The Nazis, short for the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or NSDAP), were a [far-right](https://doctorparadox.net/tag/right-wing/) political party in Germany active between the 1920s and 1945. They were founded in 1920 and led by [[Adolf Hitler]] from 1921 until the party's dissolution in 1945, following Germany's defeat in World War II. The party's platform revolved around a mix of [[nationalism]], [[antisemitism]], and [[totalitarianism]]. They sought to create a unified German state, free from the constraints of the [[Treaty of Versailles]], which was imposed on Germany after their defeat in [[World War I]]. Central to their ideology was the belief in Aryan [racial superiority](https://doctorparadox.net/category/psychology/racism/) and the inferiority of other races, particularly Jews. This racial hierarchy played a significant role in their policies and actions. ## Hitler's coup attempt and return to power After a failed attempt to overthrow the government in 1923, known as the Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler was imprisoned and wrote "Mein Kampf," which outlined his political beliefs and plans for Germany. Upon his release, Hitler continued to rebuild the Nazi Party, capitalizing on the economic turmoil and social unrest in Germany during the 1920s and 1930s. The Nazis came to power in 1933, when Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Over the next few years, the Nazis eliminated political opposition and consolidated power, transforming Germany into a totalitarian state. [[Adolf Hitler]] assumed the title of Führer, or leader, and embarked on a series of aggressive expansionist policies in Europe, which ultimately led to World War II in 1939. Meanwhile at home, Hitler stoked ancient [bigotry](https://doctorparadox.net/psychology/bigotry-is-bad-thinking/) by leveraging [[antisemitism]] as a mechanism of consolidating political power and creating a scapegoat for all of Germany's problems. Starting with the [[Nuremberg Laws]] the Jewish population in Germany was stripped first of citizenship rights, then systematically of all other rights as state-sanctioned violence began to be normalized. The events of [[Kristallnacht]] in 1938 set the stage for the atrocities of [[The Holocaust]] to follow. ## Nazi genocide During the war, the Nazis implemented their genocidal policy, known as [[The Holocaust]], in which millions of Jews, along with other groups deemed undesirable, such as Romani people, Poles, Soviet POWs, people with disabilities, and homosexuals, were systematically murdered. Approximately six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. The Nazis were ultimately defeated in 1945 by the Allied forces, and the Holocaust remains one of the most horrific acts of [[genocide]] in human history. After the war, many Nazi leaders were tried and convicted for [[war crimes]] and crimes against humanity during the [[Nuremberg Trials]], and the Nazi party was officially disbanded. The lasting impact of their atrocities continues to shape global conversations about [[human rights]], [[genocide]] prevention, and the consequences of unchecked totalitarian regimes. See also: [[World War II Timeline]], [[totalitarianism]], [[collectivism]]