Consolidation of Nazi Power 1933

Consolidation of Nazi Power 1933 – 1934.

Sources:

http://www.activehistory.co.uk/worksheets/a2/lme/1933_34_consolidation.doc

http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/triumph/tr-roehm.htm

Traynor p 264 ff

Geary, D. Hitler and Nazism. P 37 - 62

I have used the Timeline from activehistory and made small adjustments and commentaries.

Today we will have a look on how Hitler could become dictator of Germany in a little more than one year.

Chronology of events 1933-34

Hitler appointed Chancellor 30 Jan

only 3 Nazis (Hitler, Göring, Frick) in the cabinet, with Papen as Vice Chancellor.
President Hindenburg agrees to dissolve the Reichstag and hold new elections march 5 1933.
Hitler is unhappy about the situation and promise that the Nazi will win a majority in the new election.
Hitler as Chancellor makes him powerful. Göring is Minister of Interior in Prussia, the biggest state, a very useful and powerful position. Göring will make sure that no SA-men are arrested for interfering in other parties political meetings. He will also put Nazi-men in high positions.
SA will start harassing Communists and Social Democrats. Supported by the Conservative. Popular among the middle class.

Reichstag building destroyed by fire February 27 1933.

probably committed by Dutch Communist van der Lubbe acting alone.
used by Nazis to show Communist threat.

Emergency Decrees

Feb 28 Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the Nation and the State
issued by Hindenburg using Article 48
suspended constitutional civil rights such as freedom of press and freedom of speech.
secret police could hold people indefinitely in protective custody.
Göring’s role is vital here. The nazis gained control over all police activity in Prussia. No SA-thugs will be arrested. Communists will be arrested with no trial.
The Decree issued by Hindenburg gives Hitler power to rule with decrees, but he is still under control of Hindenburg.

Other emergency Decrees

imprisonment without trial
used to repress KPD ( German Communist Party).
Central Government could take over local states not keeping order
remained throughout 3rd Reich: amounted to basic law of 3rd Reich

Elections March 5th 1933

Reichstag was dissolved on the 1st Feb 1933, meaning that Hitler and the Nazi Party could campaign without the interference of the Parliament.
Government used control of the radio, police, along with unofficial pressure, to intimidate opponents in the election
highest ever turnout with volumes of 88.8%. Nazis attracted many new voters with their Election slogan "The battle against Marxism"
Nazis, surprisingly, only got 44% of the votes, Nationalist allies got 8%. Together they have majority in the parliament. This opens for the Enabling Act.

March 9 - von Epp Coup.

A coup was carried out in Bavaria, replacing the state government with Nazi government.
By April nazi Governors had taken power in all 18 states.
Made this legal in January 1934 (see last point)

March 13th - Control of media

Goebbels was appointed head of new Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
The Government took control of the radio and press

March 24th Enabling Act ("Law for Terminating the Suffering of the People and Nation")

Law was passed by Reichstag who had been relocated to Opera House after fire and were surrounded by the SA/SS
Law meant that the Cabinet (in effect, Hitler) could pass decrees without the President's nor the Reichtag’s involvement.
Hitler is in fact Dictator from now on.

Dachau Concentration camp opens in March 1933.

Communists, Social Democrats and other “trouble makers” are put here.
Internalizing Terror early in the Nazi Society. (Compare to Stalin…)

Enabling Act continued

Enabling Act needed 213 majority as constitutional amendment
passed by 441 vs 94 (only SPD voted against, KPD banned)
Act renewed 1938
became virtual constitution of Third Reich

Law for Restoration of Professional Civil Service

administration, courts, education purged of "alien elements", i.e. Jews, opponents
only 5%, actually replaced
extended to all public service resulting in the removal of thousands of Jews

May 1 Government granted workers May Day holiday

turned International Labour day into "Day of National Labour"
May 2. Trade union offices seized: all unions incorporated into new German Labour Front (DAF)
Strike made illegal later in Germany.

Employment Law - June

major public works
SPD is banned in June 1934, The Catholic Centre Party voluntarily dissolved themselves.

Law against the Formation of New Parties July 14th

KPD, SPD were already banned
other parties had dissolved themselves
now no new parties allowed
Germany became a one party state

Concordat July 20th

agreement between state and Vatican
Church banned political activity
Government protected religious freedom

Law for the Reconstruction of the State January 1934

since March many state governments had been forced out by SA violence.
Law was used to allow the Reich government to appoint Commissioners. The situation was now formalised by this law.

dissolved state assemblies
created new Reich Governors to control states

the Army vs SA. Prelude to the Night of Long Knives.

The Army remained the only part of German society that Hitler left untouched. He was afraid that upsetting the army would lead to him being removed from power.
The Army was concerned with the SA-troops, they thought they would become the new Army of Germany.
The Middle Class was also concerned with the SA and their thugs.
Himmler and the SS didn’t like the SA.
The SA represented part of the Socialist branch of the party.

Night of the Long Knives June 1934

SS shot many SA leaders and other people seen as threat
Background and event:

SA Leader Ernst Röhm had been with Hitler since the very beginning.
Röhm saw him self as the leader of the “True Revolution” and the true nazis.
Röhm made anti-capitalistic speeches.
Von Papen made a speech urging Hitler to take action against Röhm and his Marxist ideas. The Military started to fear Röhm too.
June 21 Hindenburg lets Hitler knows that if he doesn’t take action against the SA Hindenburg will ask the army to dissolve the government.
Meanwhile Himmler and Heydrich (2^nd in command in the SS) were planting rumors that Röhm and the SA were planning a coup against Hitler.
On Friday June 29 Hitler recived a phone call from Himmler, claiming that Röhm and the SA was going to stage a coup the very next morning.
Hitler left for Munich at 2 a m.
Hitler enters the room of Röhm saying “Ernst, you are under arrest”.
Röhm is put in prison and shot.
On Monday July 2 the purges are over. Hitler has purged the Nazi party, 200 – 1000 people are murdered.

See Traynor p 264 – 267.

Hitler as dictator

Hindenburg dies July 1934
Hitler amalgamated position of Chancellor and president to become Fuhrer
Army tolerated Hitler's actions and the Armed Forces swore an Oath of allegiance to Hitler in August 1934

Task for this lesson and homework for Thursday:

(taken from activehistory.co.uk, see above for reference)

Task 1: Put information from this document into this table in the appropriate cells.

Task 2: Use the table to answer this question:

“Did Hitler and the Nazis march unchallenged into power 1933-34?”

Tips:

A. Consider:

which events suggest that the Nazis had substantial support that allowed them to consolidate their power.
which events suggest that the Nazis had to use force to consolidate their power.
which events suggest that the Nazis had to make concessions to consolidate their power.

B. Also consider:

whether support was active support for the Nazis, or based on opposition to groups the Nazis also opposed.
whether both force and concessions were only used in the case of certain groups.

The Nazi Consolidation of power 1933 - 1934
Events which suggest that the Nazis had substantial support which allowed them to consolidate their power	Events which suggest that the Nazis had to use force to consolidate their power	Events which suggest that the Nazis had to make concessions to consolidate their power