history WA2

• name the 5 events that happened in chronological order

  1. reichstag fire
  2. enabing act
  3. gleichschaltung (co-ordination)
  4. the night of the long knives
  5. the army and the oath of allegiance
• what does consolidation mean?

  consolidation is a term that is used when something is needed to be made physically stronger/solid
• what does rise to power mean?

  it means that hitler ( a political party) was ascending to a position of influence and governance.

  side note:

  rise to power ended in 1932

  was voted into the reichstag

  it also means that hitler was not in full control of germans yet
• when did hitler become chancellor?

  in january 1933
• how long did the great depression last?

  3 years, 1930-1933
• reichstag fire

  • 27 february 1933 - the reichstag building was burnt down
  • hitler declared that the fire was the beinning of a communist uprising
  • he also persuaded hindenburg to pass the decree (official order). thus, giving him sweeping emergency powers.
  • sweeping emergency powers - to speed up the process of decision making in times of crisis.
  • led to opposition party meetings, newspaper & broacasts being banned as it was didfficult for opposition parties to campaign in the elections (5 march)
  • nazi also had 52% of the seats because of this ( majority)
• the enabling act

  • the enabling act allowed hitler to make and pass laws without consulting the reichstag
  • only hitler’s old enemies had voted against him (e.g SPD)
  • reichstag members did not/could not vote since most of them were either injured or intimidated by the SA & SS

  SA & SS are respectively the unemplyed and working class and the middle classes

  • this act was passed on 24 march - hitler is now a dictator and no more democracy in germany.( hindenburg and everyone else could not stop him)
• Night of the long knives

  The purge of the SA leadership by Hitler in 1934
• Hitler saw Ernst Rohm (leader of SA) as a threat in mid 1934


  There was tension between the two by 1933
• SA

  • Nearly 3 million strong
  • Members were extremely loyal to Rohm
• Army commanders were unsettled by Rohm's talk

  Of making the SA into a second army
• Events of 29-30 June 1934


  1. SS men had detained Rohm & other SA members

  2. Hitler accused Rohm of trying to overthrow him

  3. Rohm and others were killed
• Purge


  The killing of the SA leadership, known as the night of the long knives
• Hitler placed his old rival von Papen under house arrest


  This meant that his plans to control Hitler was ruined and he resigned as vice-chancellor
• the army and oath of allegiance

  • Hindenburg died soon after the night of the long knives which meant that he was left with noone that could rival his authority.
  • hitler soon became fueher (supreme leader) of germany.
  • 2 august 1934, the entire army swore an oath of personal loyalty to hitler