Hitlers consolidation of power March 1933 - August 1934

Question 1

How was a one party state created

Answer 1

KPD were banned after the Reichstag Fire
The SPD continued to voice its opposition after the Enabling Act until it was outlawed as a ‘ party hostile to the nation and the state’.
Centre Party and the DNVP disbanded themselves
14th July the Law against the formation of parties was outlawed.

Question 2

Threat of Civil Service ?

Answer 2

Nazis did not like the fact the rules and regulations that civil servants were bound to follow so they were a threat to dictatorial power.

Question 3

How did the Nazis stop the threat of Civil Service

Answer 3

Many local officials weer enforced to resign and replaced by Nazi party appointees.
SA began to place party officials in government offices to ensure civil servants were carrying out the roles of the regime.

Question 4

Why was the Weimar Republic being a federal state a problem ?

Answer 4

A large numbers of powers were devolved to state governments such as control of police force.

Question 5

What did the Nazis do to centralise power ?

Answer 5

The Nazis passed laws like the law for the coordination of the federal state. This law created the new post of Reich governor which oversaw the government of each state

Question 6

Role of Reich governor

Answer 6

Oversaw the government of each state

Question 7

Who took these roles as Reich Governor

Answer 7

Nazi leaders at state level, known as ‘ Gauleiters ‘ , took the roles of Reich Governor

Question 8

What did the centralisation of power do ?

Answer 8

Reinforced /tightened the control of the central government

Question 9

When was Ernst Rohm murdered ?

Answer 9

• On 30 June 1934

Question 10

How was Ernst Rohm murdered ?

Answer 10

• executed by two 2 officers at the Stadelheim prison in Munich

Question 11

Who was Ernst Rohm ?

Answer 11

• leader of the Nazi SA

Question 12

Why was the SA disbanded by the Hitler ?

Answer 12

• had outlived its usefulness
• became an embarrassment

Question 13

Who limited Hitler’s powers despite Germany being a dictatorship ?

Answer 13

• President Hindenburg

Question 14

What powers did President Hindenburg ?

Answer 14

• had final say on its constitutional matters and the army was loyal to Hindenburg, not Hitler

Question 15

Did Nazis have control over German states ?

Answer 15

• had control of the state government in Prussia
• elected governments in most other German states were under the control of other parties ?

Question 16

Nazi ideology of political parties ?

Answer 16

• In the Nazi Volksgemeinschaft, there could be no other parties

Question 17

What party stood up to Hitler in the Reichstag debate on the Enabling Act ?

Answer 17

• the SPD

Question 18

How was the SPD removed ?

Answer 18

• outlawed as a ‘party hostile to the nation and the state’ on 22 June 1933

Question 19

What law effectively made Germany a one party state ?

Answer 19

• the Law against the Formation of all Parties

Question 20

What was the Law against the Formation of all Parties ?

Answer 20

• outlawed all non Nazi political parties

Question 21

When was the Law against the Formation of New Parties ?

Answer 21

• 14 July 1933

Question 22

What type of state was the Weimar Republic

Answer 22

• a federal state

Question 23

Impact of a federal state ?

Answer 23

• a large number of powers were devolved to state governments

Question 24

Example of state powers ?

Answer 24

• controlled its own police force

Question 25

How was the Prussian state government removed ?

Answer 25

• In July 1932, the Prussian state government had been removed by Papen
• Reich Commissioner had been appointed to run the state ?

Question 26

Issue / Problem with Prussian state government ?

Answer 26

• compromised 60% of territory and 50% of the population
• It was so large that its state government could operate largely independent of the central government

Question 27

Laws passed to centralise power ?

Answer 27

• First Law for the Coordination of the Federal States
• Second Law for the Coordination of the Federal states
• The Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich

Question 28

What was the First Law for the Coordination of the Federal States ?

Answer 28

• dissolved the existing state assemblies and replaced them with Nazi - dominated assemblies

Question 29

What was the Second Law for the Coordination of the Federal States ?

Answer 29

• created the post of the Reich Governor to oversee the government of each state

Question 30

role / impact of the Reich Governors ?

Answer 30

• responsible for ensuring that the state governments followed the policies laid down by the central government

Question 31

Who took the roles of Reich Governors ?

Answer 31

• Nazi leaders at state level ( Gauleiters ) many took over the roles of Reich Governor

Question 32

What were Nazi leaders at state level called ?

Answer 32

• Gauleiters

Question 33

What was the Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich ?

Answer 33

• took centralisation process a stage further
• State assemblies were abolished and the governments of the states were formally subordinated to the government of the Reich

Question 34

What did the Nazis do to get rid of political opponents from important local positions ?

Answer 34

• instituted violent campaigns

Question 35

Why did many civil servants welcome Hitler’s arrival ?

Answer 35

• they were conservative minded who would not embrace the democratic values of the Weimar Republic.

Question 36

What misunderstanding was civil servants support on Hitler based on ?

Answer 36

• They believed that the conservative ministers in Hitler’s cabinets would restrain the Nazis and allow the Civil Service to continue serving the state in the same way.

Question 37

Why did the Nazis consider thew Civil Service as a threat ?

Answer 37

• did not like the fact that rules had regulations that civil servants were bound to follow
• regarded them as an obstacle to dictatorial power

Question 38

What did Hitler and Ernst Rohm disagree on ?

Answer 38

• that the Nazi revolution was over

Question 39

How did Ernst Rohm see the Nazi revolution ?

Answer 39

• saw it as not over
• SA determined to continue with their violence until they achieved Second Revolution

Question 40

Why did the SA’s influence reduce ?

Answer 40

• • there was only one party, hence no need for SA violence and intimidation

Question 41

How was the SA’s influence reduced ?

Answer 41

• In August 1933, they had lost their ‘ auxiliary police ‘ status
• subject to stricter regulations over power of arrest

Question 42

Why was the matter of Hindenburg’s succession a matter of urgency for hitler ?

Answer 42

• Hindenburg himself had drawn up a political will in which he expressed his preferences for a restoration of the monarchy ?

Question 43

What did Hitler aim to do after the death of Hindenburg ?

Answer 43

• aimed to merge the offices of Chancellor and President after Hindenburg’s death.

Question 44

Why was Hitler’s powers limited and not absolute as long as Hindenburg lived ?

Answer 44

• Army owed allegiance to the President, not Chancellor.

Question 45

Why did Hitler not have support of the army ?

Answer 45

• Hindenburg, army commanders and Papen had become so concerned by the excesses of the SA

Question 46

Why did the army leaders start to support Hitler ?

Answer 46

• With the threat of the SA removed, Bloomberg and army leaders had no objection to Hitler succeeding Hindenburg as President.

Question 47

What happened the day of Hindenburg’s death ?

Answer 47

• Announcement that the office of President would be merged with that off Chancellor was made hours within his death.
• On the same day, officers and soldiers of the army took an oath of allegiance to Hitler.