The creation of a dictatorship, 1933-34 Flashcards
The Reichstag Fire
27 Feb 1933 - communist van der Lubbe was caught with matches and lighters, arrested and later executed.
Hitler used this chance to blame communists and BAN them, who were arrested and lost all SEATS (given to NSDAP), so Hitler now had enough power to CHANGE Weimar constitution.
The Enabling Act
Hitler proposed:
- the Reich cabinet could pass new laws
- these laws could overrule the constitution
- laws could be proposed by the Chancellor
End of democratic rule and the Weimar constitution
Removing other opposition - Trade unions
Hitler thought communists amongst working men were a threat since they could start strikes.
So he broke into trade unions all over Germany in May 1933 and arrested trade union officials.
He also banned trade unions and made strikes illegal.
Removing other opposition - Political parties
May 1933 - Nazi stormtroopers entered SPD and KPD offices, destroyed their newspapers and confiscated their funds.
July 1933 - Hitler made all political parties in Germany illegal, except for the NSDAP.
Removing other opposition - Local government
Germany was divided into regions (Lands) each with its own Länder parliament, so the Reichstag in Berlin did not have much control.
Jan 1934 - Hitler abolished the Länder parliaments and declared that governors appointed by him would run each region.
The Night of the Long Knives
Hitler saw Röhm as a threat because he had merged an army veterans group with the SA, bringing its numbers to 3 mil. He also opposed some of Hitler’s policies since he wanted more socialist policies.
30 June 1934 - Hitler arranged a meeting with Röhm and 100 other SA leaders, where he arrested them and later shot them.
Hitler also had Strasser and von Papen killed on the same night.
The Death of Hindenburg
2 Aug 1934 - Hindenburg died and Hitler took full control.
He named himself Führer, adding all the President’s power to that of the Chancellor. He also forced an oath of loyalty from every soldier in the army.
