The seizure of power by the Nazi Party in January 1933 triggered an era of military rearmament in Germany. Hermann Göring, one of leader Adolf Hitler's closest paladins, was appointed commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, the aerial warfare branch of the Wehrmacht. The Nazi leadership wanted to forge a link with Germany's military past to ensure continuity between the German Empire and the Third Reich. The air base at Döberitz ("Fliegerruppe" Döberitz) was renamed "Jagdgeschwader Richthofen". Hitler attended the formation ceremony and after a Swastika-laden parade declared the first group of the Luftwaffe's official existence. There was a propaganda purpose to Hitler's attendance. Foreign Secretary John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon was visiting Berlin at the time, and though the "Richthofen" group was the only such fighter unit in the Luftwaffe, the Nazis were sure to exaggerate the size of their air force to the press and British officials. Hitler told Simon personally that the Luftwaffe had reached numerical parity with the Royal Air Force. A flypast was arranged for 19 March and on 10 April 1936 the unit was used to celebrate Göring's marriage. "Jagdgeschwader Richthofen" consisted of two "gruppen", and was used in the Remilitarization of the Rhineland, Hitler's first aggressive foreign policy move. Thereafter, the Richthofen groups became "Jagdgeschwader" 132. The first digit denoted the first unit of its type to be activated, the second the code for fighter aircraft and the last referred to "Luftkreiskommando II" (Air Command II), of the Berlin district. The wing was granted two groups, I. "Gruppe" (I./JG 132) and II. "Gruppe" (II./JG 132) which contained 1-3 and 4-6 "staffeln" respectively. "Major" Johann Raithel, the first recognised commander, relinquished command to "Oberst" Gerd von Massow, who remained in command as "Geschwaderkommodore" until World War II.