November 9, 1918

German revolution overthrows imperial government and creates a republic

November 11, 1918

Germany signs armistice with allies, ending fighting in World War I

May 7, 1919

The Treaty of Versailles is presented to the German delegation on May 7, 1919. The treaty is signed on June 28. Perhaps the most humiliating portion of the treaty for the defeated Germany is Article 231, commonly known as the "War Guilt Clause," which forced Germany to accept complete responsibility for initiating World War I. Revision of the Versailles Treaty represents one of the platforms that gave radical right wing parties in Germany, including Hitler's Nazi Party, such credibility to mainstream voters: propaganda slides such as this one from ca. 1936 linked the Weimar Republic with the humiliation of Versailles.

September 1919

In September 1919, Adolf Hitler joins the German Workers Party, the future National Socialist German Workers Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei; NSDAP or Nazi Party).

1920

The Nazi Party adopts the swastika as its symbol. The swastika becomes the most recognizable icon of Nazi propaganda, appearing on the Nazi flag as well as on election posters, arm bands, medallions, and badges for military and other organizations.

February 1920

Hitler presents a 25-point Program to a Nazi Party meeting. In the 25-point program, Nazi Party members publicly declare their intention to segregate Jews from "Aryan" society and to abrogate Jews' political, legal, and civil rights. Point 4 of the program, for example, states that "Only a national comrade can be a citizen. Only someone of German blood, regardless of faith, can be a citizen. Therefore, no Jew can be a citizen." The 25 points remain the party's official statement of goals, though in later years many points were ignored.

November 9, 1923

In the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, Hitler and the Nazi Party attempted to overthrow the Weimar Republic.

January 1, 1924

There are 1,580 private registered radio sets in use in Germany

1924

Hitler’s attempt to overthrow the government in November 1923, the so-called Beer Hall Putsch, led German authorities to try—unsuccessfully—to deport the Nazi leader to his native Austria. Hitler (pictured here reading a newspaper in his cell in Landsberg prison) served only a short sentence for high treason; after his release he was prohibited from speaking at public gatherings in Bavaria until 1927.

January 1, 1925

There are 548,749 registered radio sets in Germany

1927

Nazi Party begins producing propaganda films to show in "film-mobiles" in rural areas

1927

Standing amidst a large crowd, Adolf Hitler gives the Nazi salute during a Reichsparteitag (Reich Party Day) rally. In front of him is Hermann Goering.

1928

Nazi Party wins 12 seats in German parliamentary elections

1929

American stock market crash

1930

Germany's first sound film, Der Blaue Engel starring Marlene Dietrich, is shown across Europe

September 14, 1930

Adolf Hitler leads an SA unit in a Nazi Party parade in Weimar, 1931.

1932

Ballot from the November 1932 Reichstag election.

1932

Germany has 3,800 cinemas equipped to play sound films

July 1932

The Nazi Party wins 230 seats in German parliamentary elections, becoming the largest party represented.

August 1932

Nazi Party has more than one million members by August 1932

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