationalism, racism, fascism, and anti-Semitism. National Socialism declared its goal to create and establish a racially pure Aryan state on a fairly vast territory, which would have everything necessary for a prosperous existence for an indefinitely long time (“the thousand-year Reich”).

The general atmosphere among the masses was characterized by admiration for Hitler and, at the same time, brutal repression reigned. (Stalin’s personality cult, repressions, Gulags - under communism).

With such sentiments, the German man in the street approached the beginning of the war, and these sentiments reached their apogee by the summer of 1940. Then, as they received bad news carefully hidden by propaganda, the mood began to change, which became especially noticeable after the disaster at Stalingrad. Some began to seriously think about the harmfulness of the current policy.

Elimination of the consequences of the Versailles dictatorship;

gaining living space for the growing people of Germany and the German-speaking population

restoring the power of Germany by uniting all Germans under a single state control and preparing for war (with the categorical exclusion of the possibility of a war on two fronts);

cleansing German territory from “foreigners” who “clog” it, especially Jews;

liberation of the people from the dictates of global financial capital and full support for small and handicraft production, creativity of people in liberal professions;

decisive opposition to communist ideology;

improving the living conditions of the population, eliminating unemployment, mass dissemination of a healthy lifestyle, development of tourism, physical education and sports.

Among the main ideologists of Nazism, the following individuals should be mentioned:

1) Adolf Hitler

The ideology was started by the Fuhrer himself. In 1925 his first and

the only book is the political manifesto Mein Kampf ("My Struggle"). This

autobiography became the Bible for the ruling elite of the Third Reich and the basis

ideology of National Socialism.

2) Alfred Rosenberg

Hitler's Deputy for "Spiritual and Ideological Preparation"

members of the Nazi Party, Reich Minister for Occupied Affairs

eastern territories, philosopher of “racism”, he wrote such sensational books,

as "The Future Path of German Foreign Policy" (1927) and "The Myth of the 20th Century" (1929).

3) Joseph Goebbels

The Minister of Propaganda and the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Der Angriff was entrusted with control over public education, science, culture and the press of the Third Reich. He was responsible for the “Aryanization” of the cultural life of Germany (that is, for the displacement of people of Jewish nationality from it), the introduction of the cult of the German “superman,” the mobilization of the German people to support the policies of the NSDAP and for the psychological preparation of the nation for war.

4) Heinrich Himmler

All the activities of the Reichsführer SS and the structures subordinate to him were aimed at fighting the “enemies of the German nation”, at “cleansing” the nation itself from “racially inferior elements”, as well as at undermining the “vital force of non-Aryan peoples”, through which it was planned to provide the Germans with “new living space” (1, p. 41).

In addition to these four, J. Streicher, P. Treichike and other members of the NSDLP participated in the development of the official ideology.

The ideology of Nazism included three main “laws”:

1) The law of biological gravity

This law was invented by Hitler and contained the following meaning: man is essentially a social being, therefore he must live in society, but this society itself must be quite defined and limited by certain boundaries. From birth, a child is surrounded by his family, that is, the family of one person. However, according to Hitler, at least two more types can be distinguished: the family of one nation and several nations.

Hitler called the best option for his people when all Germans lived on the same territory, and he considered the slogan “Germany for the German people” to be completely justified and, moreover, scientifically justified.

2) Law of autarky

Hitler called the second law the law of autarky (from the Greek autarkeia - sufficiency), i.e. economic self-sufficiency, self-satisfaction in economic terms.

This law became the official economic theory of Nazism.

Hitler constantly stated that Germany was “striving for autarky.” German sufficiency, he said, must be based on military considerations, and the Third Reich must become immune to blockades like those that burdened Germany during the First World War. “The law of life is higher than greed,” is another saying of Hitler (3, p. 84).

Economically, Hitler promised the Germans not only the return of the “bright past” (meaning the past before the First World War), but also an even more “bright future”, and, above all, universal employment and order in the country. Although the main method of managing the economy was direct administrative dictatorship, with Hitler’s rise to power, positive changes actually began to be observed in the German economy: unemployment practically disappeared, and the militarization of the economy led to an exit from the crisis and a significant increase in production

However, some other states also followed a similar economic policy, without calling it “autarky.” Therefore, the very formulation of Hitler’s second law seems rather dubious.

3) The idea of ​​the great Aryan race and the expansion of living space for it

Feeling infringed on rights and territory after losing the First World War, the German leadership put forward the idea of ​​​​expanding borders.

Himmler liked to repeat that “following the Great German Reich, the German-Gothic Reich will come to the Urals, and perhaps in the distant future the German-Gothic-Frankish era will come.” For example, he intended to move the borders of the Reich 500 km deep into Soviet territory, gradually this figure increased to 1000. This doctrine of “blood and soil” manifested itself in the ardent expansionist policy of the Nazis.

The reduction of interstate and interethnic relations to the level of social Darwinism led not only to the denial of the right of the “non-Aryan race” to life - Nazi scientists went so far as to classify the animal and plant world into “representatives of the Nordic fauna and flora and the lower - Jewish.”

The result of the Nazi regime was World War II, the collapse of the country, millions killed, famine and a global economic crisis.

Hitler's rise to power

In the early 1930s. An atmosphere of despondency reigned in Germany. The global economic crisis hit the country very hard, leaving millions of people unemployed. The memory of Germany's humiliating defeat in the First World War fifteen years earlier was still fresh; In addition, the Germans considered their government, the Weimar Republic, too weak. These conditions provided a chance for the rise of new leader Adolf Hitler and his brainchild, the National Socialist Workers' Party of Germany, known as the Nazi Party for short.

A persuasive and eloquent speaker, Hitler attracted many Germans eager for change to his side. He promised a hopeless population to improve the quality of life and return Germany to its former glory. The Nazis appealed primarily to the unemployed, young people and the lower middle class (small shop owners, office workers, artisans and farmers).

The party came to power with lightning speed. Before the economic crisis, the Nazis were an obscure minority party; in the elections to the Reichstag (German parliament) of 1924 they received only 3 percent of the votes. In the 1932 elections, the Nazis already won 33 percent of the votes, leaving all other parties behind. In January 1933, Hitler was appointed chancellor, head of the German government, and many Germans saw him as the savior of the nation.

The conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, which were put forward by the victorious countries (USA, UK, France and other allied states) after the defeat of Germany in the First World War, were very harsh. However, Germany, facing the threat of invasion, has no choice but to sign the treaty. Among other things, Germany must accept responsibility for the war, pay large sums (reparations), limit the size of its armed forces to 100,000 soldiers, and transfer some territory to neighboring states. The terms of the treaty cause widespread political discontent in Germany. By promising to abolish these conditions, Adolf Hitler gains voter support.

NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE CRASH

Falling stock prices on the New York Stock Exchange cause a wave of bankruptcies. The US is experiencing unemployment. This situation, which went down in history as the “Great Depression,” provokes a global economic crisis. By June 1932 there were six million unemployed in Germany. Against the backdrop of an economic downturn, the popularity of the Nazi Party is rapidly growing. In the elections to the Reichstag (German parliament) in July 1932, almost 40 percent of the electorate voted for Hitler’s party. Thus, the Nazis become the largest party in the German parliament.

THE NAZIS FAIL IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

In the elections to the Reichstag (German parliament) in November 1932, the Nazis received almost two million fewer votes compared to the previous July elections. They receive only 33 percent of the vote. It becomes clear that the Nazis will not receive a majority in democratic elections, and Adolf Hitler agrees to a coalition with the conservatives. After months of negotiations, on January 30, 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor of Germany under what at the time seemed a predominantly conservative government.