That same year, he became a member of the
National Socialist (Nazi) party and a sponsoring member ("Förderndes Mitglied") of the
Schutzstaffel (SS). With their help, his economic situation improved. He also joined the
German Labour Front in 1936, the
Reich Air Protection Association in 1939, and the
National Socialist People's Welfare in 1941. After joining these organizations, his sales increased from 38,260
Reichsmarks (RM)-$26,993 U.S. dollars-in 1932 to over 3,300,000 RM in 1941. His profits also increased in the same time period from 5,000 RM to 241,000 RM. Though he claimed in a 1934-1935 advertisement that he had been a "supplier for National Socialist uniforms since 1924," it is probable that he did not begin to supply them until 1928 at the earliest. It is certain that he supplied them no later than 1934. This is the year he became an
Reichszeugmeisterei-licensed (official) supplier of uniforms to the
Sturmabteilung,
Schutzstaffel,
Hitler Youth,
National Socialist Motor Corps, and other party organizations. To meet demand in later years of the war, Boss used an estimated 30 to 40 prisoners of war and 150 forced (i.e. slave) labourers, from the Baltic States, Belgium, France, Italy, Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union.
[2] According to German historian Henning Kober, the company managers were avowed Nazis who were all great admirers of
Adolf Hitler. In 1945 Hugo Boss had a photograph in his apartment of himself with Hitler taken at Hitler's
Obersalzberg retreat.
[3]