Nazi Germany: Consolidation of Power Flashcards
What is the Reichstag
Name of the German Government (similar to British parliament)
What is the Chancellor
Leader of the German Government. Similar to PM of UK
What is the President
Head of the German state. Similar to role of monarch in UK. However in Weimar system president had significant powers such as head of armed forces and emergency powers (can pass laws without Reichstag approving them)
When was the Reichstag Fire
27th January 1933
What was the Reichstag Fire
A fire in the Reichstag building a few days before an Reichstag Election
Why was the Reichstag fire essential to Hitlers rise to power?
Dutch Communist Marinus van der Lubbe was caught in the burning building.
Hitler blamed the fire on communists and told Hindenburg that it was a communist plot to overthrow government
What is the Law for Protection of People and State and its key terms
It removed many people’s civil rights
Key terms:
Removal of freedom of speech
Introduction of state censorship
removal of personal freedom
Removal of a right to free assembly
Why was the Law for Protection of People and State approved?
Hindenburg was anti-communist and wanted to stop any communist uprising as of the one Hitler suggested. Since the Reichstag fire happened they were in a state of emergency allowing Hindenburg to approve the law without anyopposition
Why did the Law for Protection of People and State help Hitler?
Nazis and the SA (Paramilitary wing) used the law to beat up and harass political opposition (communists and socialists) as well as being able to arrest people without trial
What is the Enabling Law
Enabling Law is an important law in Hitler rise to power that allowed him to pass laws without Reichstag approving them for a period of four years
How did Hitler get the Enabling Law passed
Banning Communist party + arresting opposition party members
Persuading Nationalist party to support him in Reichstag (Did this by promising to remove Law for Protection of People and State)
Doing a deal with Catholic Centre Party by promising to protect rights of Catholics
Using SA intimidation and violence against other parties
What is Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung means co-ordination of all aspects of life (political, social and cultural) to fit in with Nazi ideas
What did Hitler do during Gleichschaltung
March 1933: Closing down State Parliaments replacing with Nazi Parliament.
April 1933: Jews and Political opponents removed from jobs in civil service and legal profession
May 1933: Trade unions banned
July 1933: formation of new political parties banned.
January 1934: Law for reconstruction of state abolished all state governments apart from Prussia’s which had Nazi majority
What was the Night of the Long Knives
A night in which Hitlers personal body guards the SS to murder approximately 400 people including Rohm on 30th June 1934. Most were SA leaders
Why did Hitler eliminate the SA
They wanted to merge German army under their control
Had become something of an embarrassment due to thuggish behaviour
It had two million members under Rohm by 1933
Too many left wing ideas and wanted a second revolution giving them more power
