In 1922 – as one of the first members – Weiss joined the Nazi Party, and participated in the Beerhall Putsch and the March on the Feldherrnhalle.
Schepmann managed to have units in the Heer (Panzerkorps Feldherrnhalle), Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe (Jagdgeschwader 6 Horst Wessel) given SA honour titles, and even a Waffen-SS division (18. SS Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Horst Wessel).