<i>Völkischer Beobachter (Münchener Beobachter)</i>

The Völkischer Beobachter was published by the Franz Eher Nachf. GmbH publishing house. The National Socialist Workers’ Association purchased it on December 20, 1920 for 120,000 Marks. The driving force was Dietrich Eckart; money came from other private individuals and presumably also the Reichswehr in Bavaria. Eckart was Editorial Manager from August 1921 to March 1923; his successor was Alfred Rosenberg. Max Amann had been Publishing Director since April 1922. The Völkischer Beobachter was printed by the Munich book trade house M. Müller & Sohn. Between 1920 and 1922, circulation fluctuated between 8,000 and 10,000 copies; in 1923, it climbed to 30,000 copies.

Until 1922, Hitler himself wrote many articles in the newspaper. These were characterized by antisemitic and anti-communist, but also anti-capitalist sentiments; by excessive nationalism and anti-parliamentarism, associated with unscrupulous attacks on democratic politicians. This caused the newspaper to be banned several times.
The paper banned again after the failure of the Hitler Putsch on November 9, 1923 appeared for the first time again on February 26, 1925, after Hitler's release from ‘Festungshaft’ (imprisonment with easier prison conditions, where prisoners retained their full civil rights). Rosenberg was once again the Editorial Manager. Due to his attacks on politicians of the democratic parties and institutions of the republic, the Völkischer Beobachter was again banned several times. After the Reichstag elections on September 14, 1930, circulation exceeded 100,000 copies.

Under National Socialist rule, the Völkischer Beobachter found ideal conditions. The party-political competition was eliminated. The propagandistic fighting character of the newspaper was retained even after 1933, associated with the constant glorification of National Socialist rule. Thanks to its leading position, the Völkischer Beobachter now also had a generous share of advertisements. In 1941, circulation exceeded the million mark.

During the war, like all newspapers, the Völkischer Beobachter had to reduce its scope due to a shortage of materials. The last issue appeared in the southern German issue on April 30, 1945, but it was not delivered due to the advance of American troops.