Chapter 3 Nazi control and dictatorship 1933-39 Flashcards
When Hitler gained power, what did the Nazi’s aim to do ?
Use every opportunity, legal and illegal, to remove any opposition and secure a dictatorship
Describe the events of the Reichstag Fire?
- A lone Dutch communist was executed for starting the fire but Hitler seized the opportunity to accuse the Communist Party of a conspiracy against the government.
Four thousand communists were arrested. - It gave Hitler an excuse to issue a Decree for the Protection of the People and the State, giving him powers to imprison political opponents and ban opposition newspapers.
- He persuaded Hindenburg to call an election in March 1933 to secure more Nazi seats.
- The Nazi Party managed to secure two-thirds of the seats by using the emergency powers to prevent the communists from taking up their 81 seats.
Hitler was now able to change the constitution
When did the Reichstag Fire occur?
February 1933
Why did Hitler propose the Enabling act ?
In order to destroy the power of the Reichstag and give himself total power to make laws
When was the Enabling act proposed ?
March 1933
What did the Enabling act state ?
- The Reich Cabinet could pass new laws
- The laws could overrule the constitution
- Hitler would propose the laws
What was the result of the Enabling act ?
Germany was no longer a democracy
What did the Enabling act allow Hitler to do ?
To get rid of opposition to the Nazis
Was there resistance to the Enabling Act ?
Hitler expected there to be resistance to the act and so he used the SA to intimidate the opposition. The vote was won by the Nazis 444 to 94
How did the Enabling act effect the local government ?
The Local Government was closed down on the 31st of March 1933 and reorganised with Nazi majorities. It was completely abolished in January 1934
How did the Enabling act effect on the trade unions ?
These were replaced with the German Labour Front. Many union officials were arrested on 2 May 1933
How did the Enabling act effect on other political parties ?
In May 1933, the SPD and communist party offices and funds were taken by the Nazis. In July 1933, other policies parties were banned
Why where Röhm and the SA a threat to Hitler ?
- Röhm did not like Hitler’s policies
- Many of the SA were bitter because they felt undervalued and angry because many were still unemployed but they were loyal to Röhm
- The SA was much bigger than the army and the army feared Röhm wanted to replace them
- The leaders of the Schutsztaffel ( SS ) wanted to reduce the size of the SA in order to increase their own power
When was the SS set up ? Why ?
In 1925, set up by Hitler to act as his bodyguards
They were a selected group first run by Schrek and then Himmler
what did the SS wear ?
Intimidating black uniforms
Why did the Night of Long Knives occur ?
- Hitler wanted to rid himself of the threat of the SA and Röhm
Describe the events of the Knight of Long Knives ?
Hitler decided to rid himself of the threat of Röhm and the SA. He did this by inviting Röhm and 100 SA leaders to a meeting in the town of Bad Wiessee on 30 June 1934.
It was a ruse - when the leaders arrived they were arrested by the SS, taken to Munich and shot.
After the arrests, von Papen’s staff were arrested and his home surrounded. Von Papen was no longer able to watch what Hitler was up to. Further killings occurred, including that of von Schleicher.
When did Hindenburg die ?
In August 1934
What did Hindenburg’s death lead to ?
He was the only person senior to Hitler. Within hours after he died, a Law concerning the Head of State merged the offices of Chancellor and President to create and new office of Führer
What does Führer mean ?
Führer means ‘leader’ and Hitler used propaganda to ensure that he looked all powerful.
How did Hitler use propaganda to make himself look powerful as the Führer?
The ‘Heil Hitler’ salute made people swear loyalty to him and he was portrayed as having superhuman, heroic qualities
What was the army oath of allegiance ?
The day Hindenburg died, Hitler announced the army should swear an oath of allegiance to him, not to Germany.
What is a police state ?
When a government uses the police to control everyone’s lives
How did the Nazis create a police state?
The Nazis use the SS, SD and Gestapo to do this. Anyone that the Nazis were suspicious of disappear at any time (killed or taken to concentration camps ).
Why did Hitler set up his own security forces?
He realised not all the German police supported him. His main weapon was fear.
Who were the SS?
Protection squad
When and who set up the SS?
Set up by Adolf Hitler in 1925
Who was the SS led by ?
Himmler
What are the features of the SS?
- they wore black uniforms
- They controlled all Germany’s police and security forces
- They acted outside the law
- Members had to marry ‘racially pure’ wives
- They ran the concentration camps
What was the SD?
Security service