Consolidation + maintenance of power Flashcards
The Enabling Act
Enabling act on March 23rd, 1933, legally granted Hitler dictatorial powers to enact laws without parliamentary approval
Enabling act effect
Dismantled the Weimer republic’s democratic framework and allowed for passing of series of laws that aided to rapidly implementing their ideological agenda.
Coordination (Gleichschaltung)
Gleichschaltung was the process of Nazification which turned Germany into a single party state. Almost every aspect of society was subjected to coordination.
Coordination effects
only non-nazi associations left were the church and the army. Alongside this, the Reichstag fire decree and the enabling act were used to dismiss enemies of the state. Additionally, many organisations expelled politically leftish or liberal members and declared their allegiance to the new state and its institutions. (march – June 1933) +
Fuhrer Law
Fuhrer law was when the office of the Reich president was combined with that of the Reich chancellor. (August 2nd 1934)
Laws to embed Nazi ideology
Hitler embedded many laws to embed Nazi ideology within society, categorised into subtopics such as eliminating and supressing the power of oppositions, exclusion and identification of jews, legislation of Nazi ideology and such. (Reichstag fire decree, law against the establishment of parties, Nuremberg law etc
Laws to indoctrinate
To ensure that the Nazi ideology was widespread, taught and believed in, Hitler implemented laws such as the Hitler youth law
Hitler youth law
The Hitler youth law made it impossible to avoid joining the organisation and banned non-Nazi youth movements. Additionally, the second youth law made membership compulsory for German children aged 10-18. All members had to swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler
Use of elections
After Hitler was elected, he still allowed elections to continue, however only Nazi’s and guests of Nazi’s were on the ballot papers. Additionally, Hitler tried to link things such as the approval of remilitarisation of the Rhineland to his votes
Use of elections effect
Many German people felt a fear of reprisal for not supporting the Nazis, which highly influenced the votes.
Nuremberg law that was established deprived Jews and other minorities of Germany from voting which reduced the opposing influence in the votes
Nazi’s were able to win all seats in the Reichstag.
Suppression of rival political groups
The Nazi’s used the SA and SS to intimidate and eliminate the KPD and SPD.
Purge of internal opposition
Hitler wanted to crack down on the SA to secure loyalty from the army and consolidate his power. This led to a purge in the SA and the establishment of the ‘Law relating to national emergency defence measures’ – July 3rd 1934
Purge
As a result of the purge, 74 people were killed. Additionally, Goring arrested over a thousand people. 12 of the people killed were Reichstag deputies. As the SA were unsuspecting of this, many of them died believing their arrest and execution had been ordered by the army and swearing eternal loyalty to the leader
Role of Goring
Goring was one of the leaders of the Nazi party appointed as the leader of the Nazi party’s paramilitary organisation, the SA and interior minister of Prussia. He enrolled the brownshirts as auxiliary police which intensified violence on the streets
Gestapo
The gestapo was the secret state police who were responsible for the internal security of the Reichstag. They were given the role to investigate and suppress anti-state activities. Additionally, they had the role of assessing the state of public opinion and the factors affecting public morale.
Gestapo impacts
were known for being brutal and were part of the terror system which was used to suppress all anti-state activity
reports gained from observations allowed Hitler to make decisions which fitted with societal wants as closely as possible (wanted to ensure continuous popular support so they used these findings to maintain their popularity amongst society_
Police State
The Nazi’s used the police to control society. Hitler enlisted them to watch over what people said and did. The basis of the police state was to rule through the usage of fear and terror.
Role of Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler was the leader of the SS.
Concentration camps
Concentration camps were used to punish, exploit and murder those who didn’t conform to nazi ideologies and were deemed undesirable by the Nazi regime. Dachau was one of the first concentration camps, established in 1933 which subjected prisoners to harsh and brutal treatment.
Mandatory Loyalty Oath
All public officials had to take a mandatory loyalty oath on the 20th of August 1933. The oath stated that they would be loyal and obedient to Hitler, respect the laws and fulfill their official duties.
The Hitler Myth
Hitler was chosen by fate to lead the Germans and was a heroic leader.
Goebells focused his propaganda on the idea that Hitler moderate, reasonable and put the nation first, which added to the Hitler myth
depicted as a strong leader who saved Germany from further humiliation and economic hardship.
Indoctrination
Indoctrination involved control of the media, control over the school curriculum and the implementation of laws such as the Hitler youth law amongst other things. Indoctrination assisted in installing antisemitic beliefs into society and created loyalty and obedience
Various forms of propaganda including Triumph of the Will, posters, magazines etc
The Nazi’s published many forms of propaganda such as triumph of the will, posters, magazines, and a variety of other types of media in attempt to control the way in which society perceived them and to shape their beliefs into conforming the Nazi ideology
Reports about the public mood
Goebbels now had an insight towards public opinions, decision making and the propaganda justifying policy were conditioned by an awareness of how the public already felt about certain issues
