The Beginnings Of Nazi Germany

Question 1

The Reichstag Fire

Answer 1

• 27 February 1933, Dutch Communist - Marinus van der Lubbe
• Goering (Head of Anzi Police) claimed it was an anti-government communist plot: 4000 communist leaders arrested
• 28 February, ‘decree for the protection of the people and state’ gave police the ability to search and arrest, shut down newspapers and ban meetings

Question 2

The Enabling Act (1933)

Answer 2

• got communist party banned (81 seats)
• got support from nationalists because of similar views (52 seats)
• got support from centre party because agreed to preserve the catholic church (74)
• passed 444 votes to 94
• end of democracy: Reichstag only met 12 times in Hitler rule to watch his speak: Hitler could make his own decisions, from 1933-37, then renewed again
• Trade Unions: Communist sympathisers, Loyal to Unions not Nazis, Favour of Big Businesses, 2 May 1933: broke into offices and arrested leaders - created Germans Workers Front instead
• Political Opponents: Suspended Social Democrats 10 May 1933, Communists End of May 1933, July 1933 all other political parties banned
• Local Governments: 31 March 1933, closed down 18 state parliaments, re-organised with Nazi state governors then abolished in January 1934

Question 3

The Night of the Long Knives

Answer 3

30 June 1934
Reasons:
- Röhm was gay, against big businesses, socialist , a possible rival to Hitler
- SA had 2 million members in 1934, big influence resented by SS leader
- SA members were violent, drunken fights embarrassed Hitler, lost support of German conservatives
- SA affected relationship with army - only 100,000 but many influential leaders - and wanted to replace it, stopping conveys and confiscating weapons
On the Night:
- arrested 200 SA officers, 90 executed
- Röhm, Von Kahr, Avon Schliecher, Gregor Strasser executed

Question 4

Hitler becomes Führer

Answer 4

• 2 August 1934, President Hindenburg died aged 84
• combined chancellor and president = Führer of the Third Reich
• army’s swore loyalty oath to Hitler
• plebiscite - Hitler gained 90% of the vote

Question 5

5 March Elections

Answer 5

• 5 march 1933, elections for a new reichstag: propaganda, threatening supporters at polling stations, thousands of communists and social democrats arrested, SA broke up opposition meetings, anti-nazi Newspapers closed, funds from industrialists against communists, 50,000 new SA members leading to around 70 deaths
• Hitler had hoped to gain 2/3 majority of Reichstag - only got 288 seats