Anton Drexler ( 13 June 1884 -- 24 February 1942 ) was a German far-right political leader of the 1920s who was instrumental in the formation of the pan-German and anti-Semitic German Workers ' Party ( `` Deutsche Arbeiterpartei '' - DAP ) , the antecedent of the Nazi Party ( `` Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei '' - NSDAP ) .
Anton Drexler ( 13 June 1884 -- 24 February 1942 ) was a German far-right political leader of the 1920s . He was instrumental in the formation of the pan-German and anti-Semitic German Workers ' Party ( `` Deutsche Arbeiterpartei '' - DAP ) , the antecedent of the Nazi Party ( `` Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei '' - NSDAP ) .