Hitler Consolidating His Power During 1933-34 Flashcards
What happened in the reichtag fire? When did the reichtag fire happen?
27th feb 1933
- the reichtag burnt down and hitler blamed communists
- hitler demanded emergency powers to deal with situation
- president hindemburg gave hitler said powers
- hitler used the powerrs to arrest communists, break up meetings and frighten voters
How did the reichtag fire help hitler consolidate his power?
- allowed him to have almost the same power as the president
- gained control over everyone
When was the night of the long knives and what happened?
29th-30th June 1934
- SS soldiers broke into house of Röhm (leader of SA) and other SA leaders
- Röhm and 400 others were excecuted for ‘plotting to overthrow and execute Hitler’
- army was satisfied and Hindenburg thanked hitler for his ‘purge’
How did the night of the long knives help hitler consolidate his power?
- gained support of army
- removed large political opposition
What was the enabling act and when was it passed?
23rd march 1933
- hitler used SA and SS to intimidate the reichtag into passing enabling act
- allowed hitler to make laws without consulting the Reichtag
- only SDP voted against enabling act
- made hitler a virtual dictator
How did the enabling act help hitler consolidate his power?
- banned communism
- made hitler a virtual dictator
How did hitler use terror and propaganda between 1933-1934?
The geostapo
- could arrest citizens without excuse + send to concentration camps with no trial
- spied on people , nobody was safe
Police and courts
- high ranking nazis in high positions of power in police and courts so most didn’t get fair trials
- nazis were not punished for crimes
The SS
- lead by Himmler , lead concentration camps, visual propaganda for aryan race
Concentration camps
- prisoners forced to do hard labour
- often starved, tortured and killed
How did terror and propaganda consolidate hitlers power?
- removed opposition
- created fear
