CIE IGCSE History - Hitler's Consolidation of Power

flashcards from Germany 1918-45 depth study on period 1933-34

when was the Reichstag fire?

27th February 1933

who was the Reichstag fire set by?

Dutch communist, Van Der Lubbe

what did Hindenburg give Hitler as a result of the Reichstag fire?

special emergency powers under Article 48

what was passed as a result of the RF?

Reichstag Fire Decree/Emergency Decree

what did the Reichstag Fire Decree encompass?

• suspension of civil liberties

• increased police powers

which civil liberties were suspended as a result of the Reichstag Fire?

• habeus corpus

• freedom of speech

• freedom of expression

• freedom of the press

• freedom of assembly

how did the RF decree increase police powers?

• able to arrest without warrant and hold for indefinite detention

• SA and SS made auxiliaries to the police

• encouraged by Goering

what happened to the communists as a result of the RF decree?

• Hitler able to say that communists posed an immediate terrorist threat

• 4,000+ arrested and imprisoned

• first concentration camp set up in Dachau for arrestees

how did the RF impact the March 1933 election?

• reduced opposition - communists arrested

• suppressed opposition - other parties did not want to be persecuted like the KPD

• enabled Nazis to increase vote percentage

what percentage of the vote did the Nazis receive in the March 1933 election?

43.9% (+10 from prior)

when was the KPD banned in Germany?

March 6th 1933

why did the Nazis have a majority in the Reichstag despite not having 50%+ of the votes?

they were supported by the smaller German Nationalist Party

when was the Enabling Act passed?

23rd March 1933 (due to 2/3 majority votes)

which party (other than German Nationalists) voted with the Nazi party for the Enabling Act?

catholic centre party

what did the Enabling Act encompass?

• meant Hitler could pass any law he wanted

• even in violation of the constitution

• end of parliamentary democracy

what were some laws passed as a result of the Enabling Act?

• April: Jews not allowed to work for the civil service or public-facing professions

• May: Trade unions banned except for German Labour Front (DAF) which all workers had to join

what law was passed in July 1933?

Law against Formation of New Parties - all parties banned except for the Nazi party

how did the Enabling Act help to consolidate Hitler’s power?

• meant the Nazis could not be removed from power (no threat from other parties)

• meant no perceived threat was faced from the civil service/judiciary etc

who was Hitler’s main threat in the Nazi party?

Ernst Rohm

why did Hitler feel threatened by Ernst Rohm?

• Rohm leader of the SA

• Rohm wanted to make the SA into a ‘second army’ to begin a ‘second revolution’

• seen as potential threat to Hitler’s leadership

why else did Hitler want to kill Ernst Rohm?

conservative elites were concerned about the size of the SA

what did Hindenburg threaten unless Hitler dealt with Rohm?

martial law - would be an end to Nazi rule

when was the Knight of Long Knives?

29-30 June 1934

what happened on the Knight of Long Knives?

• SS men broke into the homes of Ernst Rohm and SA leadership, and political opponents

• arrested and then shot (executed)

• Schleicher also shot

• up to 400 killed

how did the Knight of Long Knives help to consolidate Hitler’s power?

• confirmed Hitler’s leadership and meant no-one would try and threaten it (seen consequences)

• Hitler no longer feared a coup from within the Nazi party, and pleased the conservative elite

• SA greatly weakened - SS replaced them which was much more loyal to Hitler

when did Hindenburg die?

August 1934

what happened when Hindenburg died?

• a law was passed that abolished the presidential position and combined the role of the president with the role of the chancellor

• Hitler became this new leader - ‘Fuhrer’

what did the army do on the day of Hindenburg’s death?

swore the army oath

what was the army oath?

an oath of personal loyalty to Hitler that every member of the Army (reichswehr) had to swear

how did the Army Oath help to consolidate Hitler’s power?

• meant Hitler couldn’t be removed from his position by President

• he was now the highest authority in Germany

• also meant that he didn’t face a threat from the Army

when were the state governments in Germany taken over?

January 1934 - Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich

what was the takeover of the German Lander known as?

coordination - Gleichshaltung

what was the first German state to be taken over?

Prussia (3/5 Reich) in 1932

how did the takeover of State Governments help to consolidate Hitler’s power?

• meant he had ultimate rule over Germany

• state governments could not have different laws - Hitler’s policies applied everywhere, no possible changes

• destruction of Weimar Federalism