05. DEPTH STUDY GERMANY: NAZI REGIME - HITLER CONSOLIDATING POWER 1933-34.PPTX Following Hitler’s appointment as chancellor the Nazis were finally in a position of power. However, this power was limited, as the Nazis were just one party in a three party coalition government, under President Hindenburg. This topic will explore how the Nazis managed to eliminate their opposition and consolidate ultimate power over Germany, whilst maintaining an illusion of democracy. It will first explore this topic in chronological order, from the Reichstag Fire through to the death of President Hindenburg, and then explore it thematically in the last section. On the 31 January 1933, Hitler, conscious of his lack of a majority in the Reichstag, immediately called for new elections to try and strengthen his position. The Nazis aimed to increase their share of the vote so that they would have a majority in the Reichstag. This would allow them to rule unopposed and unhindered by coalition governments. Over the next two months, they launched themselves into an intense election campaign. On 27 February 1933, as the campaign moved into its final, frantic days, the Reichstag, the German Parliament building, was set on fire and burnt down. An atmosphere of panic and terror followed the event. This continued when a young Dutch communist, Van der Lubbe was arrested for the crime. The Nazi Party used the atmosphere of panic to their advantage, encouraging anti-communism. Göring declared that the communists had planned a national uprising to overthrow the Weimar Republic. This hysteria helped to turn the public against the communists, one of the Nazis main opponents, and 4000 people were imprisoned. The day after the fire, Hindenburg signed the Emergency Decree for the Protection of the German People. On the 28 February 1933, President Hindenburg signed the Emergency Decree for the Protection of the German People. This decree suspended the democratic aspects of the Weimar Republic and declared a state of emergency. This decree gave the Nazis a legal basis for the persecution and oppression of any opponents, who were be framed as traitors to the republic. People could be imprisoned for any or no reason. The decree also removed basic personal freedoms, such as the freedom of speech, the right to own property, and the right to trial before imprisonment. Through these aspects the Nazis suppressed any opposition to their power, and were able to start the road from democracy to a dictatorship. The atmosphere of uncertainty following the Reichstag Fire secured many voters for the Nazi party. The SA also ran a violent campaign of terror against any and all opponents of the Nazi regime. Many were terrified of voting of at all, and many turned to voting for the Nazi Party out of fear for their own safety. The elections were neither free or fair. On the 5 March 1933, the elections took place, with an extremely high turnout of 89%. The Nazis secured 43.9% of the vote.

1. DEPTH STUDY
NAZI GERMANY
HITLER DOMINATING
GERMANY BY 1934
CONSOLIDATING
POWER 1933-1934
05

2. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY

3. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
BEINGTHECHANCELLOR
• WhenHitlerbecameChancellorofGermanyon30January1933,hisinfluencewas
limitedonaccountoftheagreementbetweenHindenburgandvonPapen.
• HewasjustanotherHeadofyetanotherWeimarcoalitiongovernment.
• IttookHitler18monthstoconverthispositionintooneofabsolutepower.
• Thefirststageintheprocesswasto callforageneralelectiontobeheldon5th of
March.
• Theelectionssupposedtobefreeandpeaceful,butpoliceandSAwereextremely
violentagainstCommunists.
• HitlerpersuadedHindenburg toissueanemergencydecreewhich suspended
personalfreedomsandincreasedpolicepowers

4. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY

5. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THEREICHSTAGFIRE
• Ontheeveningof27 February,theReichstagbuildingburnt
down.
• ADutchCommunist,MarinusvanderLubbe,wasarrestedin
theReichstaggroundsandchargedwithstartingthefire.
• Hitlerimmediatelyclaimedthatthisisaproofof a
Communistplotagainstthestate,andpersuaded
Hindenburgtoissueanemergencydecreewhich suspended
personalfreedomandincreasedpolicepowers.
• Heusedtheopportunitytostartapublicscareaboutthe
allegedCommunistthreat.

6. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY

7. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THEREICHSTAGFIREATHERMATH
• Hitlerwasdelightedbywhathappened,becausethiswastheevidenceofwhathe
hadbeensayingforyears.
• Thecommunistsweretryingtoseizepowerbyviolentrevolution.
• Theyhad tobestopped.
• Hehad4000leadingcommunists arrestedandpersuadedHindenburgtosign “A
DecreefortheProtectionofthePeopleandtheState”.
• HitlerusedthiseventtopreventNazisopponentsfromholdingpublicmeetingsand
toarrestmorecommunists.
• ThefirewasveryconvenientfortheNazis.Somehistorianshavesuggestedthat
theyhadthefirestartedthemselves.

8. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
UNCONFIRMEDTHEORIES
• Thereisnoobjectiveevidencetosuggestthattheydidit, butitremainsextremely
doubtfulthatvanderLubbewasapartofacommunistconspiracy.
• Healwaysdeniedthat.

9. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY

10. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
ACTIVITY1
• HowusefulisthesourceasevidenceofNazi
involvementintheReichstagFire?

11. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
ACTIVITY2
SUMMARIZEIN
ONEPARAGRAPH
•WhywasHitlersopleasedbythe
Reichstagfire?

12. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
ACTIVITY3
HOWDOESBRITISH
SOURCEDIFFERFROM
THESTATEMENT?
HOWRELIABLEARE
THESESOURCES?
Marinus Van
der Lubbe’s
statement to
the police
about the
Reichstag Fire,
March 1933.
A British newspaper reporter’s view of the Reichstag Fire.

13. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THEGENERALELECTIONOF5MARCH1933
• Naziscontrolledthepoliceandthemedia (newspapersandradiostations)soHitler
washopingtoachieveatleasthalfofthevotesintheincoming elections.
• Thatwouldenablehimtoleadwithoutanyothercoalitionpartners(weak
government).
• Nazisreceived43.9% ofthevotesandthatwasnotenough.
• HitlerneededthesupportoftheNationalists.

14. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THEENABLINGACT –23MARCH1933
• InordertoincreasehispowersandbeabletogovernwithouttheReichstag
(parliament),HitlerintroducedaverycontroversialActwhichwouldestablish
thedictatorship.
• Itachievedthenecessary66% intheParliamentbythreatsandpromises.
• SAandSStroopswereinsideandoutsidetheKrollOperaHousebuilding,
showingtheirweaponsandchantingslogans,toputpressureonthevoters.
• OnlytheSocialDemocratsopposed,andthe EnablingActpassedby441 votesto
94.

15. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY

16. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
ALEGALDICTATORSHIP,WITHCHALLENGES
• Hitlerwasnowalegaldictator.
• Buthealsohadnumerouspeopletoopposehim, suchas:
- Theunions,withthepowertoorganisestrikes(remembertheirroleintheKapp
Putschin1920)
- Theoppositionpartieswhocan regroupandchallengethelegalityoftheAct
- TheCivilServicewhocouldhavechallengethelegalityofHitler’sactions,
includingtheintroductionsof newlaws
- Thestategovernmentscouldapprovesomenewanti-Nazipolicies
- TheArmycouldhaveorganisedacoupunderHindenburg’s command

17. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THECONSOLIDATIONOFPOWER:TRADEUNIONSANDPARTIES
TRADEUNIONS
InMay1933, thetradeunionswereabolished,theirleadersarrested,theirpremises
andequipmentseizedandtheirfundsconfiscated.
ANazi-ledGermanLabourFrontwassetupinitsplacetowhich allworkershadto
belong.Strikeactionbecomeillegal.
POLITICALPARTIES
ByJuly1933, allpoliticalpartiesapartfromtheNazishadbeenbanned andGermany
becameaone-partystate.

18. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THECONSOLIDATIONOFPOWER:CIVILSERVICEANDGOVERNMENTS
CIVILSERVICE
TheCivilServicewaspurgedofallJewsand“enemiesofthestate”,tomakethem
loyalandreliable.
GOVERNMENTS
InApril1933,Nazistategovernorswereappointedwithpowerstomakestatelaws.
Stateparliamentswereabolishedinearly1934.

19. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THEONLYREMAININGPROBLEM:THEARMY
Hitler’sonlyremainingproblemwasthearmy.
HewasworriedbyErnstRohm, theleaderoftheSA,andhisgrowing independence.
Hitlerwantedtosendaclearsignaltothearmyleadersthattheyweretoremainin
chargeof aspecial,highlytrainedandprofessionalbody.
Hewantedtopreventacoup.

20. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
ARMYVSSTURMABTEILUNGACTIVITY
TheadvantagesanddisadvantagesforHitlerinsupportingtheSA orthearmyaresetoutinthediagrambellow.
DecidewhichHitlershouldchoose.
SUPPORTINGTHESA
Reasonsfor:
1. RohmwasanoldfriendofHitler
2. TheSAhadfoughtforHitlerinthe1923MunichPutschandinlaterfightagainstCommunism
3. TheywerecommittedNazis
4. TheSAhadgrowntoover2.5millionmenanditwasmuchlargerthanthearmy
Reasonsagainst:
1. TheSAwasbeginningtogetoutofhand.Itwasinterferingintherunningof thecountryandthelawcourts.
2. ItdisapprovedofsomeoftheNazileaders.
3. IfHitlerusedtheSAtocontrolthearmy,thenhewouldhavetogoalongwiththeirotherdemands.
4. HitlerdidnotagreewiththeSA’santi-capitalistpoliciesandworking-classaims.

21. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
ARMYVSSTURMABTEILUNGACTIVITY
TheadvantagesanddisadvantagesforHitlerinsupportingtheSAorthearmyaresetoutinthediagrambellow.
DecidewhichHitlershouldchoose.
SUPPORTINGTHEARMY
Reasonsfor:
1. Thearmywaswelltrained,organisedanddisciplined.
2. ItwastheonlyorganisationwhichhadthepowertoremoveHitler.
3. Ithadthesupportofbigbusinessesandconservatives.
4. AnefficientarmywasneededforHitlertoretakethelandlostintheTreatyofVersailles.
Reasonsagainst:
1. Thearmywassmall.Ithadonly100,000 men.
2. HowloyalthearmywouldbetoHitlerwasunknown.
3. SomeofthegeneralsdislikedHitlerandtheNazis.

22. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THENIGHTOFTHELONGKNIVES
On29 June1934 Hitleracted.
HecalledameetingofSAleadersforthefollowingdayatWiesseeinBavaria.
Onthenightof30th ofJune1934, RohmandotherSAleaderswerearrestedandshot.
Duringthenext2weeks,severalhundredseniorsSAmenandotherrivalsand
potentialenemies,includingvonSchleicher,werealsomurderedbytheSS.
On13 July1934HitlertoldtheReichstagthat Rohmhadbeenarrestedandexecuted
becausehewasplottingtoseizepower.

23. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THENIGHTOFTHELONGKNIVES DergroßeSS-Schutz-Staffel-Appellder
GruppeOstderSS.inBerlin!
[Ernst]Röhm, [Heinrich] Himmler, [Kurt]
Daluege.August1933.

24. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THENIGHTOFTHELONGKNIVESCONT.
TheprimaryinstrumentsofHitler'saction,which carriedoutmostofthekillings,
weretheSchutzstaffel(SS)paramilitaryforceunderHimmleranditsSecurity
Service(SD),andGestapo(secretpolice)underReinhardHeydrich.
Göring's personalpolicebattalionalsotookpartinthekillings.
ManyofthosekilledinthepurgewereleadersoftheSA,thebest-known beingRöhm
himself,theSA'schiefofstaffandoneof Hitler'slongtimesupportersandallies.

25. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY
THENIGHTOFTHELONGKNIVESCONT.
Leadingmembersoftheleftist-leaningStrasseristfactionoftheNaziParty,including
itsleaderGregorStrasser,werealsokilled,aswereestablishmentconservativesand
anti-Nazis,suchasformerChancellorKurtvonSchleicherandBavarianpolitician
GustavRittervonKahr,whohadhelpedsuppressHitler'sMunichBeerHallPutschin
1923.
ThemurdersofSAleaderswerealsointended toimprovetheimageoftheHitler
governmentwithaGermanpublic thatwasincreasinglycriticalofthuggishSA
tactics.