Hitler’s power struggle within the party, 1925-30

Hitler's change of approach upset those in the Nazi Party who wanted to continue with the previous uncompromisingly tough methods. Factions developed and Hitler found himself involved in a power struggle within the Nazi Party. His major opponents were the brothers, Otto and Gregor Strasser, who led a minority group who believed that Nazism should be much more socialist in its approach and should openly oppose capitalism. The Strassers attacked the big German industrialists and argued that the Nazis should develop closer relations with the anti-capitalist Soviet Union. Hitler, however, was anxious to enlist the support of the leading industrialists in Germany and believed that the Strassers' ideas would undermine the NSDAP.

The leadership question

A series of fierce disputes followed. Beneath the disagreements about policy, there was a more fundamental issue: Hitler's leadership. Otto Strasser

Criticized Hitler for attempting to make himself more important than the Nazi Party itself: 'A leader must serve the Idea. To this alone can we devote ourselves entirely, since it is eternal whereas the Leader passes and makes mistakes.' Hitler responded by asserting that the leader defined the movement. He spoke bitterly of Strasser's 'revolting democracy', explaining: 'For us the Leader is the Idea, and each party member has to obey only the Leader.'

In July 1930, Otto Strasser attempted to split the NSDAP and weaken Hitler by resigning from the party and establishing his own organization, the Union of Revolutionary Socialists. However, only 25 other Nazis joined him and these did not even include his brother, Gregor, who remained loyal to Hitler. Otto Strasser's desperate move had failed and he left Germany. He continued to attack Hitler from afar, but his influence rapidly decreased and what little support he had had dwindled.

What Strasser had unwittingly done by his challenge to Hitler was to hand him a victory within the Nazi Party that put his leadership of it beyond doubt. Hitler now personified the Nazi Party. Nazism was Hitlerism.