Zusammenfassung der Ressource
How did Hitler become the dictator of Germany 1933-34
- The Reichstag Fire February 1933
- The Nazis did not have a majority in the Reichstag when Hitler became Chancellor
- A decree was passed in February 1933 to ensure free and peaceful elections
- Gave the Nazis the power to intimidate and bully their political opponents
- 27th February, the Reichstag was burned down
- The communist Van der Lubbe was caught at the scene
- Hitler declared that the communists were attacking Germany
- Emergency powers were granted that were used to attack the communist party
- The Enabling Act March 1933
- Elections were held in the aftermath of the Reichstag Fire
- The SA was used to intimidate opponents and voters
- The Nazis won the mot seats BUT did not have a 2/3rds majority
- This was needed to change the constitution
- Hitler used the emergency powers as a result of the Reichstag Fire to ban the communists
- This enabled the Nazis to pass the Enabling Act in March 1933
- This gave the Nazis the power to pass laws without approval from the Reichstag
- These laws could deviate from the constitution
- Gleichschaltung 1933
- Control of State Parliaments
- All state parliaments were closed down in March 1933
- State governors were appointed by the Nazis
- They had the power to control each part of Germany
- Control of Trade Unions
- Potential opponents and close allies of the communists
- May 1933 - many Trade union officials were arrested
- All unions were merged into the German Labour Front
- Control of other political parties
- Hitler wanted a one-party state
- May 1933 - they attacked the Social Democrats and the Communists
- They destroyed their newspapers and confiscated their funds
- June 1933 - a law was passed stating that only the Nazi party was allowed to exist
- The Night of the Long Knives 1934
- Rohm and the SA were potential rivals to Hitler
- By 1934 it had 2 million members
- Rohm was an embarrassment to the Nazis
- Homosexual and an alcoholic
- Rohm wanted to merge the SA with the army
- He was arguing for more socialist policies
- Himmler and Goering said Hitler needed to act against Rohm
- A meeting was organised for 30th June 1934
- The SS was used to arrest and execute over 100 leaders of the SA
- Rohm was executed
- The result was the SA was now firmly under the control of Hitler
- The SS was a distinct organisation, becoming more powerful
- Other potential opponents such as Von Schleicher and Strasser were executed
- Hitler becomes Der Fuhrer
- President Hindenburg died in August 1934
- He was the last remaining obstacle to complete power for Hitker
- Hitler combined the role of Chancellor and President - Der Fuhrer
- The army swore an oath allegiance to Hitler (not Germany)