Nazi Germany 1933-4

• Hitler's consolidation of his power and his rise to become Führer (supreme leader)


  1933-4
• Hitler


  • Was the Chancellor of Germany
  • Was the leader of the largest political Party in Germany
• Hitler and the Nazi Party did not have a majority in the Reichstag
• That meant Hitler still needed the support of other political parties to pass laws; he couldn't do what he wanted
• Hitler decided to call another election for March 1933


  Hoped he would get a majority this time
• The Reichstag building was set on fire


  February 27th 1933
• It is not known for definite who started the fire (people think it was the Nazis)
• The Nazis arrested Marinus van der Lubbe, a Dutch Communist
• Hitler and the Nazis then claimed that the Communists were about to stage a takeover of Germany
• Hitler then persuaded Hindenburg to sign the 'Decree for the Protection of the People and State'


  1. This allowed the Nazis to imprison large numbers of their political opponents, mainly the Communists

  2. The Communist and Socialists newspapers were also banned
• This helped the Nazis as their main rivals found it difficult to campaign in the week before the election and lots of Germans were worried about voting for the Communists
• At the election the Nazis increased their vote to 288 seats (44%); but they still didn't have a majority in the Reichstag
• The Enabling Law

  Hitler formed a coalition with the Nationalist Party so that he had a majority in the Reichstag and could start to get things done
• Passing the Enabling Bill

  1. Communists Party members couldn't vote

  2. Anybody who was absent was counted as present and voting in favour of the Bill

  3. The SA intimidated members as they entered the Reichstag

  4. Hitler made promises to the Catholics (such as no interference with Catholic schools) so that they would vote in his favour
• Enabling Act

  • Meant Hitler could make laws without consulting the Reichstag for the next 4 years
  • Enabled Hitler to turn Germany into a dictatorship
• Actions taken by Hitler with the power of the Enabling Act

  1. Banned opposing parties and put leaders in concentration camps

  2. Banned Trade Unions

  3. Put Nazis in charge of all state governments

  4. Used fear and intimidation to make sure people didn't challenge the Nazis
• The Night of the Long Knives

  Hitler had Röhm and 400 leaders of the SA shot by members of the SS (the Blackshirts; Hitler's private bodyguards)
• Hitler also used the opportunity to get rid of other enemies such as von Schleicher
• Hitler told the German people that he had protected them from a takeover
• 4. The Death of President Hindenburg  Hindenburg died in August 1934 (he was old and frail).
• •       Hitler then combined the role of Chancellor and President to make himself Führer, which means Supreme Leader. Nobody could stop him due to the Enabling Law. 
• Hitler then made the army swear an oath of loyalty to him, rather than the country.