Nazi Control and Dictatorship Flashcards
How was Hitler’s power limited upon becoming chancellor?
- Weimar Constitution controlled what the Chancellor could do
- Hindenburg retained all the powers of the president
- Only 2 of the 12 cabinet ministers were NSDAP members
- NSDAP members in the Reichstag numbered 1/3
When was the Reichstag fire?
27th February 1933
Who was convicted for the cause of the Reichstag fire? What ideology did they believe in?
Marinus van der Lubbe - Communist
How did Goering and Hitler try to use the Reichstag fire?
Used it as an opportunity to attack communists
How many communists were arrested on the night of the Reichstag fire?
4000
What did Hitler pressurize Hindenburg to declare the day after the Reichstag fire?
A state of emergency
What did “a state of emergency” grant Hitler?
The ability to use decrees to govern Germany, provided he had Hindenburg’s support
What decree was passed on the 28th February 1933?
The decree for the Protection of the People and the State
What did the decree for the Protection of the People and the State do?
- Gave Hitler powers to imprison political opponents and ban communist newpapers
- Civil liberties were lost
- Privacy was lost ie. checking letters
For when did Hitler persuade Hindenburg to call another election?
5th March 1933
How much money was donated in just one meeting by industrialists to the Nazi campaign?
3 million marks
How many people died in the March 1933 election campaigns?
70
How many seats did the NSDAP party get in March 1933?
288
How did Hitler gain a two thirds majority in the Reichstag in 1933?
By gaining the support of the other nationalist parties along with his 288 seats
What would Hitler’s proposed the Enabling act mean?
- the Reich Cabinet could pass new laws
- laws could overrule the constitution of the Republic
- the laws would be proposed by the chancellor
When was the Enabling act passed?
24th March 1933
What were the voting figures for the enabling act?
444 votes to 94
When was the enabling act renewed?
1937
What happened to trade union officials in May 1933?
They were arrested by Nazis who broke into their offices
When were trade unions banned and strikes made illegal?
May 1933
Which two political rivals were attacked by Stormtroopers? When?
May 1933 - SPD and KPD
When were all politcal parties in Germany made illegal?
July 1933
When were the Lander parliaments abolished?
January 1934
What did Hitler command as an alternative to Lander parliaments?
Hitler selected governors to run the regions of Germany
How many SA members where there by 1934 after the merging with the Stahlhelm?
3 million
How many SA were unemployed by 1933?
60%
What part of Hitler’s regime did Ernst Rohm question?
- Hitler’s links with rich industrialists and army generals
- Nationalist polices as he wanted more socialism
Why were German army officers worried about Rohm in 1934?
- The army had only 100,00 men whereas the SA had many more men
- They thought the SA wanted to replace them
Why did the leaders of the SS resent Rohm?
- They wanted to reduce the power of the SA
- and increase the power and the status of the SS
What was Hitler warned of in 1934 by leaders of the SS and the army?
That Rohm was planning to seize power
When was the Night of the Long Knives?
30th June 1934
How many people were killed over the four days including the night of the long knives?
400
How many senior members of the SA were killed in July 1934?
150
Which leading political figures where murdered after the night of the ling knives?
General von Schleicher
Gregor Strasser
How did Hitler assert control over von Papen?
- Had the SS shoot his press secretary and arrest his staff
- Surrounded his home and cut off his telephone
When did President Hindenburg die?
2nd August 1934
Upon Hindenburg’s death, what did Hitler declare?
He was Germany’s fuhrer and would assume both the power of the president and chancellor
What did Hitler force the members of the army to do when he declared his fuhrership?
Swear an oath of loyalty to him
When was a plebicite held to confirm Hitler as fuhrer?
19th August 1934
How many voters voted in faavour of Hitler becoming chancellor?
90%
What were the main parts of the police state?
- SS
- SD
- Gestapo
Who led the SS from 1929?
Heinrich Himm;er
What did the SS do?
By 1936, they controlled all Germany’s police and security forces
Who led the SD?
Reinhard Heydrich
What were the SD?
A uniformed group which spied on all known opponents and critics of the Nazi party and German government
How many men were the SS expanded to in the 1930s?
240,000
Who led the Gestapo from 1936?
Heydrich
How many members of the Gestapo were there?
30,000
How many Gestapo agents were there in towns such as Hamburg?
Fewer than 50 officers
How many people were arrested in 1939 due to the Gestapo?
160,000