The Reichstag fire occurred in February 1933, one week before German elections. A Dutch communist named Marinus van der Lubbe was found at the scene and confessed to starting the fire, hoping to end Nazi rule. However, many believe the Nazis themselves started the fire in order to gain emergency powers and blame the communists. Evidence for Nazi involvement includes a tunnel connecting the Reichstag to Goering's residence, Nazis who later took credit, and communists who were tortured instead of given fair trials. While van der Lubbe was convicted, other alleged accomplices were found not guilty, suggesting non-communist involvement. The document examines evidence for and against Nazi and communist culpability in the Reichstag fire.

1. Hitler and Nazi Germany
The Reichstag
Fire:
Who was to
blame?

2. In today’s class, I am learning to:
• Analyse evidence about who was to
blame for starting the Reichstag fire
The Reichstag Fire

3. In March 1933 elections were to be held to the
Reichstag. However one week before the elections (27
February), the Reichstag was burned to the ground.
The Reichstag Fire

4. The Reichstag Fire
A Dutch Communist named
Marinus van der Lubbe was
blamed for the fire.
Hitler used this as a an
excuse to arrest Communists
all over Germany.
However many people
believe that the Nazis
themselves may have
started the fire.

5. Revolts against Weimar
Who was to blame?
Evidence:
The Communists

6. The Reichstag Fire
There was a range of
evidence to support Marinus
van der Lubbe as being guilty
of causing the fire.
He was the only man found
at the scene of the crime, and
he had various materials
which could be used to start a
fire, including matches and
firelighters.

7. The Reichstag Fire
Van der Lubbe was arrested
and interviewed by the
German police.
He signed a confession
confirming that he had
carried out the crime, even
describing all of his times
and movements inside the
Reichstag when he started
the fire.

8. The Reichstag Fire
When asked why he
carried out the crime, van
der Lubbe said it was
because of the way that
Germany was governed.
Communists were being
arrested and intimidated,
so he said he did it to try
and fight back, and end
Nazi rule in Germany.

9. The Reichstag Fire
When Hitler heard the news
and arrived at the Reichstag,
witnesses say they he
seemed both scared and
surprised, believing a
Communist revolution was
beginning.
This suggests that Hitler had
not known about the plans
beforehand.

10. The Reichstag Fire
After the fire the Nazis
raided the headquarters of
the Communist Party.
During this search the Nazis
claimed to have found
numerous documents which
planned world revolution,
including using violence
(although these documents
were never published).

11. The Reichstag Fire
Van der Lubbe was put on
trial for the crime. He was
found guilty and sentenced
to death (by beheading).
If the Nazis had been
involved in the crime they
may have not wanted the
publicity of a trial, perhaps
suggesting that it was a
Communist action.

12. Revolts against Weimar
Who was to blame?
Evidence:
The Nazis

13. The Reichstag Fire
However a great many
people were suspicious of
claims that this was a
Communist action.
It was suggested that as the
Nazis would hugely benefit
from the fire (due to new
powers and more votes) that
they started the fire
themselves.

14. The Reichstag Fire
In London, Communists held
a counter trial about the fire.
They produced evidence such
as a tunnel which linked
Hermann Goering’s residence
to the Reichstag.
It was claimed that Nazis
used the tunnel to enter the
building and spread petrol,
before starting the fire.

15. The Reichstag Fire
The Nazis were known to
use extreme violence to try
and achieve their goals.
Hitler himself had led an
attempted putsch, and the
1934 Night of the Long
Knives showed the Nazis
were willing to kill even their
own supporters. A fire is
therefore a small action.

16. The Reichstag Fire
The death of Adolf Rall
pointed fingers at the Nazis.
Rall was a Nazi and is said to
have told prosecutors that
the Nazis started the fire to
try and blame Communists.
It has been claimed that the
Nazis murdered Rall in 1933
to stop him repeating these
claims.

17. The Reichstag Fire
Many of the Communists
that were arrested that night
were not fairly treated and
instead subject to torture.
Hitler even asked the
President for permission to
hang the men that night, but
was refused.
This suggests the Nazis had
something to hide.

18. The Reichstag Fire
Some Nazis (such as Karl
Ernst) later claimed that
they had been involved in
the plot.
They said they started the
fire in the hope that the
Communists would be
blamed, ensuring the end of
any chance of a Communist
takeover.

19. The Reichstag Fire
Various Communists –
including van der Lubbe –
were put on trial for the
crime. However only van der
Lubbe was found guilty.
This suggests that it was not
a wider Communist plot, or
that if van der Lubbe had
help then it came from non-
Communists.

20. The Reichstag Fire
DEBATE
Reichstag Fire: who was to blame?
• Marinus van der Lubbe on his own?
• van der Lubbe in a Communist plot?
• The Nazi Party?