Nazi Germany - Political and Governmental Change (Theme 1)

Question 1

(Parties and electoral system) When did Germany become a one-party state, and what happened to other political parties?

Answer 1

Germany became a one-party state in 1933. All political parties except the NSDAP were disbanded.

Question 2

(Parties and electoral system) How frequent were elections in Nazi Germany, and what were they linked to?

Answer 2

Elections were held less frequently (1933, 1936, 1938) and were often tied to referendum-style questions.

Question 3

(Parties and electoral system) How were plebiscites used in Nazi Germany?

Answer 3

Plebiscites were state-imposed and used to create an appearance of legitimacy, such as for leaving the League of Nations and the Anschluss.

Question 4

(Parties and electoral system) What was the electoral system in Nazi Germany?

Answer 4

Only NSDAP-approved candidates could run, and voting meant approving a Nazi list—proportional representation was no longer used.

Question 5

(Parties and electoral system) What was the vote threshold for gaining a seat in the Nazi electoral system?

Answer 5

There was no applicable vote threshold, as it was a one-party state with no competitive elections.

Question 6

(Parties and electoral system) How did political parties interact or cooperate in Nazi Germany?

Answer 6

There was no interaction or cooperation—other parties were banned and the NSDAP held exclusive power.

Question 7

(Parties and electoral system) When and why were all other political parties banned in Nazi Germany?

Answer 7

All other parties were banned in 1933 after Hitler became Chancellor and passed the Enabling Act, centralizing legislative power in the Nazi regime.