KQ4- Consolidation of power

• Reichstag fire


  The burning down of the Reichstag building only a few weeks after Hitler had become chancellor
• The Reichstag fire


  Provided Hitler with the ideal excuse to remove the threat posed by his greatest opposition - the Communist Party
• Hitler's position when he became chancellor

  • There were only two other Nazis in the cabinet of 12
  • The Nazis and his allies, the Nationalist Party, did not have a majority in the Reichstag
  • President Hindenburg detested him
• Von Papen's claim that he would be able to control Hitler was completely wrong
• Hitler's actions after becoming chancellor

  1. Immediately called a general election for 5 March 1933

  2. Hoping it would give him a clear majority in the Reichstag

  3. If he controlled parliament then he would be able to make the laws needed to tighten his grip on the nation

  4. It would all be done by the rule of Nazi law
• Violence and terror were again seen in this election campaign and there were about 70 deaths in the weeks leading up to voting day
• Hitler received large amounts of money from leading industrialists to assist his campaign
• With access to the media, Goebbels would be able to put the Nazi message over unceasingly
• The Reichstag building was set on fire

  27 February 1933
• It is not known who started the fire, but the Nazis arrested Marinus van der Lubbe, a Dutch communist
• Hitler and Goebbels saw this as a great opportunity to exploit and claimed that the communists were about to stage a takeover
• Following the Reichstag fire

  1. Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to sign the 'Decree for the Protection of People and State'

  2. This suspended basic civil rights

  3. Allowed the Nazis to imprison large numbers of their political opponents

  4. The communist and socialist newspapers were banned
• how many seats did the nazi party win in the 1933 election?

  288 seats
• what percentage of votes did the nazi party win?

  43.9%
• when was the enabling act passed?

  23 March 1933
• the passing of the enabling act marked the..

  end of the constitution and democracy
• the passing of the enabling act was regarded as the..

  foundation stone
• when was the law for the protection of the people and the state

  28th February 1933
• when was the election in the kroll opera House

  5th March 1933
• trade unions banned


  2nd May 1933
• political parties (other than nazis) banned

  14th July 1933
• state parliaments abolished 


  30th January 1934
• 2nd August 1934

  • president hindenburg dies
  • army swear oath of loyalty
  • h combines chancellor and presedent- fuhrer
• Gleichschaltung


  Policy to bring German society in line with Nazi philosophy, creating a centrally controlled National Socialist state
• Consolidation of power


  1. Removal of opposition

  2. Banning of trade unions

  3. Banning of political parties

  4. Centralisation of state government
• The Communist Party (KPD) had been banned after the Reichstag fire and its property had been confiscated
• The Social Democratic Party had its headquarters, property and newspapers seized
• The remaining political parties disbanded themselves voluntarily at the end of June and beginning of July
• The Law Against the Formation of Parties was passed, which made the Nazi Party the sole legal political party in Germany
• In the November 1933 general election, 95.2 per cent of the electorate voted and the Nazis won 39,638,000 votes
• Hitler broke down the federal structure of Germany, abolishing the parliaments of the 18 Länder and replacing them with Reich governors
• Night of the Long Knives


  Purging of Hitler's political and military rivals in the SA
• Hitler saw the SA as a significant threat


  Needed to win the support of the army
• Röhm wanted to incorporate the army into the SA


  Disappointed by Hitler's close relations with industrialists and the army
• Röhm wanted more government interference in the running of the country


  To help the ordinary citizens and bring greater equality
• Goering wanted to lead the armed forces


  Saw Röhm as an opponent
• Events of 30 June 1934

  1. Hitler took action following information from Himmler that Röhm was about to seize power

  2. Röhm and main SA leaders were shot by SS

  3. Hitler also settled some old scores, murdering von Schleicher and Gregor Strasser
• Hitler: 'In this hour I was responsible for the fate of the German people and therefore I became the supreme judge of the German people'
• Impact of the Night of the Long Knives

  • Eradicated would-be opponents
  • Secured the support of the army
  • Relegated the SA to a minor role
  • Showed that fear and terror would play significant roles
• Hitler becomes Führer


  1. Gained support of the army by removing the SA threat

  2. Referendum in August 1934 approved his combining of chancellor and president roles