The Establishment of the Nazi Dictatorship

• When was Hitler appointed as Chancellor? 

  30th January 1933 
• How many of the cabinet of 12 were Nazis due to Hindenburg’s terms of agreeing to have Hitler as Chancellor? 

  Just 3. 
• Name each of the 3 Nazi ministers and their respective roles.  

  • Hitler (Chancellor) 
  • Wilhelm Frick- Minister of the Interior  
  • Hermann Goering- Minister without portfolio/ Prussia  

    
• How was the role of Minister of the Interior helpful to the Nazis? 

  He controlled the police. 
• How was the role of Minister without portfolio/ Prussia helpful to the Nazis? 

  They don’t have a specific government department, so they can be involved in many policy areas, plus they are in charge of Prussia which is the largest state in Germany.  
• How many people attended Hitler’s torchlight procession when he became Chancellor? 

  Around 100,000 people. 
• Which paramilitary organisation had 500,000 members in 1933? 

  The SA. 
• What was the Stahlhelm? (steel helmet) 

  A large paramilitary group of ex-servicemen aiming to restore the monarchy and the military power of Germany. 
• How were they given full freedom to do whatever they wished? 

  The Nazis classified the SA and Stahlhelm as ‘auxiliary police’ so they had powers above the regular police. 
• What did they use this freedom to do? 

  They launched an attack upon the KPD and SPD. This resulted in deaths, banning of newspapers and concentration camp arrests. 
• How did the Reichstag Fire help the Nazis? 

  A Communist, van der Lubbe, was found guilty and it allowed them to form the idea of a Communist plot, sparking the decline of the KPD. 
• After this the ‘The Decree of the Protection of the People and State’ was passed by Hindenburg giving Hitler emergency powers. Name 3 things this meant.  

  -Police had increased powers to arrest 

  -They could detain without charge 

  -They could enter and search private premises 

  -The government could censor information 

  -Central governments could take over state governments if they didn’t comply 
• Why did Hitler ask for fresh elections in March 1933? 

  He hoped with the KPD banned the Nazis would now have their majority.  
• How many seats in the March 1933 election did the Nazis gain? 

  They achieved about 44% of the votes.   
• When was the Enabling Act passed? 

  24th March 1933, 3 weeks after the disappointing election.  
• What did this mean? 

  Hitler could make laws and foreign treaties without the President and Reichstag’s approval for a period of four years. 
• How did he get it passed? 

  He needed 2/3 of the Reichstag to approve and he managed to get the DNVP and Centre Party on his side.