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National Socialism (NAZI- NSDAP)

National Socialism (Nazism) was the radical, far-right, totalitarian ideology and political movement associated with Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) that ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. Emerging from the turmoil of post-World War I Germany, Nazism was fundamentally based on ultranationalism, a commitment to the totalitarian FĂĽhrerprinzip (leader principle), anti-Marxism, and a virulent form of racial antisemitism outlined in the party's 25-Point Program. The movement aimed to create a unified, racially "pure" Greater German Reich (Lebensraum), leading directly to the persecution of political opponents, the suppression of all civil liberties, and the initiation of World War II and the Holocaust.

The history and ideology of the NSDAP are documented across millions of archived records, judicial proceedings, and government files scattered globally, making research challenging but essential. Many primary source collections, including those pertaining to Nazi Party membership and SS (Schutzstaffel) records, were seized by Allied forces at the end of World War II and have since been microfilmed and digitized. These archives are critical resources for historians, genealogists, and researchers seeking to trace the actions of the regime, the fates of its victims, and the implementation of its destructive policies.



Credits

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.