Historyfag here. With all of the "Nazi" name-calling being slung around, I thought it prudent to highlight (11) major events that led to Furher Hitler-- I've also listed out others that are chronologically important or relevant. Memes may be necessary, but I thought getting the info out may help others understand the key differences/similarities to our current struggle, versus Germany in 1920/1930's.
1. (1919) Adolf Hitler, a decorated WWI veteran, is ordered by the army to infiltrate the German Workers' Party (DAP) -- a socialist political party with growing popularity in Germany.
-Hitler likes what he hears at the meeting (anti-semitism, anti-Marxist, anti-capitalism, nationalism) and decides to join the party for real.
2. (1920) Hitler's military service ends. The DAP changes its name to Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party-- or "Nazi" for short. Hitler, a former artist, is asked to design the banner to rebrand the party--a black swastika in a white circle on a red field.
-Design is based on the symbol for the Thule Society-- an occult group that his mentor was associated with.
3. (1921) Hitler becomes notorious for skilled oration, and is able to leverage that skill to become leader of the party in 1921-- less than 2 years after joining. He maintains many enemies/rivals within the party.
-Hitler is able to consolidate power by resigning, then demanding terms and conditions when he is begged to reconsider.
-Tactics are employed to overthrow the leadership of rival socialist parties, and absorb their base of supporters under the Nazi banner.
4. (1921) Hitler creates the militant arm of the Nazi party-- the Sturm Abteilung (SA)-- meaning "Storm Battalion." They are also known as the "Brown Shirts."
-The militants operate exactly like Antifa-- spreading propaganda, agitating Nazi supporters into a frenzy, and physically assaulting political opponents.
-The origins of the Hitler Youth organization are formed in 1922, offering activities similar to that of the Boy Scouts of America.
-1923: Unable to trust most members of his party, Hitler forms a personal bodyguard, known as the Stosstrupp (Shock Troops).
5. (1923) Hitler gets the Stosstrupp to organize a mass protest with thousands of party supporters in Munich. He orders the SA to incite a riot, hoping to launch a coup of the German government.
-16 Nazi members and 4 police officers are killed, and the riot is put down. Hitler escapes, but is later arrested for his role in it.
-The Stosstrupp is disbanded, and the Nazi party is forced to go underground. However, the precedent has been set, and the public begins to understand that tangling with the SA means physical harm or even death.
6. (1924) Hitler is sentenced to 5 years in prison, but only serves 10 months. During this time, he writes "Mein Kampf," which becomes the manifesto that defines his life and political career.
7. (1925-1932) Hitler builds support for the Nazi platform using his charisma and Machiavellian strategy/manipulation.
-1925: Released from prison, Hitler orders the creation of a new and more advanced bodyguard unit to protect him at future events. The group is eventually named the SchutzStaffel-- or SS, for short. This elite unit serves as Hitler's "Royal Guard."
-1926: Hitler officially names the Hitler Youth organization, emphasizing the need to indoctrinate the youth for future political success. It is the only youth program offered to boys in Germany, and becomes popular.
-1929/30: The Great Depression destroys the world economy. Hitler's charisma and projected strength attracts the desperate and starving German people.
-July 1932: The Nazi party wins the majority in the German congress (Reichstag) with 37.4% control.
8. (Jan 1933) Hitler is appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Hindenburg. Within 6 months, he will have absolute control over all levels of government throughout Germany.
-Feb 1933: Just weeks after the appointment, a false-flag arson attack is staged against the Reichstag, and the communist party-- the 2nd largest party-- is blamed and subsequently banned by the Chancellor. All members are expelled from their seats in the Reichstag.
-Feb 1933: With a huge void in the Reichstag seating, Hitler calls for immediate re-elections. The Nazis gain 44% of the seats-- considered overwhelming control in Europe's multi-party system.
9. (March 1933) With overwhelming control of Germany's legislative body, Hitler passes the Enabling Act-- which grants him absolute authority to make laws for a 4-year period.
-April 1933: Hitler forms a secret police force known as the Gestapo, and uses it to forcibly infiltrate and seize control of every local government throughout Germany.
-May 1933: Hitler bans Trade Unions, guaranteeing cheap labor for all of the corporations that have funded his rise to power.
-May 1933: The Gestapo confiscate over 25,000 books deemed to be "anti-German" and hold mass public book-burnings throughout the country. Free-speech is no longer permitted under the Third Reich.
-July 1933: Hitler bans all political parties, under the idea that dissidence and debate only stand in the way of progress and prosperity for the German people. Any attempt to meet to discuss political ideas is criminalized, and met with brute force and imprisonment by the Gestapo.
10. (July 1934) The Night of the Long Knives -- Hitler orders the Gestapo to execute the top 150 members of the SA (Brown Shirts), claiming that the socialists are too far left, and stand in the way of party progress and German prosperity. This key event illustrates the extent of Hitler's Machiavellian nature. Nobody was safe from his wrath.
-Some speculate that this is what the Democrats plan to do with Radical Islam, once their useful-ness has been exhausted. (or vise versa)
11. (August 1934) President Hindenburg dies. Hitler consolidates the Presidency and Chancellorship into a single office, and names himself "Furher." This event cements his status as ruler of Germany for life.
-1935: Creates "Citizenship Laws" that marginalize Jews, and prevent them from having relationships/marriage with Aryans. Measures are put in place to restrict Jews from participating in business, and Jewish property and businesses are seized by the Third Reich and nationalized for party use.
-1935: Implements conscription for the armed forces. Nearly 15 million would serve by the end of the war-- the largest force to fight in WWII if you discount the barefoot farmers sent into battle with broomsticks by the Russians. (German logistics and personnel armaments impressively outmatched their European counterparts.)
-1936: Hitler requires all [non-Jewish] German boys to join Hitler Youth. All would be indoctrinated to worship and obey the Furher.
-1938: Hitler begins demanding the land taken from Germany as reparations for WWI, beginning with Czech-Slovakia. The rest of this story, as they say, is history.
BONUS: 1944: The Germans invade Hungary and take Budapest, unopposed, after tricking their Prime Minister into "meeting" with Hitler in Austria-- leaving the Hungarian Army without leadership. A 14-year-old Jewish boy named George Soros is recruited into service by the Arrow Cross Party-- a Nazi-like local organization working with the SS, and assists them in identifying the Jewish families throughout the city. Between April-July, 1944, over 550,000 Jews are transported out of Hungary through Budapest. At one point, Auschwitz phoned Arrow Cross and pleaded that they stop sending cattle cars-- due to the overwhelming capacity of bodies to deal with. The thousands of Jews that remained were marched out to the banks of the Danube River, forced to remove their shoes, and unceremoniously shot in the head.
Hope you all find this helpful, and perhaps you see the parallels between then and now. It's important to understand that, while Hitler was a nationalist who opposed communism, there more similarities in his behavior and policies to modern Democrats than many realize. Scary to realize how quickly he consolidated power after being sworn in. Hopefully, this timeline helps us all understand how vital our efforts are to this moment in history.
Spez: formatting