German Workers’ Party believed they were superior to the peoples of all other
nations and all individual efforts were to be performed for the betterment of
the German State. Germany’s loss in World War I resulted in the Peace Treaty
of Versailles, which created tremendous economic and social hardships on
Germany. Germany had to make reparations to the Allied and Associated
Governments involved in World War I. As a result, Adolf Hitler gradually
embarked upon his rise to power in Germany creating the National Socialist
German Workers’ Party. As part of the surrender terms of World War I, Germany
was forced to sign the Peace Treaty of Versailles, which held Germany
responsible for the war. The country went bankrupt, millions of Germans were
without work and food, and the nation was in despair and turmoil. Adolf
Hitler’s rise to power began during these very difficult economic and social
times. In the fall of 1919, Hitler began to attend meetings of a small
nationalist group called the German Workers’ Party. Hitler soon took control
over the group and renamed it the National Socialist German Workers’ Party.
The group later became known as the Nazi Party. The Nazis called for the union
into one nation of all Germans. They demanded that citizens of non-German
descent or of the Jewish religion be deprived of German citizenship and also
called for the annulment of the Peace Treaty of Versailles. These demands were
the primary cause for the Nazi Party to compose the document The Program of the
National Socialist German Workers’ Party in 1920. Hitler blamed the Jews for
the evils of the world. He believed a democracy would lead to communism.
Therefore, in Hitler’s eyes, a dictatorship was the only way to save Germany
from the threats of communism and Jewish treason. The Program of the National
Socialist German Workers’ Party was the instrument for the Nazis to convince
the German people to put Hitler into power. Point one of the document states,
“We demand the union of all Germans in a great Germany on the basis of the
principle of self-determination of all peoples.” 1 This point explicates the
Nazi proposition that Germany will only contain German citizens and also, that
these citizens would display his or her self-determination towards Germany to
the fullest. Point two of the document declares, “We demand that the German
people have rights equal to those of other nations; and that the Peace Treaty of
Versailles shall be abrogated.” 2 The National Socialist German Workers’
Party desired to do away with the peace treaty because the treaty held Germany
responsible for World War I. Germany did not want to pay millions of dollars in
reparations to the other nations involved in World War I. Point four of the
document cites, “Only those who are fellow countrymen can become citizens.
Only those who have German blood, regardless of creed, can be our countrymen.
Hence, no Jew can be a countryman.” 3 This is similar to point one of the
document by expressing that only people who were one hundred percent German were
allowed citizenship. Therefore, any non-Germans or Jews were denied citizenship.
Point five of the document states, “Those who are not citizens must live in
Germany as foreigners and must be subject to the law of aliens.” 4 This point
explains that the non-citizens of Germany would be treated as foreigners in the
country, providing that they were of non-Jewish religion. Point seven of the
document declares, “We demand that the State shall above all undertake to
ensure that every citizen shall have the possibility of living decently and
earning a livelihood. If it should not be possible to feed the whole population,
then aliens must be expelled from the Reich.” 5 If, however, this plan was not
possible, those living in Germany as aliens or foreigners would be told to leave
the country. Point eight of the document cites, “Any further immigration of
non-Germans must be prevented. We demand that all non-Germans who have entered
Germany since August 2, 1914, shall be compelled to leave the Reich
immediately.” 6 Any further immigration of aliens past that date must be
sentenced to leave Germany immediately. Point ten of the document states, “The
first duty of every citizen must be to work mentally or physically. No
individual shall do any work that offends against the interest of the community
to benefit of all.” 7 It is clearly evident that no Jews were allowed
citizenship in Germany according to the document. Under the rule of the National
Socialist German Workers’ Party, the German Society would be governed
according to these points. The immediate effect of The Program of the National
Socialist German Workers’ Party was Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. In 1924,
Germany illustrated signs of recovering from World War I. The majority of the
people had work, homes, food, and great hope for the future. Now that the nation
was rebuilding itself, Hitler slowly and carefully began to take control. In
1925, he set up an elite party guard, the Schutzstaffel, known as the SS. Within
four to five years, he won supporters in small towns and labor unions. In 1930,
the worldwide Great Depression struck Germany. Once again, all the people living
in Germany faced unemployment and hunger. The nation was in total chaos. The
depression opened the doors for Hitler to gain dictatorship over Germany.
Nothing was looking good for the people of Germany. All hope was lost. Adolf
Hitler campaigned furiously in towns throughout Germany. He promised the masses
that their nation would prevail and jobs and food would be plentiful. The people
of Germany believed in Hitler as they were desperate for salvation. On January
30, 1933, Hitler was named chancellor of Germany. By the summer of 1933, Hitler
declared himself dictator of Germany. In April of 1933, Hitler had created the
Gestapo, the Secret State Police. The Gestapo was responsible for researching
the history of the German citizens. If the Gestapo discovered that a citizen was
of the Jewish religion or did not contain one hundred percent German blood, they
were taken to one of the various concentration camps located throughout Germany.
Hitler created concentration camps to kill all who were of the Jewish religion
and who were not of German descent. The SS administered the killings of these
people in the camps by placing them in gas chambers. Hitler believed the people
he murdered were an inferior group who would only create evil in the world. He
planned to establish Germany as the world’s leading power by eliminating this
inferior group of people. From 1933 onward, Hitler prepared Germany for war. In
1936, German troops invaded France and eventually gained the territory. In 1938,
German troops invaded Austria. Austria then became part of Germany. After each
success, Hitler planned a new invasion. He took control of the remainder of
Czechoslovakia in March of 1939. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland.
Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. By the spring of
1940, German troops conquered Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, and
Belgium. This was the beginning of World War II. In June of 1941, Germany
invaded the Soviet Union. This was a huge mistake on Hitler’s part. Soon, his
Nazi party rule over Germany would crumble. The Soviets wiped out the German
army. This German defeat was a major turning point in World War II. While his
empire lasted, Adolf Hitler directed the SS, Gestapo, and Nazi officials for 12
long, brutal years. Over six million Jews were murdered. That was two thirds of
the Jewish population in Europe. He also killed over one million non-German
blooded people. Since 1938, the German resistance had tried to kill Hitler and
overthrow the Nazis. In 1945, Hitler became a broken man. On April 30, 1945,
Adolf Hitler committed suicide, which put an end to the rule of the National
Socialist German Workers’ Party over Germany. Although The Program of the
National Socialist German Workers’ Party appeared to be for the betterment of
the German State, it obviously was not. The document was simply a vehicle for
Hitler to gain control over Germany. His rise to power ruined the lives of both
German and non-German people and still today, has a great effect on many people.