Karl Harrer

Karl Harrer (8 October 1890 - 5 September 1926) was a German journalist and politician, one of the founding members of the "Deutsche Arbeiterpartei" (German Workers' Party, DAP) in January 1919, the predecessor to the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers Party – NSDAP); more commonly known as the Nazi Party.^[1]

Harrer was "commissioned" by the Thule Society to try and politically influence German workers in Munich after the end of World War I. At the time, Harrer was a reporter with a "right-wing" newspaper. He and fellow Thule Society member Anton Drexler, and several others formed the Politischer Arbeiterzirkel (Political Workers' Circle) in 1918.^[2] The members met periodically for discussions with themes of nationalism, and racism directed against the Jews.^[2] Although Harrer preferred that the small group remain a semi-secret nationalistic club, Drexler wanted to make it a political party.^[2] Thereafter, Drexler proposed the founding of the DAP in December, 1918. On January 5, 1919, the DAP was formed, in which not only Harrer and Drexler but also Gottfried Feder and Dietrich Eckart were involved. With the DAP founding, Drexler was elected chairman and Harrer was made "Reich Chairman", an honorary title.^[3]

Karl Harrer died, not quite 36, of natural causes in Munich.

See also

• Nazism
• Weimar Republic

Notes

References

• Kershaw, Ian (2008). Hitler: A Biography. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-06757-6.