From Chancellor to DictatorFocus 2: How did Hitler become the dictator of

Germany by 1934?

HITLERBECAMECHANCELLOR

THE REICHSTAGFIRE

THEENABLING

ACT

THE NIGHTOF THELONG

KNIVES

DEATH OFPRESIDENT

HINDENBURG

• Great Depression economic crisis more people voted for the Nazis

• In 1933 President Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor

From Chancellor to Dictator

1. The Reichstag Fire• The Reichstag building was burnt down

the Communists were blamed• Hitler convinced President Hindenburg

to give him emergency powers could suspend all rights and imprison people without trial

• Hitler arrested the Communists and other political opponents

From Chancellor to Dictator

2. The Enabling Act• Aim: To make laws without the consent of

the Reichstag for 4 years become dictator• Needed 2/3 majority to pass the Act

– Got support of the Nationalists and Catholic Centre Party

– Banned the Communists from the Reichstag using emergency powers

– Put SA troops in the Reichstag building to pressure members to vote for the Act

From Chancellor to Dictator

• Result: Used the Enabling Act to

– remove members of other political

parties from government positions

– ban other political parties

– ban trade unions

– imprison opponents

– impose censorship

From Chancellor to Dictator

From Chancellor to Dictator

3. The Night of the Long Knives• Aim: To get rid of the SA leaders, e.g. Ernst Rohm

– Rohm wanted SA to be a second Germany Army Opposed by the Army Generals

– Rohm wanted large firms to be nationalised (under state control) Opposed by rich businessmen and industrialists

– Rohm was a serious rival to Hitler's powers SA was becoming too powerful (4m members)

• Used the SS to murder Rohm and other SA leaders (about 400 people) on 30 June 1934 gained support of Army

From Chancellor to Dictator

4. The Death of President Hindenburg• What Hitler did:

– Took over the powers of the President– Combined the role of Chancellor and

President – Became the commander-in-chief of

armed forces– Declared himself as ‘der Fuhrer’ (the

supreme leader)

From Chancellor to Dictator

So, how did I become the dictator

of Germany?

From Chancellor to Dictator

HITLERBECAMECHANCELLOR

THE REICHSTAGFIRE

THEENABLING

ACT

THE NIGHTOF THELONG

KNIVES

DEATH OFPRESIDENT

HINDENBURG