Germany - 5.1. How successful was Hitler in consolidating his dictatorship?

Question 1

Reichstag Fire

Answer 1

• 28th Feb 1933
• Hitler argued that the fire was due to a communist plot
• Hindenburg issued the decree of the Reich president , for the protection of
  the state.
• This suspended democracy and allowed the secret police to hold people
  indefinitely
• This meant that Hitler had removed the opposition within the communists.

Question 2

March Elections

Answer 2

• 5th March 1933
• Hitler used the media extensively to encourage voters to support him
• The Nazi party had a majority of the seats in the Reichstag
• They had an increase in seats from 1932, whereas the communist party lost
  seats.

Question 3

Enabling Act

Answer 3

• 24th March 1933
• The enabling act was passed (the law for terminating the suffering of the
  German people)
• All the active members of the Communist Party, are in concentration camps,
  in hiding, or have left the country
• Hitler was now head of legal dictatorship
• The SA were present in large numbers to prevent access to the Reichstag
  building of anyone that was known to be Anti Nazi.

Question 4

Boycott of Jewish shops

Answer 4

• 1st april 1933/ 7th april 1933
• 1 day boycott of jewish shops and businesses (1st)
• Law for restoration of civil service passed. (7th)
• The SA stood in front of Jewish-owned department stores and retail establishments, and the offices of professionals such as doctors and lawyers.
  -The Star of David has been painted in yellow and black across thousands of
  doors and windows, with accompanying slogans. Signs were posted saying - -
  “Don’t Buy from Jews!”, “The Jews Are Our Misfortune!” and “Go to Palestine!”.
• Rare acts of violence against individual Jews and Jewish property have
  occurred.

Question 5

May trade unions

Answer 5

• 1st/2nd May 1933
• Announced as the ‘Day of National Labour’ - nationwide holiday (1st)
• May Trade Union offices have today been occupied by the SA, the German
  Labour Front has been announced as the new nationwide labour organisation
  to replace unions
• All those of “non-Aryan descent” have been fired.

Question 6

Banning of all other parties

Answer 6

• 14th July 1933
• Opposing political parties to the Nazis have been banned and the other
  parties had dissolved themselves so that Germany was now a one party state.

Question 7

Concordat agreement between state and Vatican

Answer 7

• 20th July 1933
• The church was declared seperate and independent under the Nazi regime
  Baso they agreed to stay out of each others business

Question 8

The Night of the Long Knives

Answer 8

• 30th June 1934
• Hitler has authorised and admitted to the killing of 90 member of the SA, 50
  of whom were significant leader
• Including ex chancellor Sleicher

Question 9

Hindenburg death

Answer 9

• 2nd August 1934
• Hindenburg is dead
• Hitler is declared president
• The roles of president and chancellor are merged into one role ‘the fuhrer’

Question 10

What does Gleichschaltung mean?

Answer 10

‘coordination’ ‘bringing into line’, a Nazi term for the process by which the regime successfully established a system of totalitarian control and coordination over all aspects of society.