Political Developments

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Hitler Becomes Chancellor

Following Papen's plan, Hitler became Chancellor. However, Papen was unable to control Hitler.

Hitler and his ministers

Hitler was given three cabinet seats after becoming Chancellor. He had one, Wilhelm Frick was minister of the interior, Herman Goering minister of Prussia.
These were clever choices by Hitler. Prussia was Germany’s largest state in Germany.
The minister of the interior controlled the police and the judiciary.

Other ministers in Hitler's govenrment

Werner von Blomberg oversaw the army.
The DNVP had two important positions.
Hugenberg was minister for Economics.
Franz Seldte was minister for labour.
- Seldte had founded the Stahlhelm. In April the SA and Stahlhelm merged.

Preparation the March election

Elections were set for 6 March 1933.
On 31 January, Hitler addressed the country over the radio. He promised ‘national discipline will govern our life.’
He invoked both God and nationalism.

The Reichstag Fire and March Elections

In February 1933 the Reichstage Fire was burned down. The fire was blamed on communists. This was very convenient (maybe too convenient?) for Hitler as got his emergency decree.

Marinus van der Lubbe as a scapegoat

A Dutch Communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, confessed to setting fire to the Reichstag on the evening of 27 February 1933.
Hitler had the excuse he needed.
Using the fire as evidence of a communist conspiracy against Germany, Hitler got Hindenburg to issue an emergency decree suspending civil liberties.

The emergency decree

The decree allowed Secret police to hold people indefinitely in protective custody – protective because it protected the German people from its enemies.
Mass arrests of left wing activists, including KPD Reichstag deputies, followed. Hitler’s government also controlled the radio and police.
The SPD and Zentrum parties were intimidated and some issues of their newspapers banned.

Elections in March 1933

The NSDAP got 43.9% of the vote.
The DNVP got 8%.
Between them they controlled 51.9% of the Reichstag.

The Enabling Act

Hitler was able to pass the Enabling Act. Effectively, the Reichstag voted itself out of existence.

Did everyone vote for the Enabling Act?

The Enabling Act was passed by the Reichstag.
However, KPD deputies were absent. The vote on the Enabling Act was held in the Kroll Opera House. It was surrounded by SS and SA troops who intimidated people likely to vote against the Act.

Meaning of the Enabling Act

The Act gave emergency powers to the government for four years. It allowed the cabinet (in effect Hitler) to pass decrees without the President's involvement.
As it was a Constitutional amendment it needed a two thirds majority. It was passed by 441 votes to 94.
- Only the SPD voted against it.
This meant the democracy was over.

Hitler's justification for the Enabling Act

A quote from Hitler to the Reichstag:
- ‘By its decision to carry out the public and moral cleansing of our public life, the government is creating and securing the conditions for a really deep and inner religious life.’

1The Weimar Republic 1918-1933

1.1Establishment Of The Weimar Republic 1918-1924

1.1.1Post WW1

1.1.2Weimar Constitution

1.1.3Peace Settlement

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Germany Post WW1

1.1.5Economic Issues

1.1.6Economic Issues 2

1.1.7Social Issues

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Economic & Social Issues

1.1.9Extremist Threats

1.1.10Extremist Threats 2

1.1.11End of Topic Test - Extremist Threats

1.1.12Political Instability & The Invasion of the Ruhr

1.1.13Weimar Government by 1924

1.1.14End of Topic Test - Weimar Government by 1924

1.1.15A-A* (AO3/4) - Germany Post WW1

1.2The 'Golden Age' Of The Weimar Republic 1924-1928

1.2.1Economic Developments

1.2.2Industry & Agriculture

1.2.3End of Topic Test - Economic Developments

1.2.4Social Developments

1.2.5Social Developments 2

1.2.6End of Topic Test - Social Developments

1.2.7Political Parties

1.2.8Political Stability

1.2.9End of Topic Test - Weimar Politics

1.2.10Germany's International Position

1.2.11Germany's International Position 2

1.2.12End of Topic Test - International Position

1.2.13A-A* (AO3/4) - The Weimar 'Golden Age'

1.3The Collapse of Democracy 1928-1933

1.3.1The Impact Of The Depression

1.3.2Politics After The Depression

1.3.3The Appeal Of Extremism

1.3.4End of Topic Test - The Depression & Politics

1.3.5'Backstairs Intrigue'

1.3.6'Backstairs Intrigue' 2

1.3.7End of Topic Test - Backstairs Intrigue

1.3.8Political Developments

1.3.9The State by March 1933

1.3.10End of Topic Test - Political Developments

1.3.11A-A* (AO3/4) - The Collapse of Democracy

2Nazi Germany 1933-1945

2.1The Nazi Dictatorship 1933-1939

2.1.1Hitler's Consolidation Of Power

2.1.2The Terror State

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Consolidation of Power

2.1.4Opposition

2.1.5Propaganda

2.1.6A-A* (AO3/4) - Terror State & Propaganda

2.1.7End of Topic Test - Propaganda

2.1.8Economic Policies

2.1.9Economic Policies 2

2.1.10Impact Of Economic Policies

2.1.11Impact Of Economic Policies 2

2.1.12End of Topic Test - Economic Policies

2.1.13Social Policies

2.1.14Social Policies 2

2.1.15Volksgemeinschaft

2.1.16End of Topic Test - Social Policies

2.1.17A-A* (AO3/4) - Economic & Social Policies

2.2The Racial State 1933-1941

2.2.1The Radicalisation Of The State

2.2.2Anti-Semitism

2.2.3Development Of Anti-Semitic Policies

2.2.4Development Of Anti-Semitic Policies 2

2.2.5End of Topic Test - Anti-Semitism

2.2.6Treatment of the Jews in the Early Years of War

2.2.7Deportation & Anti-Semitism Evaluation

2.2.8End of Topic Test - Early Treatment of the Jews

2.2.9A-A* (AO3/4) - The Racial State

2.3The Impact Of War 1939-1945

2.3.1Home Front

2.3.2Impact On Society

2.3.3Impact On Society 2

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Impact of the War

2.3.5War Economy

2.3.6War Economy 2

2.3.7Policies Towards The Jews & Untermenschen

2.3.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Impact of the War

2.3.9End of Topic Test - War Economy

2.3.10Opposition

2.3.11Opposition 2

2.3.12Nazi State by 1945

2.3.13End of Topic Test - Opposition

2.3.14A-A* (AO3/4) - Opposition & The State in 1945

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