NSDAP 25 points manifesto facts for kids

The NSDAP 25 points manifesto was a special plan created for the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), also known as the Nazi Party. This plan had 25 main ideas and was written by Anton Drexler in 1920, with help and support from Adolf Hitler.

The purpose of these 25 points was to clearly show what the new movement stood for. Adolf Hitler explained that they were like a political guide. They helped people understand the party's goals and brought members together under shared beliefs.

What Was the Nazi Party's 25-Point Plan?

This section explains the main ideas from the Nazi Party's 25-point plan from 1920, simplified for easier understanding.

Ideas About German Identity and Land

The plan started with strong ideas about who was considered German and what land Germany should have.

• United Germany: The party wanted all German-speaking people to live together in one big "Germany."
• Equal Treatment for Germany: They believed Germany should be treated fairly, just like other countries. They also wanted to cancel the peace treaties of Versailles, which had placed harsh rules on Germany after World War I.
• More Land and Resources: The plan called for Germany to get more land and territories, like colonies. This was meant to provide food for the German people and places for a growing population to live.
• Who Could Be a Citizen?: A very strict rule was that only people of "German race" could be citizens of Germany. Their religion didn't matter, but people who were not considered German, like Jewish people, could not be citizens.
• Rules for Non-Citizens: People who were not citizens could still live in Germany. However, the plan said there would be special laws just for them.
• Removing Non-Germans: The party wanted anyone who was not of "German race" and had moved to Germany after August 2, 1914, to leave the country.

Government, Jobs, and Fairness

The manifesto also had ideas about how the government should work and how people should be treated regarding jobs and rights.

• Citizens' Rights and Duties: All citizens were supposed to have equal rights and equal duties.
• Voting and Government Jobs: Only citizens would be allowed to vote for leaders or on laws. Also, anyone working for the German government, whether in a big state office or a small village, had to be a citizen. The party wanted to choose people for jobs based on their skills, not their political connections.
• Jobs for Everyone: The government's main job was to make sure every citizen had work and enough food. If the government couldn't do this, the plan suggested that people who were not citizens should be made to leave Germany.
• Work for the Common Good: Every citizen was expected to work. This work should not be just for personal gain, but to help everyone in the country.

Economic and Social Changes

The plan included many ideas for changing Germany's economy and society.

• Ending Unearned Income: The party wanted to stop people from making money without working for it. They called this "breaking the slavery of interest."
• Taking War Profits: If people made a lot of money during a war while others suffered, the plan said all that money should be taken away from them.
• Government-Owned Businesses: They wanted the government to own very large companies.
• Sharing Profits with Workers: Big industrial companies should share their profits with their workers.
• Better Pensions: The plan called for increasing old age pensions, which are payments to people after they retire.
• Supporting Small Businesses: The party wanted to help create a strong middle class. They also wanted to break up large department stores and let smaller shops rent space inside them. State and town governments should try to buy goods from small businesses.
• Land Ownership Changes: The plan aimed to change how land was owned. This included:

* A law to take over land if the country needed it, without the government having to pay for it. * Getting rid of "ground rent," which is money paid for using land. * Stopping "land speculation," which is buying land just to sell it quickly for more money.

• Punishment for Crimes: Crimes that went against the common good of the country should be punished with death.
• New Legal System: The party wanted to change the Roman law system to a German common law system.

Education, Health, and Military

The manifesto also outlined changes for schools, public health, and the military.

• Education for All: The party wanted to change schools so that every hardworking German could have the chance to get a higher education.

* Teaching should focus on practical skills. * Schools should teach about civic affairs, helping children become good citizens. * If poor parents couldn't afford education, the government should pay for it.

• Protecting Health: The government was expected to protect health standards by:

* Protecting mothers and babies. * Stopping children from working. * Making a law for required gymnastics and sports. * Supporting sports clubs for young men.

• A New Army: The party wanted to get rid of the old army and create a "people's army." This new army would serve ordinary people, not just rich officers.

Media and Religion

The plan also included strict rules about newspapers, art, and religion.

• Controlling the Press: The party wanted laws to stop politicians from being anti-German and to control what newspapers wrote. To create a German national press, they demanded:

* All editors and writers in German newspapers must be "of a German race." * Foreign newspapers needed government permission and could not be printed in German. * People who were not German could not own or control German newspapers. If they did, they would be made to leave Germany, and the newspaper would be shut down. * Newspapers that criticized the country or the government were not allowed.

• Banning Foreign Ideas: Art and books that supported foreign ideas should be banned.
• Religion and Morals: The party wanted to allow all religions in the country, as long as they didn't offend the moral feelings of the "German race." The NSDAP said it was Christian but didn't belong to any specific church. They believed the nation would be strongest if everyone put the common interest before their own self-interest.

Strong Central Government

Finally, the plan called for a powerful central government.

• United Government: They wanted to create a strong central government for the entire country (the Reich).
• Parliament's Control: Parliament would control the whole government and its organizations.
• Local Groups: They would form groups based on different social classes and jobs to help carry out laws in the various German states.

The leaders of the Nazi Party promised to work very hard, even risking their lives, to make this program happen.