CHAP 4.1; Hitler’s rise to power

What limited Hitler’s power/weaknesses?

• The Weimar Constitution limits the Chancellor’s power

• Hindenburg keeps all the presidential powers

• only 2/12 in Hitler’s cabinet were Nazis, and only 1/3 of the Reichstag were Nazis

• Hitler’s authority heavily depended upon the majority support of the Reichstag

When was the Reichstag fire and what happened?

27 February 1933

The Reichstag building is destroyed by a fire. Dutch Communist van der Lubbe was found guilty and executed.

However, there is serious doubt whether it was his fault. The only clear fact is that he was Communist and the Nazis took advantage of this.

What were the consequences of the Reichstag fire?

• Hermann Goering (Nazi chief of Police) claimed that van der Lubbe was part of an anti-government Communist plot and the fire was an opportunity to crush their opposition; 4,000 Communist leaders were arrested the night of the fire.

• Hitler used this as an excuse to attack the Communists & grow his own power

• Hitler convinces Hindenburg to pass an emergency decree.

What decree was passed after the Hindenburg fire?

The Decree for the Protection of the People and State.

• The police can search homes & imprison anyone arrested without trial.

also;

• could ban meetings & close newspapers

• Goering took control of the state radio station

Why was the March 1933 election called?

Hitler, as the newly appointed chancellor, wanted to gain as many seats in the Reichstag for the Nazis as possible.

Many methods were used to ensure the Nazi’s positive results; Nazi police, SA violence/intimidation, propaganda, opposing party members arrested, etc

Results of the March 1933 election

The Nazi party was now the largest party in the Reichstag but was not a majority. Hitler wanted to gain 2/3 of the seats to allow him more power.

What did Hitler do before the Enabling Act?

He worked to persuade other parties as he wanted majority support for his new law.

Consequences of the Enabling Act

THE END OF THE WEIMAR CONSTITUTION & DEMOCRACY

• Hitler now had the power to make laws & sign agreements with foreign powers without needing the Reichstag’s approval

• The Reichstag is now useless - after this it met only 12 times just to listen to Hitler talk instead of voting/discussing anything

THE “NAZI REVOLUTION”

• Hitler started a process of using his new powers to remove any remaining opposition;

1. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; overtaken by Nazis, then abolished

2. TRADE UNIONS; weakened to gain the favor of big businesses

3. OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES; SDP & Communists suspended, then a law is passed banning all parties except the Nazis

When was the Enabling Act?

March 1933

What problems did Hitler have with the SA?

RÖHM

• Due to the SA’s great power, Röhm (the SA leader) could potentially rival Hitler.

• Röhm had more socialist, anti-big businesses views — Hitler wanted the economic backing

• Röhm was a homosexual, and some party members were offended and claimed he was “corrupting the Hitler Youth”.

THE SA’S NEGATIVE IMPACT

• Their behavior embarrassed Hitler; violence, intimidation, drunken infighting. This behavior made the Nazis lose support of many conservative Germans

• The SA’s influence affected Nazi-army relations. Army leaders were still influential — Hitler wanted to rearm & grow the army while the SA wanted to replace the army.

• Himmler (the SS leader) resented the SA’s influence & was keen to weaken it

When was the Night of the Long Knives & what happened?

30th June 1934

• SS arrests 200 officers. Many, including Röhm, are executed

Hitler took responsibility and claimed that he was defending Germany against a plot led by Röhm

When does Hitler become Führer?

August 1934. He uses Hindenburg’s death as the opportunity to merge the roles of Chancellor and President. The army’s oath of loyalty is made directly to him now.

What events lead up to / cause Hitler to become Führer?

THE ENABLING ACT 1933

• The end of the Weimar Constitution & Democracy in Germany — he could now bypass the Reichstag

THE NIGHT OF LONG KNIVES 1934

• The SA was kept at bay and no longer threatened Hitler’s authority or the Nazi Party’s reputation.

HINDENBURG’S DEATH

• He could now assimilate the role of President and merge the roles of President & Chancellor to become the Führer