Hitler’s Consolidation Of Power March 1933-Aug 1934 Flashcards
When was the Reichstag Fire?
February 27th 1933
Who was blamed for the Reichstag Fire?
Martin Van Der Lubbe
(A Dutch Communist)
What decree was Hindenburg persuaded to issue?
“Decree for the Protection of the People and the state”
What did the decree for the protection of the people and the state do?
-Outlawed KPD
-Freedom of speech and assembly suspended
-SA used as special Police to intimidate opponents
-Nazi took control of state radio= increased spread of propaganda
What percentage of the vote did the Nazi’s receive in the March 1933 election?
44%
What was the percentage of the combined majority of the Nazi’s and nationalist votes in the March 1933 election?
52%
(However KPD not allowed to take seat so effectively 60% however not 2/3 majority)
What happened in the 7th and 8th of March?
7th March- new cabinet meets
8th March- Dachau concentration camp open
What happened on the 21st March 1933?
Day of Potsdam
(Elaborate ceremony at Potsdam Church with Hitler and Crown Prince Wilhelmina where Hitler pledged to uphold the traditional Germany- “marriage of old grandeur to new power”
When was the enabling act voted on?
23rd March 1933
What was the result of the vote about the enabling act ?
444 to 94 majority voted in favour in ending democracy ( only a few SPD members opposed)
What is the German term for Coordination of all organs of the state and merging German society with party institutions?
Gleichschaltung
(Designed to be a revolution from below by giving freedom to SA to exploit there position of power locally and a revolution from above directed by the Nazi leadership)
What was the German term for a National People’s Community?
Volksgemeinschaft
When were trade unions disbanded?
May 1933
When were the SPD outlawed as a “party hostile to the nation and state”?
June 1933
When did the DNVP dissolve themselves?
27th June 1933
When did the centre party dissolve themselves?
5th July 1933
What law was passed on the 14th July 1933?
Law against the formation of New Parties
(= Nazi party only legal party in the state)
What is the other name for the enabling act?
Law to Alleviate the sufferings of the people and the country
What law was passed on the 31st March 1933?
First Law for the coordination of the Federal States
What did the First Law for the coordination of the Federal States do?
Regional Parliaments dissolved and replaced with Nazi dominated assemblies
What law was passed on the 7th April 1933?
The Second Law for the coordination if the Federal States
What did the Second Law for the Coordination of the Federal States do?
-New post of Reich Governor to oversee government of each state
What law was passed on the 30th January 1934?
The Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich
What did the law for the Reconstruction of the Reich do?
State assemblies abolished
Government of the states formally subordinate to government of the Reich
When was the Reichsrat abolished?
14th Feb 1934
(Gauleiters now act as a Regional Governor with full powers)
How did the Nazis control the civil service?
-Higher ranks recruited from aristocracy
-Uncooperative officials (around 5%) forced to resign and replaced by Nazi appointees
-Party officials increasingly placed in government offices to ensure the civil servants were following orders
How did the Nazifying of Society (Gleichschaltung of state institutions) occur?
-Began to introduce legislation that would remove non-Aryans from public life
e.g 25th April 1933 Law against the overcrowding of German schools and univerisites
e.g 6th May Implementation of the Law for the restoration of the Professional civil service
What meeting took place in October 1933?
League of Disarmament Conference
(Hitler instructs von Neurath to withdraw)
What was the result of the November 1933 referendum in regards to leaving the League of Nations?
96% turnout
95% approved the withdrawal
What was the result of the November 1933 elections?
92% voted for Nazi’s
HOWEVER 3.3 million people did not
(Not a fully free election, but still proof of over-whelming support for Hilter’s foreign policy moves and growing popularity)
What limited Hitler’s consolidation of Power by mid 1934?
Presidency still existed
Armed forces still independent of the party
Conservative elite
When was the Night of the Long Knives?
30th June 1934
Why did the Night of the Long Knives occur?
-The ambitions of the SA leader Rohm were regarded as serious threat by the army leaders= Hitler feared a military coup by the army
-The pressure increased after Von Papen’s speech at Marburg University in which he criticised the Nazi party
-So Hitler purged the SA to reassure the army and the elites by the SS, eliminating the leadership of the SA and many other political opponents (at least 84 executed and over 1000 arrested, Rohm and General Schleicher both victims)
What did Hindenburg’s Death signify?
The Consolidation of the Nazi’s power complete
When did Hindenburg die?
2nd August 1934
(within the hour Hitler merges Presidency and chancellorship and army takes oath of allegiance to Hitler)
When was the referendum held on appointing Hitler as Fuhrer?
19th August 1934
What was the result of the 19th August 1934 Referendum ?
89.9% (40.5 million) voters wanted Hitler ad Fuhrer
10.1% (4.5 million) voters did not
What is the German name for a referendum on important political or constitutional decisions?
plebiscite
State the main factors Hitler used to consolidate his power
-Terror
-Legal Powers
-Compromises with conversative elite and army
