Hitler Takes Political Control 1933-1934

Question 1

What was the date of the Reichstag fire?

Answer 1

27th February 1933

Question 2

Who did the Nazis blame for the Reichstag Fire?

Answer 2

Marinus Van Der Lubbe (Dutch Communist) and the communist party (exploited fear of a communist rebellion)

Question 3

What Law did Hitler persuade to pass after the Reichstag Fire?

Answer 3

Decree for the Protection of People and State

Question 4

What did the Decree for the Protection of People and State do?

Answer 4

Took away rights guaranteed in the Weimar Constitution. Eg. Freedom of speech, privacy of post and phone conversations, to print opinions in newspapers, and to form groups for meetings.

Question 5

When Germany’s law courts found some communists not guilty of starting the Reichstag Fire, what did Hitler do?

Answer 5

Set up the People’s Courts in 1934

Question 6

What year was the Law for the Protection of People and State passed?

Answer 6

1933

Question 7

When was the large Reichstag elections where the Nazis gained over 50% of the seats?

Answer 7

March 1933

Question 8

What was the Enabling Law and when was it passed?

Answer 8

This allowed Hitler to introduce laws without the Reichstag’s or President’s approval for four years

23 March 1933

Question 9

What did Hitler have to do to get the Enabling Act passed?

Answer 9

Support from the catholic centre party. He said he would ca cel the Decree for the Protection of People and State and protect the rights of the Catholic Church. With their help, he received the required 66% and passed the law.

He got support from the NSDAP, the National Party and the Catholic Centre Party. The KPD were silenced and not allowed to vote.

Question 10

What is Gleichshaltung?

Answer 10

Coordinating all aspects of life to fit in with Nazi Ideals.

Question 11

What happened in March 1933 with regard to Gleichshaltung?

Answer 11

State Parliaments closed

New Parliaments had Nazi majorities so that only Nazi plans would be introduced.

Question 12

What happened in April 1933 with regard to Gleichshaltung?

Answer 12

Jews and ‘political enemies’ removed from jobs.
Government positions taken up by Nazis.
Jews etc. couldn’t make a living and were therefore weakened, governments now full of Nazi influence.

Question 13

What happened in May 1933 with regard to Gleichshaltung?

Answer 13

Trade Unions outlawed and replaced with a Nazi Union (DAF)

All trade workers were under Nazi control and Trade Unions could no longer protect worker’s rights.

Question 14

What happened in July 1933 with regard to Gleichshaltung?

Answer 14

Germany becomes a One-party state (although some parties remain)

Question 15

What happened in December 1933 with regard to Gleichshaltung?

Answer 15

More Reichstag Elections take place, Nazis win 92% of the votes. NSDAP now has large majority and therefore more power

Question 16

What happened in January 1934 with regard to Gleichshaltung?

Answer 16

Hitler introduces the Law for the Reconstruction of the State - abolishes nearly all of Germany’s state governments. Nazis have power over almost all of Germany (exception being Prussia)

Question 17

How many Germans were unemployed in January 1933?

Answer 17

6 million

Question 18

How many Germans were unemployed in January 1936?

Answer 18

2.5 million

Question 19

How many Germans were unemployed in January 1939?

Answer 19

302,000

Question 20

who was Ernst Röhm?

Answer 20

one of Hitler’s longest serving coworkers

under his leadership. the SA expanded to over 2 million members

Question 21

What was the Second Revolution?

Answer 21

The authority of Germany’s economic old guard and the arm would be crushed and the SA would become the new army.

Question 22

what did the army think of the SA?

Answer 22

thought they were thugs

Question 23

How could army anger at the SA weaken Hitler?

Answer 23

Hitler needed the army to implement his foreign policy

Hitler feared the army. They were the only people that could stop his achievement of dictatorship.

Question 24

why was Röhm opposed by leading Nazis, and which leading Nazis?

Answer 24

Himmler and Göring thought he was’too big for his boots’, tried to convince Hitler that he was disloyal and thought that his open homosexuality was ‘inappropriate’ for a leading Nazi.

Question 25

What date was the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 25

30th June 1934

Question 26

What was the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 26

Hitler executed anyone he suspected of preventing his achievement of dictatorship - about 100 people, including SA leaders, Röhm, Gustav von Kahr and General Schleicher were killed.

Army leaders and Von Hindenburg approved. Nazis justified it by claiming they were preventing an SA putsch (revolution).

Question 27

What happened on 1st August 1934?

Answer 27

Government passes a law that abolishes the title of president and merges it with chancellor. Hitler is now to be known as Führer and Reich Chancellor.

Question 28

What date did President von Hindenburg die?

Answer 28

2nd August 1934

Question 29

what is the army oath of loyalty?

Answer 29

every soldier had to ‘render unconditional obedience’ to Hitler

Question 30

What were the results of the German Plebiscite on the Office of the Führer?

Answer 30

90% of people voted that they agreed with Hitler’s new position.