NSDAP - Ortsgruppe Wien, Gauleitung Wien Membership Card No. 9017414

This NSDAP membership card from the Vienna Local Group, Vienna Gau Administration documents the party membership of a man who joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party on April 1, 1940. The card bears membership number 9017414 and was issued on November 25, 1942 in Munich, the administrative center of NSDAP membership administration.

Following the Anschluss of Austria with the German Reich in March 1938, the NSDAP became the only permitted party in Austria. The Vienna Gau Administration was one of the most important regional administrative units of the party. The Vienna Gau encompassed the territory of the former Austrian capital and played a central role in the National Socialist power structure. Baldur von Schirach was appointed Gauleiter and Reich Governor of Vienna in 1940 and remained in this position until 1945.

The entry date of April 1, 1940 is historically significant, as at this time World War II had already begun and the Nazi regime was consolidating its power throughout the Greater German Reich. Membership in the NSDAP was no longer spontaneous or revolutionary at this point, but often a prerequisite for career advancement in public service, educational institutions, or business.

NSDAP membership cards were centrally managed by the Reich Treasurer of the NSDAP in Munich. The Reich Party Leadership in Munich maintained a comprehensive card index of all party members. Each membership card contained personal details of the member, the date of entry, and spaces for monthly membership stamps. These stamps had to be affixed regularly and served as proof of ongoing membership and dues payment.

The present card shows membership stamps for the year 1943, indicating that the holder was paying his membership dues at this time. The year 1943 marked a turning point in World War II with the German defeat at Stalingrad and increasing Allied bombing raids on German cities, including Vienna. Membership dues were graduated according to income and ranged from a few pfennigs to several Reichsmarks per month.

The membership number 9017414 is in the high range and indicates a relatively late membership. The NSDAP had approximately 850,000 members when it came to power in 1933. By 1945, membership had grown to over 8.5 million. There were various phases of member recruitment: After a membership freeze from 1933 to 1939, the party reopened for new members, with particularly large numbers joining after the annexation of Austria and the outbreak of war.

The Local Groups (Ortsgruppen) formed the lowest administrative level of the NSDAP and typically encompassed 1,500 to 3,000 households. The Local Group Leader was responsible for supervising party members, organizing events, and implementing party policy at the local level. Vienna had numerous local groups covering the entire city area.

After the war ended in 1945, all NSDAP documents became relevant for denazification. The Allied occupation powers used membership cards like this one to assess the role of individuals in the National Socialist system. The entry date was of particular importance: members who joined before 1933 (so-called “Old Fighters”) were often judged more severely than later members who may have joined for opportunistic or professional reasons.

Today, such documents are important historical artifacts for historical research. They provide insights into the membership structure of the NSDAP, the geographical distribution of membership, and the social composition of the party. The folded condition of the card is typical, as these documents were kept personally and often carried. The stated condition of “2-” indicates a well-preserved card with minor signs of use.