The Nazis held their first two rallies in Munich in 1923 and Weimar in 1926. The favourable experiences of "German Day" prompted the Nazi Party to hold its 1927 rally in Nuremberg, in the knowledge that it could depend on the good offices of the Nuremberg-Fürth police authority which was sympathetic to its cause. The 1929 rally, also held in Nuremberg, was the largest mass event hitherto staged by the Nazi party and attracted attention beyond the boundaries of Bavaria.

However, the application for the 1930 rally was rejected by the city council, due to the bloody riots the year before. The tradition of the city as a political venue with a suitable infrastructure, the accessible location and strong regional Nazi Party support were decisive factors in Hitler's decision to hold the rallies in Nuremberg after 1933.

The Nazis commissioned their own rally films in 1927 and 1929, with the aim of documenting the growing strength of the movement. Although in places the events have an improvised air, the films already show Luitpold Grove in its role as central venue.