4) Consolidation Of Power

Question 1

When did the Riechstag building burn down?

Answer 1

27th February 1933

Question 2

What did the Reichstag fire give Hitler?

Answer 2

The perfect opportunity to remove the threat posed by the communist part.

Question 3

Who did the Nazis arrest for the Reichstag fire?

Answer 3

Marius Van de Lubbe, a Dutch communist, although it is not known who started the fire.

Question 4

How many communists did the minister of interior, Hermann Georing have arrested after the Reichstag fire?

Answer 4

4000 arrested and imprisoned.

Question 5

What did Hitler persuade Hindenburg to pass after the Reichstag fire?

Answer 5

An emergency decree, suspending freedom of speech and assembly, therefore, the police could arrest without trial, ban newspapers and round up political opponents.

Question 6

What had Hitler called prior to the fire?

Answer 6

A general election for 5 March 1933.

Question 7

What had been seen in the run up to the March 1933 election?

Answer 7

Violence and terror- there had been about 70 deaths.

Question 8

In the run up to the 1933 elections what did Hitler receive?

Answer 8

Large amounts of money from leading industrialists to assorts his campaign. But a week before the elections, this Reichstag fire happened.

Question 9

How many seats and what percentage of the vote did the Nazis win in the March 1933 elections?

Answer 9

288 seats and 43.9% of vote.

Despite imprisoning a lot of their opposition and having control of the media, the Nazis did not win a majority.

Question 10

What was formed because of the result of the 1933 elections?

Answer 10

A coalition government with the National Party, ensuring a majority in the Reichstag.

Question 11

How many seats did Hitler need to change the constitution?

Answer 11

2/3

Question 12

Which Act marked the end of the Weimar Constitution and democracy?

Answer 12

The enabling act - passed on 23rd March 1933.

Question 13

What would the enabling act give Hitler?

Answer 13

Full power for the next four years.

Question 14

What is the Enabling act often regarded as?

Answer 14

The ‘foundation stone’ of the third reich, it allowed Hitler to secure closer control of the nation.

Question 15

What did the Enabling Act quickly result in?

Answer 15

The suspension of civil liberties, abolition of trade unions, imposition of censorship, disbanding of all parties but the Nazis.

Question 16

How was the Enabling Act passed?

Answer 16

• The Nazis made promises to the Catholic Centre party which won their votes (e.g. no interference in Catholic schools)
• Communist party was not counted in vote
• Communist members were not allowed to vote in chambers
• Absentees were counted as present
• SA intimidated members as the entered the chamber.

Question 17

What was the policy of Gleichsehaltung?

Answer 17

With the enabling act, Hitler was now in a position to bring society into line with Nazi philosophy.

Question 18

What happened to Trade Unions on the 2nd of May 1933?

Answer 18

All trade unions were banned.

Question 19

Why did Nazis say they had banned trade unions?

Answer 19

They said that a national community had been created and therefore such organisations were not needed.

Question 20

What was set up to replace trade unions and Employers’ groups?

Answer 20

The German Labour Front (DAF)

Question 21

What did the DAF decide?

Answer 21

Wages and workers received workers’ books to record their employment history.

Question 22

How did the Nazis react to strikers?

Answer 22

They were outlawed and any dissenters would be sent or concentration camps for political re-education.

Question 23

When was the communist party banned?

Answer 23

After the reichstag fire.

Question 24

What happened in the 10th of May 1933?

Answer 24

The social Democratic Party had its headquarters seized and its newspaper banned.

Question 25

When did remaining political parties disband themselves?

Answer 25

June/ July 1933

Question 26

What law was passed on the 14th July 1933?

Answer 26

The laws against the formation of parties

Question 27

How did Hitler change the control of the state (Länder)

Answer 27

Hitler broke down federal structure of Germany.
There were 18 Länder in Germany, each with its own parliament but Hitler decided that Länder were to be run by Reich government and their parliaments were abolished in 1934.

Question 28

What is the Night of the Long Knives also known as?

Answer 28

‘Operation Hummingbird’ or ‘the blood plunge’

Question 29

What was the Night of the long knives?

Answer 29

The purging of Hitler’s political and military rivals in the SA.

Question 30

Why did the Nazis want to remove the leader of the SA?

Answer 30

To win the support of the army.

Question 31

Why did Hitler see the the SA as a significant threat at the start of his chancellorship?

Answer 31

• Röhm was the leader of SA and he wanted to incorporate it into the army and was disappointed by Hitler’s close relations with industrialists and army leaders.
• Röhm in effect wanted a social revolution:
  * move away from Germany’s class system and more equality.
  * More government interference in the running of the country.

Question 32

Why did Hitler decide to take action in June?

Answer 32

• Following information from Himmler that Röhm was about to seize power.

Question 33

What happened on the 30th June 1934 (Night of the Long Knives)?

Answer 33

Hitler chose members of the army and on the night of the 30th June, Röhm and main leaders of the SA were shot by SS. Von Schleicher was murdered and so was Gregor Strasser who had similar views to Röhm.

Question 34

How many people were murdered during the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 34

About 400

Question 35

What was the impact of the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 35

• Seen as a turning point in Hitler’s rule.
• He eradicated potential opponents and secured support for the army.
• SA was regulated to a minor role, and, if there was any doubt about Hitler rule it was now clear that fear and terror would play significant roles.

Question 36

By 1934, what did some of the Nazi party want?

Answer 36

To incorporate army into the SA, however, Hitler knew that there would be opposition from the generals and this could mean a challenge to his own position. Furthermore, if he removed the SA, he could win the support of the army in his bid for presidency.

Question 37

How and when did Hitler become Führer?

Answer 37

Following the death of Hindenburg n August 1934, the army swore allegiance to Hitler, who having combined the roles of chancellor and president, was now their Führer.