Theme 1- Political and Governmental Change 1933-1945

Question 1

What were the main limitations to Hitler’s power when he became Chancellor on 30th January 1933?

Answer 1

• The Nazis didn’t have a majority in the Reichstag which made it difficult to pass legislation.
• Hindenburg could remove him at any time.
• Institutions like the army and civil service were suspicious of the Nazis.
• Unions were strong and could organise another general strike.
• Radicals like Rohm could challenge his leadership.
• Strong opposition parties like the KPD and SPD.
• Only 2 other Nazis in his cabinet.
• Great Depression was still going on.

Question 2

What were the main reasons for Hitler being appointed as Chancellor?

Answer 2

• Von Papen and Hindenburg wanted to use him against the communists and they thought they could manage him.
• Hitler came a close 2nd in the Presidential election- he was popular.
• Propaganda campaign- ‘man of the people’
• Won over the industrialists, army and middle class including von Papen.
• Nazis doubled their support in 1932 from 1930
• He met with von Papen and Hindenburg’s son to convince them to convince Hindenburg to appoint him.

Question 3

When was the Reichstag Fire and who organised it?

Answer 3

27th February 1933. A young communist was arrested and charged with treason.

Question 4

What were the legal effects of the Reichstag Fire?

Answer 4

Hitler convinced Hindenburg to declare a state of emergency which allowed Hitler to use emergency powers although he still didn’t have a majority in the Reichstag. The majority of the German public supported this as the media, led by Goebbels, exaggerated the communist threat as a result of the fire.

Question 5

How did Hitler use the Reichstag fire to suppress opposition?

Answer 5

The police, SA and SS were used to beat up and murder 4000 communists. This massively weakened the power of the KPD.

Question 6

How did the March 1933 elections change the position of the Nazis?

Answer 6

The KPD lost a significant number of seats while the Nazis gained close to 100 seats. The elections were corrupt with the SA present at polling booths and on the streets but the Nazis still didn’t have a majority so were still reliant on the support of the DNVP and ZP.

Question 7

How did Hitler get the 2/3 majority he needed to pass the Enabling Act in March 1933?

Answer 7

He got the support of the ZP by promising to retain Catholic values which led to them voting in favour of the Act.

Question 8

What powers did Hitler gain in the Enabling Act?

Answer 8

It lasted 4 years and gave Hitler the power to rule by decree and laws made by the cabinet no longer had to pass through the Reichstag or need presidential approval. This gave him dictatorial powers (not even the Kaiser had had this).

Question 9

Why did Hitler attack Röhm and the SA in the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 9

The SA was the left wing group of the Nazi party and there was less need for them now that the KPD had been destroyed. Hitler didn’t want to risk alienating the industrialists. Röhm was demanding a second revolution which posed a threat to the army and Hitler’s position. Goering and Himmler also felt threatened by Röhm’s power. Von Papen was trying to make a deal with the army which would give him Hitler’s position. Hitler decided to get rid of Röhm and the SA to gain the support of the army and minimise the threat to his position.

Question 10

What happened in the Night of the Long Knives and what role did the army play?

Answer 10

In June 1934, Röhm and 85 others including von Schleicher were murdered and over 1000 people were arrested by the SS. Weapons and transport had been provided by the army.

Question 11

How successful was the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 11

It persuaded army leaders to support Hitler’s government and all German soldiers took an oath of loyalty to Hitler on 2nd August 1934. After Hindenburg’s death, Hitler was able to merge the positions of Chancellor and President unopposed and the power of traditional nationalists was now destroyed. The SA was brought under control and Hitler gained more control over the whole Nazi movement.

Question 12

What legal and constitutional methods did the Nazis use to consolidate power?

Answer 12

• Enabling Act gave Hitler dictatorial powers
• March 1933 elections increased seats in Reichstag and meant KPD lost seats
• Law for the Reconstruction of the State in January 1934 removed state governments who were replaced by Reich governors (mostly Nazi gauleiters who were appointed by Hitler)
• Law Against the Formation of New Parties in July 1933- Germany became a one party state

Question 13

How did the Nazis use force and intimidation to consolidate power?

Answer 13

• Reichstag Fire- crushed KPD through violence
• Night of the Long Knives- murdered Rohm and others and got rid of the threat of the SA
• Seizure and closure of trade union offices in May 1933 which removed the threat of powerful trade unions
• One day boycott of Jewish shops in April 1933

Question 14

What was the ideology of the Nazis?

Answer 14

National socialism although the socialist aspect was mostly dropped after the Night of the Long Knives. It included intense nationalism revolving around an all powerful leader and they also had traditional values of authoritarian government and separate roles for men and women. Also included racism based on social Darwinism- superior races needed to dominate and they wanted to eradicate weaker races.

Question 15

What were the main constitutional changes from Weimar Germany?

Answer 15

The roles of Chancellor and President were merged into Führer from August 1934. State governments lost a lot of power as Reich Governors took over. The Reichstag lost a lot of power too and voted to dissolve itself in 1942. Elections were less frequent and only Nazi candidates could stand for election.

Question 16

In what ways did the constitution stay the same from Weimar Germany?

Answer 16

The President and Führer were both powerful heads of state and the Reichstag remained for most of the Nazi period. State governments were beginning to decline in Weimar anyway and rules on suffrage didn’t change. Article 48 and the Enabling Act were very similar in nature- emergency powers that allowed the head of state to rule by decree.

Question 17

What were the main political changes from Weimar Germany?

Answer 17

Germany became a one party state from July 1933. There were parallel party and government organisations and the Nazi ones often had more power than government ones. Most elections were plebiscites but the elections were unfair with intimidation and ballot rigging. Some institutions like the civil service were Nazified e.g. from 1934, all civil servants had to be party members.

Question 18

How did the political system stay the same from Weimar Germany?

Answer 18

Some parties were banned in Weimar like the NSDAP after the Munich Putsch although this was only temporary. A referendum could be triggered by popular petition in Weimar although this was different from the state imposed Nazi plebiscites. Most institutions were left untouched by both Weimar and the Nazis.

Question 19

How did Germany appear orderly?

Answer 19

Wore army uniforms, patriotic songs including the one that says ‘God bless our Germany’. There was a clear system with paperwork required for the killing of disabled children.

Question 20

How was Nazi Germany actually not orderly?

Answer 20

New Chancellery was full of in-fighting as Hitler gave lots of people similar roles and it wasn’t clear who should be doing what. 5 different offices claimed to represent Hitler and there was also constant fighting over access to Hitler’s mail. Policy was made on a whim- one letter made Hitler introduce new policies about killing disabled children.

Question 21

What was the polycratic regime?

Answer 21

There were many different organisations that had power and many new ones overlapped with traditional ministries. The relationship between them was never clarified and their actions were often uncoordinated.

Question 22

What was cumulative radicalisation?

Answer 22

Other figures in Nazi Germany developed ever-harsher policies to please Hitler and gain influence which led to the intensification of Nazi policy. However, not all of these policies were coordinated.

Question 23

What were gauleiters?

Answer 23

Nazis who were responsible for coordinating the Nazi party in Germany’s regions. They became more powerful as they took on advisory positions in local governments from 1933.

Question 24

What was the führerprinzip?

Answer 24

Based on the idea that Hitler alone understood the German people’s will and the forces of history (übermensch- unique genius). Hitler’s will was superior to policies that emerged from discussion or debate.

Question 25

What was working towards the führer?

Answer 25

Nazis tried to spend as much time as possible with a Hitler to try and understand his will. They would then devise policies to fulfil his visions which allowed them to become more powerful and influential.

Question 26

What was Gleichschaltung?

Answer 26

A term meaning coordination which the Nazis used to describe the Nazification of important institutions like newspapers and trade unions. This implied that they were making German more efficient and well organised when in reality they were just removing German rights.

Question 27

What was centralisation of power?

Answer 27

The ending of federalisation caused by the Nazi drive for centralisation of control over Germany. For example the Ministry of the Interior was given more power over federal regions.

Question 28

How did Hitler’s power change over time?

Answer 28

In Jan 1933 he was the Chancellor of a conservative coalition. The Enabling Act massively increased his power as did the death of Hindenburg in August 1934. Cabinet meetings were rare from 1937 onwards and laws were made by his will. In the war he tried to impose his commands but by 1944-45 he was losing control.

Question 29

How did Hitler’s role change in the war?

Answer 29

Commander in chief of the armed forces from 1938. There were no cabinet meetings in the war years and he made key decisions like the invasion of the USSR in 1941 by himself. He became increasingly isolated from public life, choosing to spend his time at the Berghof and later in his Berlin bunker. He allowed Bormann increasing control over his diary and appointments.

Question 30

How did domestic government change during the war?

Answer 30

Domestic affairs were left to Goering, Goebbels, Himmler and Bormann. Many party officials were too busy trying to promote their own self interests and prominence meaning government became very chaotic. For example, Himmler’s appointment as Minister for the Interior in 1943 led to serious clashes between him and Bormann. Hitler became increasingly remote so couldn’t settle infighting. The regime also became more bureaucratic and older party members were sidelined.

Question 31

How did the role of gauleiters change during the war?

Answer 31

The most important gauleiters were made Commissioners for the Defence of the Reich in 1939 which gave them extensive new powers. Their new role conflicted with existing authorities like central ministries which made the government even more chaotic. In effect, they became subordinate to Bormann.

Question 32

What was the role of the SS during the war?

Answer 32

They ran death camps in occupied territories to ‘clean the territory’ of inferior races. They took over administration of Nazi-occupied territory in Poland, eastern Europe, Ukraine and Russia, taking control over aspects of life such as education.

Question 33

How was the army changed in the war years?

Answer 33

The army bomb plot in July 1944 led to a major purge of army officers. Around 200 were killed including 2 leading generals.