Why And How Was Hitler Able To Consolidate His Power In The Period Up To The Death Of Hindenburg In August 1934 Flashcards
After the January 1933 election how many seats in the cabinet did the Nazis have?
3
What did Hitler persuade Hindenburg to do within 24 hours of his appointment to Chancellor?
Call fresh elections, believing that these elections would increase the Nazi vote
When did Dutch anarchist, van Der Lubbe, set the Reichstag on fire?
27th February 1933
Why was Hitler allowed to use the powers under Article 48 after a ‘Decree for the Protection of the People and the State’?
After the Reichstag fire, and the alleged communist threat
What was the results of the March 1933 elections?
Nazis: 288
DNVP: 52
Social Democrats: 120
Communist: 81
Centre Party: 74
Others: 32
How many seats did the Nazis need for a majority after the March 1933 elections?
52 seats
When was the Enabling Act passed?
23rd March 1933
How was Hitler able to pass the Enabling Act?
Excuse of the absence, through intimidation, of the communist members of the Reichstag
Who was the only party to vote against the Enabling Act?
The Social Democrats, with the Act passing 444 to 94 votes
What was the Enabling Act?
A constitutional change that transferred the power form the Reichstag to the chancellor and the creation of a dictatorship based on legality
Why was the Enabling Act achieved?
Because of the promises of the Catholic Centre Party that the rights of the Catholic Church would be respected and uphold religious and moral values
What is Gleichschaltung?
The co-ordination of the Nazi state and refers ti the Nazification of German society and the establishment of the dictatorship
When were regional parliaments dissolved?
31 March 1933
When were regional parliaments abolished and federal government and governors were subordinated to central government?
January 1934
Who was in political control regional under Gleichschaltung?
Reich governors, who usually local Gauleiters, were created
What ricked trade unions into thinking they could work with the Nazis?
With the establishment of Labour Day on May 1st
When were union premises occupied, funds seized and leader sent to concentration camps?
The day after Labour Day was declared a national holiday
What replaced independent unions?
The German Labour Front (DAF)
What decree eliminated political parties on the 14th July 1933?
‘The Law against the Establishment of Parties’
What are the 4 reasons that Gleichschaltung had not given the Nazis complete control?
Hitler did not want to antagonise powerful groups, such as the army
He needed the support of big business for rearmament
He needed the support of the civil service
He needed to maintain support from the middle class and this was achieved by reassuring them that traditional elements of the state were maintained
Who was the chief of the SA, who wanted to merge the SA with the army?
Ernst Rohm
What did the army view the SA as?
Undisciplined and too political, not wanting a merger with the SA
What event happened on 30th June 1934?
The Night of the Long Knives
What did the Night of the Long Knives end?
The SA as a military and political force, with 200 killed, among them being Rohm and other leading members of the SA were shot by the SS, former chancellor Schleicher, and the leader of the radical socialist wing of the Nazi Party, Strasser
When did Hindenburg die?
2nd August 1934
What are the reasons for Hitler being able to establish his dictatorship>
Weakness of opposition
Legality
Terror
Propaganda
Deception
