1. Consolidation of Power

Question 1

Gleichschaltung

Answer 1

Forcing into line, coordinating all aspects of German Government and society

Question 2

How was the army out of Hitler’s control in March 1933?

Answer 2

Because the army had sworn and oath to the German State/President Hindenburg and not to Hitler

Question 3

How were religious groups out of Hitler’s control in March 1933?

Answer 3

Because they had leaders other than Hitler, such as the Pope

Question 4

Example of checks and balances of the Weimar Government that were out of Hitler’s control in March 1933

Answer 4

The judiciary

Question 5

Judiciary

Answer 5

Law makers and keepers such as judges and the police

Question 6

Lander

Answer 6

The individual states of Germany

Question 7

Why was the lander out of Hitler’s control in March 1933?

Answer 7

Because they were ran by separate governments

Question 8

Who ran the lander?

Answer 8

The Reichstrat

Question 9

How was the Reichstag out of Hitler’s control in March 1933?

Answer 9

Hitler couldn’t make laws at this point as he didn’t have a workable majority

Question 10

How was the Weimar Constitution out of Hitler’s control in March 1933?

Answer 10

Hitler only had power to overall the constitution, instead of chance it

Question 11

What was Hitler’s continuance in office dependent upon in early 1934?

Answer 11

Hindenburg and the elite (including the army)

Question 12

How was the SA a problem for Hitler in early 1934?

Answer 12

The SA warned a complete revolution and to overthrow the Reichstag
Hitler was a part of the Reichstag, so they didn’t see him as a figure who would overthrow it
Hitler took a step-by-step slow approach to dictatorship, but they wanted a revolution
SA used street violence which didn’t make Hitler look good as a leader (showed ack of control)

Question 13

How was Germany’s federal system a problem for Hitler in early 1934?

Answer 13

Control not yet centralised and the civil service was completely separate from his control

Question 14

What hadn’t Hitler achieved at the beginning of 1934?

Answer 14

Gleichschaltung

Question 15

2 laws that Hitler introduced in January 1934 to centralised the government

Answer 15

Law for co-ordination of federal states
Law for reconstruction of the Reich

Question 16

What law did Hitler introduce in February 1934 to centralise the government?

Answer 16

Abolishment of the Reichstrat

Question 17

Under the Nazi Government, what positions merged?

Answer 17

Position of president and chancellor merged together under one person

Question 18

Under Nazi Government, what government no longer existed?

Answer 18

Lander government

Question 19

Checks and balances

Answer 19

Seperation of power within a government

Question 20

What structure did the Nazi Government have?

Answer 20

Autocratic structure

Question 21

Autocratic

Answer 21

Ruler with absolute power

Question 22

What problems of the Weimar Constitution did Hitler solve by making Germany a one-party system?

Answer 22

Long-term planning
Instability of coalitions
Decisions being made quickly

Question 23

Führerprinzip

Answer 23

Nazi ideology that power over everything is vested in the leader

Question 24

Volksgemeinschaft

Answer 24

Nazi principle of “people’s community” - German nation becoming United, individuals expected to obey Nazi government and make sacrifices for Germany

Question 25

The German volk

Answer 25

The “people’s community”, only including ethnic Germans

Question 26

Examples of groups that the German volk excluded

Answer 26

Homosexuals
Jehovah witnesses
Disabled people

Question 27

When was the night of the long knives?

Answer 27

30th June 1934

Question 28

Outcome of the night of the long knives

Answer 28

Removed problematic SA and replaced them with loyal, highly trained SS

Question 29

Why did Hitler need army support when he was chancellor (spring and summer 1934)?

Answer 29

Because the army was the only institution with the power to remove Hitler from office as they swore loyalty to Hindenburg, not Hitler

Question 30

What was regarded as a serious threat by army leaders leading up to the 30th June 1934?

Answer 30

The ambitions of the SA

Question 31

SA behaviours towards army in summer of 1934

Answer 31

SA units began stopping army convoys and confiscating weapons and supplies from them

Question 32

Convoy

Answer 32

Group of vehicles

Question 33

Why did pressure on Hitler increase on the 17th June 1934?

Answer 33

Papen made a major speech at Marburg University where he criticised the Nazis, calling for an end to terror and for Hitler to put end to SA’s second revolution

Question 34

Who wrote Papen’s Marburg University speech? Why?

Answer 34

Jung (Nazi speechwriter) wrote it with hopes that Hindenburg would listen to the speech and remove Hitler from Chancellorship

Question 35

What did Hitler launch on the 30th June 1934?

Answer 35

Launched a ruthless purge of the SA, commanding SS to eliminate SA leaders and many political opponents to Nazis

Question 36

How many people were excectued during the night of the long knives?

Answer 36

84

Question 37

How many people were arrested during the night of the long knives?

Answer 37

Over 1000

Question 38

Hitler’s action following the night of the long knives

Answer 38

Hitler addressed the Reichstag on 13th July 1934

Question 39

What did Hitler say in his address to the Reichstag following the night of the long knives?

Answer 39

He accepted full responsibility

Question 40

How did Hitler justify the night of the long knives?

Answer 40

He acted as ‘supreme judge’ of German people, saying he had been compelled to save Germany from SA coup

Question 41

Impact of night of long knives on the SA

Answer 41

SA declined sharply after the purge and lost its political power

Question 42

Impact of the night of the long knives on the SS

Answer 42

SS gained control of Nazi Geoff and it became used more systematically and controlled