Nazi control and dictatorship Flashcards
1
Q
Why was the SA a threat to hitler?
A
- Had helped Hitler come to power, but now hitler saw the SA as a threat, because its members were loyal to Ernst Rohm, the SA’s leader.
- The SA was also unpopular with the leaders of the German army as they thought that they had too much power.
2
Q
What happened on the ‘night of the long knives’?
A
Hitler removed his enemies.
- On the 29-30th June 1934, hitler sent men to arrest or kill Rohm and others.Several hundred people were killed or imprisoned including Rohm and various other leaders of the SA.
- Hitler claimed that those who had been killed had been plotting to overthrow the government, so he declared their murders legal.
- It got rid of all potential opposition within the nazi party and sent a powerful message to the party about hitler’s ruthlessness and brutality, also showed that hitler was now free to act above the law.
3
Q
What did Hindenburg’s death in august 1934 mean?
A
- Meant that hitler could combine the role of chancellor and president.
- He called himself the deh furhrer (the leader)-this was the beginning of the dictatorship.
4
Q
when was the reichstag fire?
A
27th February 1933
5
Q
who was blamed for the fire?
A
Dutch communist van der lubbe.
6
Q
How was the fire used to the nazis advantage?
A
- expelled communists from parliament and imprisoned many communist leaders, they stopped them campaigning for the march elections.
- announced that the country was in danger from the communists during the election campaign and this therefore encouraged many to vote for the nazis as they were seen as anti communists.
7
Q
how did getting rid of the communists help the nazis?
A
helped them to win more seats in the election of 5th march 1933, increasing their share of the vote from 33% to 44%.
8
Q
What was the enabling act?
A
It gave hitler the right to make laws without the reichstag approval for the next four years.
-Enabled him to destroy all opposition to his rule.
9
Q
When was the enabling act passed?
A
23rd March 1933.
