Part 3 Nazi control and dictatorship 1933-39

• The Reichstag Fire occurred on 27 February 1933, where a lone Dutch communist was executed for starting the fire
• Hitler used the Reichstag Fire as an opportunity to accuse the Communist Party of a conspiracy against the government and arrested four thousand communists
• The Decree Enabling Act of 1933 gave Hitler powers to imprison political opponents and ban opposition newspapers
• Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to call an election in March 1933 to secure more Nazi seats, with the Nazi Party managing to secure two-thirds of the seats by using emergency powers to prevent the communists from taking up their 81 seats
• Some people believed the Nazis had started the Reichstag Fire deliberately, leading to the arrest and execution of Marinus van der Lubbe for the fire
• Hitler used the SA to intimidate the opposition and secure a vote in favor of the Nazis, winning 444 to 94
• Hitler proposed the Enabling Act in 1933 to destroy the power of the Reichstag and give himself total power to make laws
• Key points of the Enabling Act:

  • The Reich Cabinet could pass new laws
  • The laws could overrule the constitution
  • Hitler would propose the laws
• The Enabling Act's result: Germany would no longer be a democracy
• The Enabling Act allowed Hitler to eliminate opposition to the Nazis
• Local Government:

  • Closed down on 31 March 1933
  • Reorganized with Nazi majorities
  • Completely abolished in January 1934
• Trade unions were replaced with the German Labour Front
• Many union officials were arrested on 2 May 1933
• In May 1933, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Communist Party offices and funds were taken by the Nazis
• In July 1933, other political parties were banned
• Why Rohm and the SA were a threat to Hitler;

  • Rohm did not like Hitlers Policies
  • The SA was much bigger than the army and the

  army feared Röhm wanted to replace them.
• What was the knight of long knives?

  Purge of the SA leadership.