talent while teaching at the University of Munich. When he talked, he held his audiences spellbound. He would sometimes lose five pounds a night by getting so active in his speeches. The attendance of the German Workers' Party went from under one hundred to almost 1000. Hitler changed the name of the party to National Socialist German Workers' Party. It was shortened to be Nazi. He also designed the party's flag, a white background with a broken cross in the middle. Hitler took full leadership of the party. Violence was now the party's trademark. He persuaded the other party members to rent one of the largest halls in Munich, one that seated at least 2,000 people. Hitler made of list of demands to the German government. They were called the 25 Points. The audience approved his new idea. Ernst Rohm, a friend of Hitler's, organized a group of storm troopers for Hitler. He blamed Jews for most of Germanys problems. Synagogues were destroyed and Jews were beaten in the streets.By the summer of 1923, the Nazi party had grown to 150,000 members. With the Nazi movement growing so rapidly, Hitler knew it was time to make a move on Germany. November 11, 1923 seemed like a perfect time for Hitler to make the grab for power. It was the fifth anniversary of Germany's surrender to the allies. At the last minute he changed the date to November 8th. A large gathering was to be held on the outskirts of Munich. Three important government leaders would be there. On that evening, 600 storm troopers moved in. Hitler captured the government leaders and forced them to join him.His 3,000 men then marched to Berlin in an attempt to take it over. The German police were waiting. Shots were fired and sixteen Nazis and two policemen lay dead. Hundreds more were wounded. Hitler was arrested and charged with High Treason. Hitler went to court and was convicted. Hitler served only nine months of his five-year sentence. The guards gave him a suite of several a...
