NSDAP-Ortsgruppen (local groups of the NSDAP) in Munich

During the Nazi period, the "Ortsgruppe" (local group) was the smallest regional organizational unit of the NSDAP with its own administration. In Munich there was initially only a single "Ortsgruppe" divided into several sections. As a result of the increasing number of party members, the number of "Ortsgruppen" in the city grew to nine in 1929 and to 25 in 1930. With the fundamental organizational reform of the NSDAP in 1932, the hierarchical regional division of the party that was to apply from then on was formed into "Gaue" (regions), "Kreise" (counties) and "Ortsgruppen". The "Ortsgruppen" were directly subordinate to the county leadership, and the county leaders determined the "Ortsgruppenleiter" (local group leaders).

The rapid growth in membership after the National Socialists took power also caused the number of NSDAP "Ortsgruppen" in the city to continue to rise, initially from 39 in mid-1933 to 74 in 1937. By 1942 there was a further increase to 93, now including the eight "Ortsgruppen" the areas incorporated in 1938. The areas of responsibility of the "Ortsgruppen" usually coincided with the municipal or, in larger cities, the district boundaries.

They formed the structural focus for enforcing and securing the NS dictatorship at the grassroots level. They had to fulfill two essential tasks: the integration of the party members and the monitoring of the population. For this purpose, the local groups had a group of volunteer workers and a small-scale network of party cells, blocks and house groups. The cell and block leaders (also called block wardens) registered the willingness to donate, reported suspicious statements and provided information that could be of considerable importance for professional advancement or for receiving help. This party network also provided active local support in the persecution of the jews and the discrimination against forced laborers.