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The term ''Nazi'' was already in-use in [[German-speaking countries]] long before the national socialist movement arose. It is a diminutive of [[Ignaz|Igna[t]z]], the [[Germanisation|germanised]] version of the [[Latin]] [[given name]] [[Ignatius]],<ref>[[Karl Breul]] (1906).: ''Heath's German and English Dictionary.'' [[London]]: [[D. C. Heath and Company]]. p. 522.</ref> which was historically common in majority-[[Catholicism|Catholic]] regions such as [[Austria]], [[Bavaria]], and [[Bohemia]]. This is also present in the [[Hungarian language]] (which was heavily influenced by [[German language|German]] due to nearly four centuries of [[House of Habsburg|Habsburg]] rule), with the Hungarian form [[Ignác]] sometimes being shortened to ''Náci''. Examples of the word being used in this context include: | The term ''Nazi'' was already in-use in [[German-speaking countries]] long before the national socialist movement arose. It is a diminutive of [[Ignaz|Igna[t]z]], the [[Germanisation|germanised]] version of the [[Latin]] [[given name]] [[Ignatius]],<ref>[[Karl Breul]] (1906).: ''Heath's German and English Dictionary.'' [[London]]: [[D. C. Heath and Company]]. p. 522.</ref> which was historically common in majority-[[Catholicism|Catholic]] regions such as [[Austria]], [[Bavaria]], and [[Bohemia]]. This is also present in the [[Hungarian language]] (which was heavily influenced by [[German language|German]] due to nearly four centuries of [[House of Habsburg|Habsburg]] rule), with the Hungarian form [[Ignác]] sometimes being shortened to ''Náci''. Examples of the word being used in this context include: | ||
* The 1910 comedic novel [[Nazi Semmelbachers Hochzeitsreise|''Nazi Semmelbachers Hochzeitsreise'']] by [[Anton Noder]] (under the [[pen name]] A. de Nora) follows Ignatius "Nazi" Semmelbacher, a municipal councillor and gingerbread baker who leaves behind his wife in [[Munich]] to travel to [[Venice]] with the poet Franz Paul Müller. | |||
* [[Ignaz Semmelweis]], the [[Empire of Austria (1804–1867)|Austrian]] physician famous for introducing the revolutionary practice of [[handwashing]] in medicine, was frequently called "Nazi" or "Semmel-Nazi" by his colleagues.<ref>[[Elias Haffter]] (1898).: ''Dr. L. Sonderegger: In seiner Selbstbiographie und seinen Briefen''. [[Frauenfeld]]: [[J. Huber Verlag]]. p. 23.</ref> This is reflected in the 1979 Hungarian drama [[Gyilkosok (1979)|''Gyilkosok'']] ("Murderers"), in which Semmelweis is referred to as ''Semmelnáci'' a total of 14 times.<ref>[[Száraz György|György Száraz]] (1979).: [https://www.ponticulus.hu/rovatok/hidverok/szaraz-gyilkosok.html#gsc.tab=0 ''Gyilkosok'']. [[Ponticulus Hungaricus]]. Retrieved 2025-10-30.</ref> | * [[Ignaz Semmelweis]], the [[Empire of Austria (1804–1867)|Austrian]] physician famous for introducing the revolutionary practice of [[handwashing]] in medicine, was frequently called "Nazi" or "Semmel-Nazi" by his colleagues.<ref>[[Elias Haffter]] (1898).: ''Dr. L. Sonderegger: In seiner Selbstbiographie und seinen Briefen''. [[Frauenfeld]]: [[J. Huber Verlag]]. p. 23.</ref> This is reflected in the 1979 Hungarian drama [[Gyilkosok (1979)|''Gyilkosok'']] ("Murderers"), in which Semmelweis is referred to as ''Semmelnáci'' a total of 14 times.<ref>[[Száraz György|György Száraz]] (1979).: [https://www.ponticulus.hu/rovatok/hidverok/szaraz-gyilkosok.html#gsc.tab=0 ''Gyilkosok'']. [[Ponticulus Hungaricus]]. Retrieved 2025-10-30.</ref> | ||
* In a 1907 eulogy to [[Ignaz Auer]] | * In a 1907 eulogy to [[Ignaz Auer]] (a prominent [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic]] politician from [[Lower Bavaria]]), [[Eduard Bernstein]] affectionately refers to his deceased friend as "Nazi".<ref name=":0">[[Eduard Bernstein|Bernstein, Eduard]] (1907).: ''Ignaz Auer: Eine Gedenkschrift''.[[State of Berlin|Berlin]]: [[Buchhandlung Vorwärts]]. p. 6.</ref> | ||
* The satirical magazine ''[[Kikeriki]]'', which was banned under [[Federal State of Austria (1934–1938)|the Austrofascist regime]] due to its links to the [[German National Socialist Workers' Party (Austria)|Austrian Nazi Party]], once told a short story called ''Der Kosename'' ("The Pet Name") about a married couple named Mr. Ignaz and Mrs. Klara. One day Ignaz headed off to work, forgetting to bring his eyeglasses with him. Klara, concerned, opened a window and shouted for her husband: "Nazi! Nazi! Nazi!", whereupon the man was promptly arrested as an [[enemy of the state]] (''staatsgefährliches Subjekt''; literally "state-dangerous subject").<ref>No author (1933-06-18).: [https://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno?aid=kik&datum=19330618&seite=7&zoom=51 "Der Kosename."] ''Kikeriki''. Retrieved 2025-06-07.</ref> | * The satirical magazine ''[[Kikeriki]]'', which was banned under [[Federal State of Austria (1934–1938)|the Austrofascist regime]] due to its links to the [[German National Socialist Workers' Party (Austria)|Austrian Nazi Party]], once told a short story called ''Der Kosename'' ("The Pet Name") about a married couple named Mr. Ignaz and Mrs. Klara. One day Ignaz headed off to work, forgetting to bring his eyeglasses with him. Klara, concerned, opened a window and shouted for her husband: "Nazi! Nazi! Nazi!", whereupon the man was promptly arrested as an [[enemy of the state]] (''staatsgefährliches Subjekt''; literally "state-dangerous subject").<ref>No author (1933-06-18).: [https://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno?aid=kik&datum=19330618&seite=7&zoom=51 "Der Kosename."] ''Kikeriki''. Retrieved 2025-06-07.</ref> | ||
Revision as of 20:38, 8 November 2025
Nazi (plural Nazis) is a derogatory term for a supporter of national socialism (better known as Nazism), a fascist movement which emerged in Germany during the interwar period. Post-World War II adherence to Nazism is often called neo-Nazism. Someone who supported Nazism before 1945 and continued to adhere to Nazism even after the end of the Second World War is sometimes referred to as an "Old Nazi" (Altnazi). Nazis themselves tend to reject the label due to the negative connotation.
Etymology and usage
The term Nazi was already in-use in German-speaking countries long before the national socialist movement arose. It is a diminutive of Igna[t]z, the germanised version of the Latin given name Ignatius,[1] which was historically common in majority-Catholic regions such as Austria, Bavaria, and Bohemia. This is also present in the Hungarian language (which was heavily influenced by German due to nearly four centuries of Habsburg rule), with the Hungarian form Ignác sometimes being shortened to Náci. Examples of the word being used in this context include:
- The 1910 comedic novel Nazi Semmelbachers Hochzeitsreise by Anton Noder (under the pen name A. de Nora) follows Ignatius "Nazi" Semmelbacher, a municipal councillor and gingerbread baker who leaves behind his wife in Munich to travel to Venice with the poet Franz Paul Müller.
- Ignaz Semmelweis, the Austrian physician famous for introducing the revolutionary practice of handwashing in medicine, was frequently called "Nazi" or "Semmel-Nazi" by his colleagues.[2] This is reflected in the 1979 Hungarian drama Gyilkosok ("Murderers"), in which Semmelweis is referred to as Semmelnáci a total of 14 times.[3]
- In a 1907 eulogy to Ignaz Auer (a prominent Social Democratic politician from Lower Bavaria), Eduard Bernstein affectionately refers to his deceased friend as "Nazi".[4]
- The satirical magazine Kikeriki, which was banned under the Austrofascist regime due to its links to the Austrian Nazi Party, once told a short story called Der Kosename ("The Pet Name") about a married couple named Mr. Ignaz and Mrs. Klara. One day Ignaz headed off to work, forgetting to bring his eyeglasses with him. Klara, concerned, opened a window and shouted for her husband: "Nazi! Nazi! Nazi!", whereupon the man was promptly arrested as an enemy of the state (staatsgefährliches Subjekt; literally "state-dangerous subject").[5]
Given the nickname's popularity in Southern Germany, it was eventually picked up as a pejorative for Southerners, whom Northern Germans often viewed as backwards, foolish, conservative, and unsophisticated (comparable to "redneck" or "hillbilly" in English). The Nazi Party itself was founded in Munich and its leader was an Austrian, which may have unintentionally played into this stereotype. This lead to Nazi gaining a negative connotation, which some sources claim is the reason why opponents of Nazism favoured the term.[6] Additionally, as is much more well-known, the term Nationalsozialist ('national socialist') could be shortened to Nazi, just as Sozi (also derogatory) was a clipping of Sozialist ('socialist') or Kozi was a clipping of Kommunist ('communist').
Classical Nazis almost always avoided the term Nazi, instead favouring "national socialist". One notable exception is the title of Joseph Goebbels' 1926 pamphlet Der Nazi-Sozi: Fragen und Antworten für den Nationalsozialisten ("The Nazi-Sozi: Questions and Answers for National Socialists"), though the word is not used in the work itself. Hitler used the term "anti-Nazi" on one occasion in 1939 in reference to unfavourable coverage of national socialism in the international media, though likely in air-quotes as he immediately clarifies that opposition to Nazism is in reality opposition to Germany (at least in his mind).[7] Modern neo-Nazis continue to avoid the term due to the historical baggage associated with it, as World War II and the Holocaust are deeply embedded in the Western psyche today. Instead, they typically conceal their true beliefs in order to appeal to as wide a demographic as possible.
Nazi was likewise intentionally eschewed in the Eastern Bloc. Communists view Nazi as a misnomer since, in all practical respects, Germany under national socialism was a capitalist-imperialist country. Therefore, in order to avoid any confusion and risk giving credence to the notion that the Nazis were authentic socialists, the terms "German fascism" and "Hitlerism" were favoured in its stead.
See also
References
- ↑ Karl Breul (1906).: Heath's German and English Dictionary. London: D. C. Heath and Company. p. 522.
- ↑ Elias Haffter (1898).: Dr. L. Sonderegger: In seiner Selbstbiographie und seinen Briefen. Frauenfeld: J. Huber Verlag. p. 23.
- ↑ György Száraz (1979).: Gyilkosok. Ponticulus Hungaricus. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ↑ Bernstein, Eduard (1907).: Ignaz Auer: Eine Gedenkschrift.Berlin: Buchhandlung Vorwärts. p. 6.
- ↑ No author (1933-06-18).: "Der Kosename." Kikeriki. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
- ↑ "Nazi". Etymonline. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ↑
Norman H. Baynes (1942).: The Speeches of Adolf Hitler: April 1922–August 1939. Volume I. London: Oxford University Press. p. 742.In the same speech Hitler said: "Recently endeavours have been made to place broadcasting, also, in the service of this international campaign of hate [against Germany]. With regard to this, I wish to make the following warning public: If the broadcasts sent from certain countries to Germany do not cease we will soon answer to them.... I believe, as I always have done, that our work of enlightenment will be more effective than the campaign of lies of those Jews who stir up hatred between the peoples. Announcements by American film companies that they intend to produce anti-Nazi—that is, anti-German—films, can but induce us to produce anti-Semitic films in Germany...."