Nazism, often referred to as National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), refers primarily to the ideology and practices of the Nazi Party under Adolf Hitler and the policies adopted by the government of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, a period also known as the Third Reich.
The official name of the party was Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP) — “National Socialist German Workers’ Party”. The Nazis were one of several historical groups that used the term National Socialism to describe themselves, and in the 1920s they became the largest such group. Nazism is generally considered by scholars to be a form of fascism, and while it incorporated elements from both political wings, it formed most of its alliances on the political right. Among the key elements of Nazism were anti-parliamentarism, ethnic nationalism, racism, collectivism, eugenics, antisemitism, opposition to economic liberalism and political liberalism, anti-communism, and totalitarianism. Nazism also has always had a very strong Satanic heritage dedicated to evil mythologies and black magic, as is obvious even from the uniforms and trappings of the Nazi era, as carried on today by musicians, gangsters and Hell's Angels.
