Nazi Germany

Establishing Dictatorship

Hitler gets Chancellorship, 30/01/33

Still Vulnerable

12 man cabinet

Hitler + 2 Nazis, no dictator

Von Papen: Vice Chancellor

Hindenburg: President

Article 48

Hitler: ‘Drummer boy’, removable

Establishment of a dictatorship

Strengthen NSDAP in Reichstag

Reichstag Fire: February 27th 1933

DPPS: ‘Decree for the Protection of People and State’

Consolidation of position

THESE THREE FACTORS COMBINED TO GIVE THE

NAZIS THE POPULAR SUPPORT NECESSARY TO

SUSTAIN A STRONG POLITICAL ECONOMY

4

Democracy to destroy democracy

Dissolve Reichstag 1st February

Call elections for March 5th

Nazi advantages:

Largest political party

Conservatives had to work with Nazis

Alternative: Communism and civil war

Nazi access to state resources

Nazi cabinet ministers

- H. Goering: Minister of interior, Prussia

- W. FrickReich Minister of the Interior

How did the Nazis achieve this electoral

victory?

Party Building

5

Fanning the Flames

Imminent Communist coup?

Reichstag Fire Decrees

February 27th 1933

The German seat of parliament, the Reichstag, was set alight in an arson attack.The culprit, a Dutch Communist called Marius Van der Lubbe, was found at the scene. The Nazis capitalised on this fact to present the event a Communistcoup de tat.

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF A MAJOR

BRITISH POLITICAL PARTY ATTEMPTED TO SEIZE POWER AND BURN DOWN THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT?

Suspends all civil and political liberties

Central power increased over federal states

100s of political opponents arrested

Large scale intimidation and violence SA and SS

State of Emergency

Communists are blamed for the Reichstag Fire and lose political support

The Nazi Party launches a massive anti Communist propaganda campaign

Hitler arranged the President’s use of Article 48 to pass the DPPS.DECREE FOR

THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE AND STATEIt is the first instance of a concentration camp, used to segregate and detain German Communists. Preventing them from voting for the KPD in the imminent election.

Hitler was able to use the circumstances to tighten his grip on Germany.

Reichstag elections: 5th March 1933

Nazis: 43.9% = 288 seats, not enough

2/3rds needed to change constitution

-Discount Communist Vote

-Ally with the Centre Party & DNVP

392/534 Seats = 73.4%

1933 election poster, WWI soldier associated with SA brown shirt

HITLER IMMEDIATELY PASSED THE ENABLING ACT.

4 YEAR EMERGENCY POWER TO PASS LAW WITHOUT THE

REICHSTAG

Neutralising Parliament

3 Main reasons for Nazi gains:

Immediate elections, opposition ill prepared

Deputies failure to invoke ‘Committee for the Protection of Parliamentary Rights’

Nazi monopoly of media, emergency decree and state powers

Evaluation