establishing a dictatorship, 1933-34 Flashcards
LO: the 'legal revolution', Goering and Prussia, the Reichstag Fire, March 1933 elections, the Day of Potsdam, the Enabling Act, 'Gleichschaltung', establishing a one-party state, the Night of the Long Knives
what was the ‘legal revolution’ in Hitler’s consolidation of power?
it was a propaganda slogan, as senior Nazis manipulated the constitution in an atmosphere of violence and intimidation, rather than a true legal revolution
what obstacles did Hitler face in January 1933 to establishing a dictatorship?
civil rights
Germany’s federal system
opposition political parties
the Reichstag
trade unions
the free press
President Hindenburg’s power
the army’s suspicions of the SA
radical Nazi figures like Rohm
what role did Herman Goering play after the Nazis gained power?
Goering was appointed interior minister for Prussia, controlled the Luftwaffe, and led the Four-Year Plan from 1936. He helped extent Hitler’s power by gaining aristocratic support
How did Goering help Hitler overcome obstacles to dictatorship?
he gained support from aristocrats and helped address concerns about Hitler’s middle-class background and the SA’s radicalism
what happened during the Reichstag Fire in 1933?
the building was set on fire, and a communist, Marius van der Lubbe, was arrested. The Nazis used the fire to justify arrests, intimidate opponents, and push for the Reichstag Fire Decree
how did the Reichstag Fire extend Hitler’s power?
the Reichstag Fire Decree suspended civil rights, gave the govt extensive powers, and undermined state govts, strengthening Nazi control
which obstacles to Hitler becoming a dictator was overcome with the Reichstag Fire?
the communists by arguing they were planning a revolution and that they were terrorists
individual rights by suspending them
how did the March 1933 elections help Hitler’s power?
the Nazis won a majority with the help of the Nationalists, securing over 50% of the Reichstag seats (coalition with DNVP), but not the 2/3 needed to change the constitution
what was the Day of Potsdam in March 1933?
a ceremony designed to win conservative support by presenting Hitler and Hindenburg as partners in govt, calming fears about radicalism
how did the Enabling Act of March 1933 extend Hitler’s power?
it gave Hitler the power to make laws independently of the Reichstag, effectively making the Reichstag redundant and killing democracy
by how many votes did the Enabling Act pass?
444-94
how was the Reichstag used after March 1933?
as a ceremonial function to give the regime the appearance of legitimacy. it was necessary to renew the Enabling Act every 4 years
what was ‘Gleichschaltung’ and how did it extend Hitler’s power?
it was the process of Nazification, bringing institutions into line with Nazi ideology, neutralising potential threats and centralising control
how did Hitler establish a one-party state?
by abolishing regional parliaments (Landtages) and replacing Reich governors with ‘Gauleiters’, centralising control, and passing laws like the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service (April 1933) to remove political opposition and achieve aryanisation
how did this extend Hitler’s power?
the Ministry of the Interior was given more power over the federal regions, achieved the Nazi drive towards the centralisation of control over Germany and the ending of federalism, and made sure every other political party ceased to exist
what were the consequences of the Night of the Long Knives?
Hitler solidified army support, merged roles of president and chancellor, and gained full control over the Nazi movement and German govt
when was the Rohm Purge?
between 30 June and 2 July
how many people were killed, arrested, and expelled during the Night of the Long Knives respectively?
85 killed, over 1,000 arrested, 100,000 SA members expelled
how was the SA brought under control after the Night of the Long Knives?
its membership declined from around 2 million to 1.2 million in 1938
how did the Night of the Long Knives in June-July 1934 solidify Hitler’s power?
he purged the SA, eliminated rivals like Rohm and conservative figures, gained army support, and merged the president and chancellor positions
what was the Marburg Speech in June 1934?
von Papen made a very critical speech on the SA and Nazi govt so Hitler stroke a deal with the army to remove Rohm and respect the rights and traditions of the army in return for army’s support after Hindenburg’s death
when was the Reichstag Fire?
February 27, 1933
who was arrested in the Reichstag Fire and what was his nationality?
Marinus van der Lubbe, a Dutch Communist
how many communists were arrested following the Reichstag Fire?
over 4,000
when was the Day of Potsdam?
March 21, 1933
when was the Night of the Long Knives?
June 30- July 2
when did Hitler merge the position of president with that of chancellor?
after the death of President Hindenburg on 2 August 1934
when did all German soldiers take an oath of loyalty to Hitler?
August 2, 1934
when did civil servants take an oath of loyalty to Hitler?
August 20, 1934
what was the name of the law passed in April 1933 that allowed Nazi control over civil service
the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service
in what year were the Landtages abolished?
January 1934
