reichstag fire

• • 27 February 1933, reichstag was lit on fire; a communist supporter, Lubbe, was caught with matches & was tried with 4 others
  • lubbe was executed
• • hitler claimed lubbe was part of a communist conspiracy against the government & used this as an opportunity to attack communists
• • 4000 communists were arrested on the night of the fire & forced Hindenburg to declare a state of emergency
• • hitler persuaded hindenburg to call an election for 5 march 1933 for more Nazi seats
• • before the election of march 1933, hitler..
  • issued Decree for Protection of People & State; allowing him to imprison political opponents & ban communist newspapers
  • controlled police force & ensured they turned a blind eye to violent activities of SA
• • it was a bloody election campaign, violent clashes led to 70 deaths
• • Hitler used emergency powers to ban communist party from taking seats, giving him 2/3 of the Reichstag
  • Hitler now had enough votes to change the constitution of the republic
• what did hitler issue before the elections?

  Decree for the Protection of the People & the state