(Topic 2) Nazi Germany: Estalishing a Dictatorship (1933-1945)

The Reichstag Fire:

(27th February 1933)

• Marinus Van De Lube (acted alone & not as a collective with communist party) is thought to have set fire to the Reichstag building.

• Hitler saw this an opportunity to start a widespread Communist conspiracy…

Decree for the Protection of People and the State:

• suspended civil rights of the constitution

• police had the right to arrest people- mass arrests of Communists & Socialists (often for no particular reason)

(1933) establishing a dictatorship:

Elections (March 1933):

• conducted in an atmosphere of intimidation

• Rise in Nazi votes (43.5%) → largest in Reichstag

• SA harassed/attacked KPD&SPD- many arrested (as a deterrence)

Potsdam Day (21st March 1933):

• A ‘Day of Unity’ - Hindenburg&Hitler spread messages of Nazism&Conservative Unity in front of mass audiences

The Enabling Act (24th March 1933):

• Moved to take dictatorial powers, asked Reichstag to pass laws that gave him power to rule by decree.

• Act passed 444:99- only SPD opposing

• KPD banned

• SPD banned (June)

• Trade Unions banned (May)

• All other political parties banned after July (alongside left-wing newspapers)

Factors enabling Nazi consolidation of power:

Terror:

• 100,000 political opponents imprisoned between 1933-34

• Concentration Camps (eg Dachau March 1933)

• Hundreds of opposing Socialists killed in Berlin after resisting arrest

Night of the Long Knives:

• murder of political opponents (Kahr, Schleicher, Rohm etc → Papen on house arrest)

• Hitler feared the SA becoming too powerful, organised a ‘meeting’ and instead had the leader (Rohm) & around 150 SA (400 in total) → publicised that only 85 were purged, but was more (silencing truths)

Support of the Conservative Elites:

• had support in Reichstag- many industrialists & upper class had financially supported NSPD during March elections

Propaganda:

• Goebbels portrayed gov actions as necessary to deal with a ‘national emergency’ (eg Potsdam Day) and Hitler as the leader to get Germany through it

Illusion of moderation:

• Reichstag Fire Decree & Enabling Act created a (false) impression of legality.

• Concordat signed with Catholic Church (July 1933) which said that he would not interfere in the running of the Catholic Church if it stayed out of political matters

Gleichschaltung: co-ordination

• Laws came into place in April that removed Jews/political opponents from civil service, schools, courts, professional jobs (Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service)

• German Labour Front (DAF) established as a labour organisation to replace trade unions. They controlled all aspects of work (eg wages, working conditions etc) → membership was mandatory for all German workers

Death of President Hindenburg:

• (2nd August 1934) Hitler legally combines the roles of Chancellor & President = Fuhrer

• Legitimises it after through a plebiscite- 90% voted for him

• Demonstrated popular support but also criticised for lack of democracy - did fear also influence the vote?

The Nature of the Nazi Government: