Hello folks: I am interested in knowing what ever happened to Karl Harrer, a founding member of the German Workers' Party. It seems he died in 1926 after leaving the party in 1920 mostly due to conflicts with Hitler on the direction the party should take and who should lead it. I would like to know if he simply faded away from the political scene altogether until his death or did he carry on elsewhere. It would be great to hear from anybody that might know something. Thanks. Kilroy
Did not know about his part or death. I will try to find info on him. Most Hitler's competitors had died By the night of the long knives.
Found this: Karl Harrer Karl Harrer was born on 8th October 1890. He became a journalist and worked for several right-wing newspapers. He was also a member of the Thule Society. In January 1919 Harrer joined with Anton Drexler to form the German Workers's Party (GPW). Other early members included Hermann Esser, Gottfried Feder and Dietrich Eckart. Harrer was elected as chairman of the party. Hitler discovered that the party's political ideas were similar to his own. He approved of Drexler's German nationalism and anti-Semitism but was unimpressed with what he saw at the meeting. Hitler was just about to leave when a man in the audience began to question the logic of Feder's speech on Bavaria. Hitler joined in the discussion and made a passionate attack on the man who he described as the "professor". Drexler was impressed with Hitler and gave him a booklet encouraging him to join the GWP. Entitled, My Political Awakening, it described his objective of building a political party which would be based on the needs of the working-class but which, unlike the Social Democratic Party (SDP) or the German Communist Party (KPD) would be strongly nationalist. Hitler's reputation as an orator grew and it soon became clear that he was the main reason why people were joining the party. At one meeting in Hofbräuhaus he attracted an audience of over 2,000 people and several hundred new members were enrolled. This gave Hitler tremendous power within the organization as they knew they could not afford to lose him. One change suggested by Hitler concerned adding "Socialist" to the name of the party. Hitler had always been hostile to socialist ideas, especially those that involved racial or sexual equality. However, socialism was a popular political philosophy in Germany after the First World War. This was reflected in the growth in the German Social Democrat Party (SDP), the largest political party in Germany. Hitler, therefore redefined socialism by placing the word "National" before it. He claimed he was only in favour of equality for those who had "German blood". Jews and other "aliens" would lose their rights of citizenship, and immigration of non-Germans should be brought to an end. Adolf Hitler advocated that the party should change its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP). Hitler, therefore redefined socialism by placing the word "National" before it. He claimed he was only in favour of equality for those who had "German blood". Jews and other "aliens" would lose their rights of citizenship, and immigration of non-Germans should be brought to an end. In April 1920, the German Workers Party became the NSDAP. Hitler became chairman of the new party and Karl Harrer was given the honorary title, Reich Chairman. Karl Harrer died in Munich on 5th September, 1926.
Hitler was just more aggressive and got away of his friendly enemies. " You do not agree I do not need You.
