Nazi Germany

What does the term "legal revolution" refer to in German history?

It refers to the transformation of Germany in 1933–34 under the Nazis.

How do most revolutions usually occur?

Through violence and the overthrow of the government.

How was the Nazi rise to power in 1933 different from typical revolutions?

They did not solely rely on violence but created the impression that their dictatorship was based on a legal foundation.

Did the Nazis break the constitution during their rise to power?

They did not necessarily break it but manipulated and altered it beyond recognition.

What date did the period of legal revolution begin?

30th January 1933

What date did the period of legal revolution end?

3rd August 1934.

Why did Papen think he could control Hitler after his appointment as Chancellor?

Because the Nazis appeared weak and in a vulnerable position.

What was one major weakness of the Nazis in January 1933 regarding the constitution?

They did not possess an overall majority, so they could not change the constitution.

How many Nazis were in the cabinet initially?

Only 3 out of 12 members.

Who had the power to sack all members of the cabinet, including Nazis?

President Hindenburg.

What was one major strength of the Nazis at the beginning of their power?

They were the largest party in the Reichstag.

Which key cabinet positions were held by Nazis?

Hitler (Chancellor), Frick (Interior Reich Minister), Goering (Interior Minister of Prussia).

How did Hitler act quickly to strengthen his position after becoming Chancellor?

Within 24 hours, he convinced Hindenburg to call new elections.

How did Hitler use his role as Chancellor for propaganda?

On January 31st, he used the radio for “An appeal to the German Nation,” broadcast across Germany.

What did Hitler emphasize in his radio broadcast on January 31st, 1933?

That he could restore Germany to glory if given the people’s support.

What date was the Reichstag fire?

27th February 1933.

Who was arrested for starting the Reichstag fire?

Marinus Van Der Lubbe, a young Dutchman.

What did the Nazis claim about Van Der Lubbe’s role in the fire?

That he was part of a communist plot.

Why is there mystery surrounding who started the Reichstag fire?

• Though Lubbe confessed and was convicted, historians questioned his guilt.

• The fire’s timing was very convenient for the Nazis (just before elections).

• A General claimed Goering once boasted he started it (though Goering denied it).

• Post-war investigations gave conflicting conclusions (one found Lubbe guilty, the other acquitted him).

• Many believe the fire was too large for one man to have started alone.

What is the real significance of the Reichstag fire?

The way the Nazis exploited it to their advantage.

How did the Nazis use the Reichstag fire to gain power?

• Arrested thousands of Communists.

• Convinced Hindenburg that a Communist revolution was imminent.

• Secured the Emergency Decree for the Protection of the Nation and State.

What did the Emergency Decree after the Reichstag fire allow?

• Suspension of civil rights.

• Arrests without trial.

• Telephone calls and post could be intercepted.

What was significant about the March 1933 election results?

The Nazis failed to achieve a majority, winning 288 seats (up from 196 in Nov 1932). Even with DNVP support, they still lacked the 2/3 majority needed to alter the constitution.

How did Hitler present the March 1933 election results?

As a great victory and a “national revolution.” Grassroots Nazi members seized local posts, and Jewish businesses were looted. However, by 10th March, Hitler reined this in.

What date was the Day of Potsdam?

21st March 1933 

What was the purpose of the Day of Potsdam ceremony?

To create the impression that the Nazis were linked with Germany’s old order. Hitler appeared loyal to Hindenburg and tried to project an image of respectability, countering the rowdy behaviour of lower-ranking Nazis.

Where did the vote for the Enabling Act take place?

The Kroll Opera House.

Who was denied access to the Enabling Act vote?

Communists and some SPD deputies.

What was the Enabling Act?

An act that transferred power from the President and Parliament to the Chancellor for 4 years, allowing the Chancellor to deviate from the constitution and make treaties with foreign countries.

How did Hitler secure the 2/3 majority needed for the Enabling Act?

Concessions and intimidation.

How did Hitler use concessions to secure the 2/3 majority needed for the Enabling Act?

Promised the Catholic Church religious freedom and respect.

How did Hitler use intimidation to secure the 2/3 majority needed for the Enabling Act?

SA men surrounded the Kroll Opera House.

What was the final vote result for the Enabling Act?

444 in favor, 94 against (only the SPD voted against).

What was the day of Potsdam?

The opening ceremony of the new Reichstag, held at Potsdam because of the Reichstag fire.

What date was the Enabling Act passed?

March 23, 1933

What does Gleichschaltung mean?

It means “coordination” or “bringing into line” — the process of Nazifying Germany by targeting groups that could oppose Hitler.

What idea did Gleichschaltung create regarding Nazi control?

The concepts of “revolution from below” and “revolution from above.”

What is meant by “revolution from below”?

Actions driven by the lower ranks of the SA and Nazi members, who used their new freedom to take over state governments and enforce Nazi rule.

What is meant by “revolution from above”?

Efforts by the Nazi leadership to coordinate and direct the transformation of German life along Nazi lines.

Who was responsible for Gleichschaltung in practice?

Both the lower ranks (acting with zeal) and the Nazi leadership (providing coordination).

Why were trade unions seen as a potential source of opposition to the Nazis?

Because they represented organized workers who could resist Nazi policies.

Why did trade unions fail to oppose the Nazis?

Many union leaders believed cooperation would allow them to continue functioning. They even expelled anti-Nazis in an attempt to gain favour.

What gave trade unionists false hope that cooperation with the Nazis was working?

The announcement that May 1st, 1933, would be celebrated as a national “Day of Labour.”

What date did the SS shut down all the trade unions?

May 2nd, 1933

What organization replaced the trade unions after they were abolished?

The German Labour Front (DAF).

Who led the German Labour Front (DAF)?

Robert Ley, a Nazi official.

What happened to the Communist Party (KPD) under the Nazis?

It was not officially banned but was suppressed.

When was the SPD banned?

22nd June 1933.

What happened to other political groups after the SPD was banned?

They dissolved themselves.

What date was the Nazi Party declared the only legal party in Germany?

14th July 1933

What was the political result of July 1933?

Germany became a one-party state.

What law did the Nazis issue on 31st March 1933 to control state governments?

The Law for the Coordination of the Länder.

What did the Law for the Coordination of the Länder do?

It transferred power from the land assemblies to the land governments, allowing them to make laws independent of the assemblies.

What new positions were created to enforce Nazi control over the states?

Reich Governors (all Nazis).

What was the role of Reich Governors?

To ensure state policies stayed in line with Nazi policy.

What happened in January 1934 to the land assemblies?

They were abolished, and the sovereign rights of the states were transferred to the central government.

What did the changes of land assemblies mean for Germany’s political structure?

Germany was no longer a federal nation but a centralized state under Nazi control.

What date did the Nazis launch a national boycott of Jewish shops?

1st April 1933.

Why did Hitler have to restrain the lower ranks of the Nazis during the boycott?

Many wanted to enforce a permanent boycott, showing the revolution from below pushing further than the revolution from above.

What areas of life did Jews begin to be excluded from in 1933?

Professional and social life.

What was the Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service (7th April 1933)?

A law that banned Jews from working in the civil service.

From which professions were Jews excluded in 1933?

• The legal profession.

• Treating some patients as doctors.

• Teaching, with limited numbers of Jewish children allowed in schools.

Was the process of coordination in Nazi Germany always imposed from above?

No, many initiatives also came from below.

What date was the burning of books considered to be against the Nazi regime?

10th October 1933

What happened to clubs during the Nazi regime?

Clubs were Nazified.

How did lawyers show their support for Hitler in October 1933?

10,000 lawyers swore an oath of allegiance to Hitler.

How did Hitler deal with the Catholic Church?

He made a deal with the Pope called the Concordat promising to respect the Church if it stayed out of politics.

What date was the Concordat?

8th July 1933

What was the Concordat?

An agreement between Hitler and the Pope where the Catholic Church would stay out of politics in exchange for Hitler respecting the Church.

How did Hitler handle the German army?

He allowed the army to remain as it was and did not attempt to Nazify it, ensuring their support for his actions.

Why did Hitler avoid Nazifying the army?

Because he needed the army’s support for his plans for war.

How did Hitler treat big businesses in Germany?

He allowed them to continue without state ownership.

Why did Hitler allow big businesses to continue without state ownership?

To protect the economy during the economic depression.

What date was The Decree for the Protection of Nation and State passed?

28th February 1933

What did the SA want during the so-called "Second Revolution"?

They wanted a political and social revolution and personally sought positions of authority as a reward for helping Hitler rise to power.

Who was the leader of the SA?

Ernst Röhm.

What did Ernst Röhm want the SA to become during the Second Revolution?

He wanted the SA to merge with the army, with himself in overall control.

What date did the Night of the Long Knives take place?

30th June 1934.

What happened to the SA leaders during the Night of the Long Knives?

SS men seized them from their beds (many were staying at a hotel in Bad Wiessee), took them to Nazi headquarters, and executed them.

Which other political opponents were targeted during the Night of the Long Knives?

Former Chancellor Schleicher and Gregor Strasser, Hitler’s left-wing Nazi opponent.

How many people were estimated to have been murdered during the Night of the Long Knives?

Estimates vary, some say as many as 400, although official numbers were much lower.

What did the Night of the Long Knives prove about the SS?

It proved that the SS could act in a coordinated manner to eliminate opposition.

What is the definition of a totalitarian state?

A system of government in which all aspects of society are controlled, with complete political, social, and cultural control over subjects. Power is centralized and rival authorities are not allowed.

Which historical regimes are commonly described as totalitarian states?

Nazi Germany, Mussolini’s Italy, and Stalin’s Russia.

What is one key characteristic of a totalitarian society regarding belief systems?

An official ideology.

What political feature is central to a totalitarian society?

A single mass party.

How is policing carried out in a totalitarian society?

Through terroristic control of the police force.

How is information controlled in a totalitarian society?

The regime holds monopolistic control over the media.

Who controls access to weapons in a totalitarian society?

The state, which maintains a monopoly on arms.

How is the economy managed in a totalitarian society?

It is centrally controlled by the state.

How do totalitarian regimes differ from older concepts of dictatorship or tyranny?

Totalitarian regimes aim for complete political, social, and cultural control, while dictatorships typically seek limited, mostly political control.

Why did many people in the 1950s believe Nazism was a form of totalitarianism?

Because images of Nazi Germany showed order, discipline, and structure, creating the perception that it was highly organized.

Which Nazi organizations and symbols reinforced the image of totalitarianism?

The SS, uniforms, flags, parades, and saluting.

Which famous novel, written in 1949, was inspired by observations of totalitarian regimes like Nazi Germany, Stalin’s Russia, and Mussolini’s Italy?

1984 by George Orwell.

What does Orwell’s 1984 depict about totalitarian control?

A fictional society where everything is controlled, even people’s thoughts, monitored by “thought police.”

What does “Dualism” mean in the context of Nazi Germany?

It refers to the Nazi system of parallel departments all operating simultaneously.

What did radical Nazis want to do with the civil service?

They wanted to take it over, but the established bureaucracy of the German state limited their changes.

What was the Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service (April 1933)?

A law that removed Jews and well-recognized opponents of the Nazi regime from the civil service.

How did Hitler try to clarify the relationship between the Party and the State in December 1933?

By issuing the Law to Ensure the Unity of Party and State, declaring that “the party is inseparably linked with the state.”

Why was the 1933 Law to Ensure the Unity of Party and State ineffective at resolving dualism?

Because it was vague and provided little real clarity.