A New Reich 1933-35 Flashcards
What were the potential limits to Hitlers Power?
Chancellor of Weimar Germany
Cross-Party Cabinet
Only three Nazis in the Cabinet: Hitler (Chancellor), Wilhelm Frick (Minister of the Interior), and Hermann Goring (Minister without Portfolio)
How much did the Nazis poll in Berlin compared to on a national level (1932 election)?
Polled 22.5% in Berlin compared to 33.1% on a national level
What three reasons did the Nazis have for not completely destroying Weimar Germany and creating a new Germany?
German bureaucracy was efficient/staffed by educated people
Nazis party membership increased threefold from 1935
Hitler unclear how to solve the issue of the party and the state
Which group within the Nazi party diluted the radical influence?
The ‘March Converts’
When did the ‘March Converts’ join the Nazi Party?
January-March 1933
Which Nazi Law removed Jews and political opponents from professional positions?
The Law for the restoration of the Professional Civil Service
When was the Law for the restoration of the Professional Civil Service
April 7th 1933
What year did Hitler give Rudolf Hess and Martin Bormann more political power and influence?
1934
What position did Hitler give Rudolf Hess?
Deputy for Party Affairs
What position did Hitler give Martin Bormann?
Chief of Staff
When was Hitler made Chancellor?
January 30th 1933
What was Hitler’s first action as Chancellor?
Called new elections for 5th March 1933
How many extra police did Goring enrol during the five-week campaign for the March 1933 election?
Extra 50,000
What groups were most of Goring’s new police force from?
SA and SS
How many people died during the five-week campaign for the March 1933 elections?
69 people
Who did Hitler blame for problems in Germany? When was this?
Communists, Speech ‘Appeal to the German People’ January 31st 1933
When did Hitler meet with industrialists about financial backing?
20th February 1933, 20 industrialists
How many Reichsmarks was Hitler promised by Industrialists in 1933?
3 million Reichsmarks
When was the Reichstag Fire?
27th February 1933
Who was arrested in connection to the Reichstag Fire?
Dutch Communist, Marinus van der Lubbe
What law was passed and signed by Hindenburg on the 28th February?
Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the Nation and the State
What did the ‘Decree for the Protection of the People and State’ do?
Triggered Article 48
Suspended constitutional civil rights
Gave the secret police power to hold people indefinitely in protective custody
Repressed the KPD
What was the turnout at the 5th of March 1933 election?
88% of population
How much of the vote did the Nazis win in the March 1933 elections? How many seats?
43.9% of the vote 288 seats
How large a majority was needed in the Reichstag?
Two-thirds majority
What was Hitler’s biggest inter-party problem after the March 1933 election?
Momentum build-up in the lower ranks of the Party (SA)/ threatened to destroy Hitler’s veneer of legality.
When was Potsdam Day?
21st March 1933
Why was Potsdam Day a significant triumph for the Nazis?
Aligned the forces of National Socialism with the forces of old Germany and showed he had control of the radical elements of his party. Gained support of Hindenburg.
What law did Hitler pass on the same day as Potsdam? What did it do?
Malicious Practices Law - banned criticism of the regime and its policies
When and where was the Enabling Act passed?
23rd March 1933
Intimidated Reichstag in the Kroll Opera House
Which group was banned from the meeting on the Enabling Act? Which group surrounded the building to cause intimidation?
Communists were banned
SA surrounded the building
Which groups’ support was needed to pass the Enabling Act? What did Hitler promise to them?
Z Party
Promised to respect the rights of the Catholic Church and uphold moral and religious values
How many votes were in favour and against the Enabling Act, when it was passed?
Passed 444 votes to 94
(Only the SPD voted against)
How many SA were there by the end of 1933?
3 million
What was the aim of the Gleichschaltung?
Gradual assimilation of all aspects of the state into the Nazi Party
Why did many German citizens join Nazi organisations?
Believed that socialism and communism were a great threat to German society
What did Goebbels use to suppress anti-Nazi messages?
Press, radio, and films to disseminate their messages
How did the Nazis impose a totalitarian regime over the German people?
Used violence, pseudo-legality, propaganda, and the Gleichschaltung
When was Kopenick Blood Week?
21st-26th June 1933
What group were attacked during Kopenick Blood Week?
SPD
How many SPD members were tortured during Kopenick Blood Week?
500
How many of those tortured by SS, SA, and the Gestapo during Kopenick Blood Week died?
23
When was the SPD dissolved? Where did key member flee to?
22 June 1933, Prague
Who was the leader of the DNVP? Why did he resign?
Alfred Hugenburg, protest against the Nazis trying to dissolve his party
When was the Concordat Agreement between the Vatican and the Nazis?
20th July, 1933
What did the Concordat Agreement do?
The Nazis would respect Catholic institutions if they refrained from political activity. Z party dissolved.
What law was passed which banned the formation of new parties? When?
14 July 1933, Law against the Formation of New Parties
Why did other parties dissolve themselves before the Law against the Formation of New Parties?
Believed Hitler would only last a year maximum and that he would lack long-term support for his regime.
What union was dissolved due to the Concordat Agreement?
Popular Christian Union
How many members did the Socialist trade union have by 1933? How did they survive?
4 million members, removed association with SPD and co-operate with the Nazis, Nazis agreed to this.
When was the ‘Day of National Labour Holiday’?
1st May 1933
What did the Nazis do the day after the ‘Day of National Labour Holiday’?
SA raided the trade union offices and arrested trade union leaders.
When was the DAF formed?
6th May 1933
Who was the leader of the DAF trade union?
Robert Ley
How many members did the DAF have in 1933 and how many in 1939?
5 million in 1933 to 22 million in 1939
What did Article 2 of the Reichstag Fire Decrees enable the Nazis to do?
Take control of any state that could not control law and order.
How did Hitler activate Article 2 in most states?
From March 1933 SA and SS caused disorder to gain control in states
By what date were all regional and local governments under Nazi control?
31st March 1933
What law was passed on the 31st March 1933?
Law for Co-ordination of Lander
What did the Law for Co-ordination of Lander do?
Allowed Nazi governors (Gauleiter) to implement laws/administer without state consultation or parliamentary consent
In what year was the SS formed? What was their purpose?
1925, elite bodyguard for Hitler
How many member did the SS have before 1929?
250 members, minor section of the SA
How many SS soldiers were there by 1933? What was their reputation?
52,000 established a reputation of obedience and total commitment to the Nazi cause
What was the name of Himmler’s special security service? When?
SD (Sicherheitsdienst), 1931 internal party police force
In what years did Himmler assume control of police in the Lander and the Gestapo in Prussia?
1933-34
By what year were all police power unified under Himmler’s control?
1936
By year were all parties and police organisations amalgamated into one organisation? What was it called?
1939, RSHA
How many SS were there by 1939?
250,000
By how much did the Waffen SS increase by from 1939 to 1945?
From 3 divisions in 1939 to 35 divisions in 1945
By what year did the SS rival the power of the German military?
1944
How large a commercial organisation had the SS created by the end of the war? How many firms?
150 firms exploiting slave labour to extract raw material and to manufacture textiles, armaments, and household goods.
Between 1933-45 what percentage of the population of Wurzburg reported race crimes to the Gestapo?
57%