The Reichstag Fire & The Enabling Act, 1933

Question 1

Who started the fire?

Answer 1

Dutch communist Van der Lubbe

Question 2

How did the Reichstag fire benefit Hitler?

Answer 2

Gave him opportunity to to accuse communists of plotting revolution

Question 3

How many communists were arrested that night?

Answer 3

4000

Question 4

When was the Reichstag Fire?

Answer 4

27th February 1933

Question 5

What decree did Hitler persuade Hindenburg to pass & what did it do?

Answer 5

• Decree for the Protection of the People & the State

- power to imprison political opponents & ban opposition newspapers

Question 6

How long did the emergency decree stay in place for?

Answer 6

12 years

Question 7

When did Hitler call an election & why?

Answer 7

• March 1933

- to secure more Nazi seats —> to take over

Question 8

In the election how many seats did the Nazis win & how?

Answer 8

2/3 of seats by using emergency powers to prevent communists from taking up their 81 seats

Question 9

When was the Enabling Act?

Answer 9

March 1933

Question 10

What was aim Enabling Act?

Answer 10

To destrot power of Reichstag & give himself total power to make laws

Question 11

What were the 3 main points of the Enabling Act?

Answer 11

• Reich Cabinet could pass more laws
• laws could overrule the constitution
• Hitler would propose the laws

Question 12

What did the Enabling Act mean?

Answer 12

Germany no longer a democracy

Question 13

How did the Enabling Act allow Hitler to get rid of opposition to the Nazis? (local government)

Answer 13

• local governments closed down in March 1933
• reorganised with Nazi majorities
• abolished in January 1934