Nazi control

Question 1

When was the Reichstag fire?

Answer 1

-27th February 1933

Question 2

What was significant in the Reichstag fire in terms of Nazi control?

Answer 2

-the Reichstag building was set on fire and a young Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe was arrested
-at the time it was believed by many that the incident was a Nazi plot to support the claims of a communist coup->justify Nazi repression
-the event was exploited by the Nazis due to threat posed by communists->led to the arrest of hundreds of anti-Nazis before the elections took place->communists couldn’t campaign in elections

Question 3

What else still needed to be achieved at the time of the Reichstag fire?

Answer 3

-Hindenburg still held presidential power and had the ability to sack Hitler
-increased support in elections

Question 4

When did Hindenburg issue a Decree of the Reich President for the protection of the nation and state? What did it mean/result in?

Answer 4

-28th February 1933
-suspended ‘democracy’ which allowed the secret police to hold people indefinitely (no set date)

Question 5

How did the Decree of the Reich President for the protection of the nation and state impact Nazi control?

Answer 5

-issued due to the Reichstag fire the day before->Hitler argued it was part of the communist plot->others believed the communist acted alone

Question 6

What still needed to be achieved at the time of the Decree of the Reich President for the protection of the nation and state?

Answer 6

-repair the damaged after the Reichstag fire

Question 7

When were elections held in 1933?

Answer 7

-5th mMarch

Question 8

What did the 1933 elections mean for Nazi control and how did they gain voters?

Answer 8

-Hitler had used the media extensively to encourage voters to support him
the SA were highly visible to intimidate voters
-highest ever turn out->Nazis only secured 44% of voters
-widespread arrests of communists and members of the SDP in the run up to the election

Question 9

What still needed to be achieved after the 1933 election?

Answer 9

-not been a significant change->votes were static
-Nazis were popular but not popular enough to gain a majority
-needed majority votes

Question 10

When was the enabling act passed?

Answer 10

-24th March 1933

Question 11

What was the result of the Enabling Act on Nazi control?

Answer 11

-dismisses the Reichstag->transfers all power to his party
-‘the law for terminating the suffering of the German people’
-vote required 3/4 of the Reichstag deputies to pass it for it to become law->444 in favour 94 against->Hitlers party now had full power to pass laws for the next 4 years without consulting the Reichstag
-got support of the catholic centre party

Question 12

What still needed to be achieved after the Enabling act?

Answer 12

-gain the support of the people
-removed all political opposition but can still be sacked by Hindenburg
-needed to secure his position

Question 13

When was the boycott of Jewish shops and businesses?

Answer 13

-1st April 1933

Question 14

What was the boycott of Jewish shops and businesses?

Answer 14

-the SA stood in front of the Jewish owned department stores/retail establishments/lawyers and doctors->Star of David had been painted in yellow and black across doors and signs saying ‘don’t buy from Jews’ ‘the Jews are our misfortunes’ and ‘go to Palestine’

Question 15

What ways did the Nazis show anti-Semitism and was it supported?

Answer 15

-rare acts of violence against individual Jews and Jewish property had occurred
-boycott had been supported by some but ignored by many

Question 16

What still needed to be achieved after the boycott of Jewish shops and businesses?

Answer 16

-started to spread anti-Jewish messages but many ignored->Hitler needed to gain support

Question 17

When was the Law for the restoration of the civil service passed?

Answer 17

-7th April 1933

Question 18

What impact did the Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service have on Nazi control?

Answer 18

-all those of ‘non Aryan descent’ had been fired->Hindenburg had objected to the bill until it had been amended to exclude 3 classes of civil servants from the ban: WW1 veterans who had served at the front, those who had been in the civil service continuously since 1st August 1914 and those who had lost a father or son in combat in the Great War
-Hitler agreed to Hindenburg’s terms->didn’t have enough control and had to accept his terms

Question 19

When was the ‘Day of National Labour (nationwide holiday)?

Answer 19

-1st May 1933

Question 20

When did the Trade Union offices get occupied by the SA and was was a result of this?

Answer 20

-2nd May 1933
-the German Labour Front (DAF) had been announced as the new nationwide labour organisations to replace the unions

Question 21

What still needed to be achieved after the Trade Union offices had been occupied by the SA?

Answer 21

-power over education and teachers etc->more propaganda could be spread for the Nazis to gain support and increase control

Question 22

When did Hitler outlaw the formation of any new political parties in Germany?

Answer 22

-14th July 1933

Question 23

What was a result of Hitler outlawing the formation of any new political parties in Germany in terms of Nazi control?

Answer 23

-the communists and SDP had already been banned->the other parties had dissolved themselves-> Germany was now a one party state

Question 24

When was the first concentration camp found? How did it increase Nazi control?

Answer 24

-22th March1933 in Germany (Dachau)
-all communists, social democratic functionaries, political or trade union leaders who would endanger state security are to be concentrated there->removes opposition
-anyone who attempted to set up or re-establish a political party would find themselves there

Question 25

What was still an issue after Hitler outlawed the formation of any political parties?

Answer 25

-Hindenburg still had control

Question 26

When was the concordat agreement between the state and Vatican (Pope)?

Answer 26

-20th July 1933

Question 27

What was the concordat agreement between the state and Pope?

Answer 27

-places constraints on the political activity of the church whilst guaranteeing the church’s independence under the Nazi regime (to keep to each others business

Question 28

What was the result of the Concordat agreement between the state and Pope?

Answer 28

-the church wouldn’t influence or impact the Nazis

Question 29

Who signed the Concordat agreement between the state and Pope?

Answer 29

-Papen (on behalf of the state) and Pope XII (on behalf of the Catholic faith) signed the agreement

Question 30

What was still an issue after the Concordat agreement between the state and Pope?

Answer 30

-the church was still independent under the Nazi regime and still had large influence and power

Question 31

When was the Night of Long Knives?

Answer 31

-30th June 1934

Question 32

What was the Night of Long Knives?

Answer 32

-Hitler had authorised and admitted to the killings of 90 members of the SA (50 were significant leaders) by the SS->including SA leader Ernst Rohm, Nazi rival Gregor Strasser and scheming Schleicher who posed a threat

Question 33

How many people did Ernst Rohm have control over?

Answer 33

-3 million people->posed a big threat to Hitler

Question 34

What was an impact of the Night of Long Knives?

Answer 34

-shocked Germans and could’ve made the Nazi’s lose popularity

Question 35

When did Hindenburg die and when was the Fuhrer Oath?

Answer 35

-2nd August 1934

Question 36

What was a result of Hindenburg dying?

Answer 36

-Hitler was declared president
-the two roles of Chancellor and President were merged into one new position: Fuhrer

Question 37

What was the Fuhrer Oath to Hitler?

Answer 37

-the army had to take a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler promising unconditional obedience

Question 38

What did Hitler still need to do even after Hindenburg’s death?

Answer 38

-he needs to spread his messages and spread more propaganda and gain increasing support of the German people

Question 39

When did Hitler become Chancellor?

Answer 39

-January 1933

Question 40

Who was responsible for Hitler becoming Chancellor?

Answer 40

-Hindenburg
-Von Papen

Question 41

What factors helped the Nazi Party to gain increased support by 1932?

Answer 41

-Gaue regions->more widespread control
-propaganda (targeted)
-targeting people most vulnerable->youth, unemployed and farmers
-Weimar’s weaknesses
-Hitler’s charisma
-Soup kitchens
-charity drives