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Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated. Weimar Republic declared.
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German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) DAP formed by Anton Drexler, Gottfried Feder, Dietrich Eckart and Karl Harrer
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Treaty of Versailles signed.
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Adolf Hitler, who had been sent by the German Army to spy on the German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) DAP, decided that he liked the political ideas of the party and became a member.
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German Workers' Party (DAP) changed its name to National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDP) called the Nazi Party for short. During its first meeting a 25 point programme was announced
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Adolf Hitler became leader of the NSDP and took the title der Führer
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4th November 1921 SA (Sturm Abteilung) formed. Known as Stormtroopers these were the party militia. They were also known as brownshirts because of the brown shirts that formed part of their uniform.
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Munich (Beer Hall) Putsch - Hitler and the NSDP attempt to overthrow the Bavarian government failed. The leaders were arrested and charged with treason.
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Hitler's trial for his part in the Munich Putsch began. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison but only served 10 months. During his time in prison Hitler wrote Mein Kampf.
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SS (Schutzstaffel) formed. The SS, who wore black shirts to distinguish them from the SA, initially formed Hitler's personal bodyguard, but later became the party militia.
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Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth was formed. The party had had a youth section since its beginning, but this new re-organised Hitler Youth was more integrated into the SA.
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The first annual party conference to be held at Nuremburg. Known as the Nuremburg Rally all subsequent annual meetings were held at Nuremburg.
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Great Depression - The world depression saw many Germans face unemployment and poverty. Support for the Nazi party increased dramatically.
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Hitler Youth junior branches established - Deutsches Jungvolk for boys aged 10 - 14 years and the Bund Deutscher Mädel (League of German Girls) for girls aged 10 - 18 years.
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The Nazi party gained 18.3% of the vote in the Reichstag elections to become the second largest party.
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The Nazi party gained 37.4% of the vote in the Reichstag elections to become the largest party.
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Hitler appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Hindenburg
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Hitler defined the Nazi party foreign policy. The prime goal was to secure lebensraum (living space) for the German master race.
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The Reichstag Fire. A fire which broke out at the Reichstag building was blamed on the Communist Party (KPD). As a result the KPD, which was the second largest party in Germany, was banned. The banning of the Communist party gave the Nazis a clear majori
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With the Communist party banned Hitler ordered a new election at which the Nazi party gained 44% of the General election vote.
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23rd March 1933 Enabling Act gave Hitler power to make laws without consulting the Reichstag for a period of four years
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The Gestapo, Nazi secret police, were formed
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The Nazis took over local government
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Trade Unions were banned
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10th May 1933 25,000 'un-German' books burned in an “Action against the Un-German Spirit”. The move was encouraged by Joseph Goebbels, Head of Propaganda.
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All political parties except the Nazis were banned
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Germany withdrew from the League of Nations
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The Night of the Long Knives - 150 leaders of the Stormtroopers SA were executed. Many members of the SA were committed socialists and demanded that Nazi policy embrace socialist aims. This was not a direction the Nazis wished to follow so the SA were eli
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President Hindenburg died. Hitler combined the post of President and Chancellor and called himself Fuhrer.
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In a speech to the National Socialist Women's Organization, Hitler defined women's role stating that a woman's " world is her husband, her family, her children, and her home."
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Hitler ordered Hermann Goering to establish the Luftwaffe, German airforce, in defiance of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
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March 1935 Hitler publicly announced that the German Army was to be expanded. Conscription was introduced.
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15th September 1935 Nuremburg Laws defined German citizenship. Relationships between Jews and Aryans were banned.
