[1] Harrer was commissioned by the Thule Society to try to politically influence German workers in Munich after the end of World War I.

Harrer convinced Anton Drexler and several others to form the Politischer Arbeiterzirkel (Political Workers' Circle) in 1918.

[2] Although Harrer preferred that the small group remain a semi-secret nationalistic club, Drexler wanted to make it a political party.

On 5 January 1919, the DAP was formed in which not only Harrer and Drexler, but also Gottfried Feder and Dietrich Eckart were involved.

Early in 1920, Hitler moved to sever the party's link with the Thule Society and to redefine the policies of the DAP.