Nazism

Nazism, short for Nationalsozialismus, was a German political ideology and movement that rose to power in the early 1930s and lasted until 1945. It combined extreme ultranationalism, racial hierarchy, antisemitism, and totalitarian rule. Nazism held that the German people belonged to a superior Aryan race, promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories, and aimed to expand German territory (Lebensraum) to the east. It sought to subordinate all aspects of society to the state and the party, using the Führerprinzip, which granted ultimate authority to Adolf Hitler as leader.

Origins and rise: The movement emerged from the post–World War I environment in Germany. The German Workers’ Party, founded in 1919, was renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) in 1920. Hitler became its dominant figure, and after a failed 1923 coup and subsequent imprisonment, he built the party into a mass movement. The NSDAP used propaganda, paramilitary groups, and political maneuvering to gain power. Hitler was appointed chancellor on January 30, 1933, and the Reichstag Fire in 1933 helped the regime push through the Enabling Act, which gave it dictatorial powers and led to the Gleichschaltung, or coordination, of all institutions.

Regime and policies: The regime established a one-party state, suppressed opposition, and deployed extensive propaganda. It implemented systemic persecution of Jews and other groups, culminating in the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 and Kristallnacht in 1938. The state pursued militarization, autarky, and aggressive territorial aims, and promoted a racially defined Volksgemeinschaft (people’s community).

War, crimes, and legacy: Nazi expansion triggered World War II after the invasion of Poland in 1939. The regime’s crimes included the Holocaust, resulting in the murder of six million Jews and millions of others. Following defeat in 1945, Nazi leaders were tried at Nuremberg, and denazification programs sought to dismantle Nazi influence. The era remains a central subject of historical study and education to prevent the resurgence of similar extremist ideologies.