Anton Drexler

Anton Drexler (1884-1942) was among the founders of the German Workers' Party, which, with the inspiration of a new member, Adolf Hitler, became the Nazi Party. Drexler, Gottfried Feder, Dietrich Eckart, and Karl Harrer founded it in Munich in 1919. By 1921, Hitler challenged him for leadership and won control.

As his Nazi influence declined, he was more active in another volkisch political organization, the Thule Society. When the Nazis were outlawed in 1923, he did not take part in the Beer Hall Putsch, was elected to the Bavarian parliament in 1924 on a non-Nazi ticket, and did not rejoin on their 1925 return.

Essentially for ceremonial reasons, he rejoined the Nazis in 1933, when Hitler came to power. While he received the He rejoined only after Hitler had come to power in 1933, and was given a ceremonial "blood badge" in 1934. He was briefly used for propaganda, but had disappeared from view at the time of his death.