German Workers' Party

The German Workers' Party (German: Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, DAP) was a small far-right political party that began in the Weimar Republic after World War I. It started on 5 January 1919 and lasted until 24 February 1920.

Though it didn't have many members at first, this party later became the beginning of a much larger and more well-known group.

Eventually, the German Workers' Party changed its name and grew into the National Socialist German Workers' Party, which people commonly called the Nazi Party. This transformation marked the start of a movement that would have major effects on history in the years to come.

Understanding the German Workers' Party helps us see how important political groups can begin from very small beginnings.

History

Origins

On 5 January 1919, a small group called the German Workers' Party (DAP) began in Munich. It started in a hotel and grew from people who talked about their country and strong feelings against some ideas. The group wanted to connect with everyday people and focus on national pride.

Adolf Hitler's membership

After World War I ended, Adolf Hitler returned to Munich. In 1919, he began looking into the DAP as part of his army job. At first, he wasn’t sure about the group, but he started to like their ideas. During a meeting, Hitler spoke up and impressed everyone with his speaking skills. The group invited him to join, and he became a member. Hitler helped change the group from just talking to being more active in politics.

From DAP to NSDAP

The DAP had few members, but they listened to Hitler’s ideas. In February 1920, they held a big meeting with thousands of people. The group changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) to reach more people. This new name combined ideas that would appeal to different groups. The swastika symbol was also chosen around this time.

Membership

Some of the first people who joined the German Workers' Party were:

• Anton Drexler
• Dietrich Eckart
• Gottfried Feder
• Karl Harrer
• Hermann Esser
• Ernst Boepple
• Hans Frank
• Adolf Hitler
• Rudolf Hess
• Ernst Röhm
• Alfred Rosenberg
• Rudolf Jung