Consolidation of Power Flashcards
What was Hitler’s first aim as Chancellor?
To increase the number of Nazis in the Reichstag so he could have a majority to pass the laws he wanted
When did the Reichstag Fire happen?
The night of February 27th 1933
Who was blamed for the Reichstag Fire?
A young Dutch Communist called Marinus Van der Lubbe who was arrested
What did the Reichstag Fire allow Hitler to do?
He used it as evidence that the Communists were planning a revolution and hence persuaded Hindenburg to pass The Decree for the Protection of the People and the State
What did the DftPotPaS do?
- Suspended civil and political rights
- Restricted free speech and freedom of press
- Gave police power to arrest and detain without charge whose who were a “threat to state security”
How was the Reichstag Fire helpful to the Nazis?
- Helped discredit the communists just before the election
- Nazis were able to present themselves as protectors of Germany
- Hitler was granted emergency powers which gave him greater control of the press
- These powers also allowed him to arrest many political opponents (communists and socialists) without trial
How did the March 1933 election go for the Nazis?
They received their best ever result, however still did not win an overall majority.
In order to pass laws without the Reichstag he needed to pass the Enabling Law
How did Hitler force the Reichstag to pass the Enabling Act?
- He banned Communists from attending the vote
- On the day of the vote, SA encircled the temporary Reichstag building to prevent some representatives from entering and voting
- Hitler gave the Centre Party empty promises about protecting the Roman Catholic Church
- Many politicians were intimidated on the day by the SA and SS
What did the Enabling Act allow Hitler to do?
- Pass laws without consulting the Reichstag
- Gave him power to create his dictatorship
- Provided the foundation of the Third Reich
What did Hitler do with the power he was given through the Enabling Act?
April 1933: Removed Jews, socialists, and other Nazi opponents from public office e.g. university lecturers, teachers, civil servants
May 1933: Banned trade unions and arrested leaders
July 14th 1933: Passed Law Against the Formation of New Parties so that only the Nazi Party was legal. State governments were abolished and replaced by Nazi Governors. Germany became a one-party state
October 1933: Passed the Reich Press Laws which led to strict control & censorship of the press. Any newspaper which criticised the Nazis would be closed down
When was the Night of the Long Knives?
June 30th 1934
Why were Ernst Rohm and the SA a potential threat to Hitler?
- The SA had grown very powerful
- Rohm felt that Hitler was introducing change too slowly
- Rohm wanted to take control of the army and merge it with the SA, however the army did not like the SA and wanted nothing to do with them. Hitler needed the support of the army
- SA were more loyal to Rohm than they were to Hitler
- Rohm was gay and a drunkard, which reflected badly on Hitler
What evidence did Hitler use to justify the Night of the Long Knives?
He claimed he had received information from Himmler (leader of the SS) that Rohm was going to try and overthrow him. This is something Himmler had made up to get rid of Rohm, and Hitler had believed him because it suited him.
What happened in the Night of the Long Knives?
Hitler ordered Rohm and other SA leaders to attend a meeting at a hotel where he placed them all under arrest. Over the next two days Rohm and 400 others were killed by the SS, including other political opponents of the Nazis like von Schleicher
What happened as a result of the Night of the Long Knives?
Hitler won the support of the army and they offered to swear an oath of allegiance to him. This ensured total loyalty as they would rather shoot themselves than break the oath
