1
Consolidating power January-March 1933 The
role of the Führer and Hitlers aims
2
Connector
3
Outcomes

• To know how Hitler gained power legitimately
• To know the events of Enabling Act, the March
  elections and the Reichstag Fire
• To be aware of the different interpretations of
  Hitler coming to power

4
Jan-March 1933 Legal Revolution

• Hitler had been appointed Chanceller but he had
  limited power
• Von Papen Hitler will be squeaking in two
  months
• Hitler's constitutional power was weak as
• 2/12 of the Cabinet were Nazi's- Frick and Goring
• Hitler's Coalition government did not have a
  majority in the Reichstag
• The post was dependent upon the whim of the
  President and he openly resented Hitler- why?
• Hitler also had to be aware of the army and Trade
  Unions- he could not alienate either. The army
  could arrange a coup or the unions could strike
  which could break the government

5
Strengths of Hitler

• Within two months these were not problems as
• He was the leader of the largest political party
  in Germany which is why the policy of ignoring
  him did not work . The politicians probably
  needed him more than he needed them. The
  alternative to Hitler was a civil war or
  communist revolution
• The Nazi party now gained access to resources of
  the state ie Goring being Minister of the
  Interior in Prussia- he could ignore Nazi crimes
  but pursue others
• Hitler was a masterly tactician- he was
  determined to achieve absolute power.

6
1933 March Election

• Within 24 hours of his appointment a fresh
  Reichstag election had been called, so that Nazi
  support could be increased and also enhance his
  own status
• The final Reichstag election was one of little
  democratic endover. Violence and terror dominated
  socialist meetings. In Prussia Goring enlisted 50
  000 extra police, all were SS or SA
• They also created an atmosphere of hate and fear
  through propaganda. Hitler blamed the economic
  crisis on the democratic government and terror
  activities of the communists
• The government was a national uprising determined
  to restore Germanys pride and power , without
  ever really commiting to economic or political
  details
• Hitlers election fund had also been boosted by 3
  million marks, through meetings with 20 leading
  industrialists

7
Reichstag Fire

• On 27th Feb the Reichstag building was set on
  fire and a young Dutch communist, von Lubbe, was
  arrested in incriminating circumstances
• At the time many believed it was a Nazi plot and
  was to justify their policy of repression. To
  this day no satisfactory explanation has been
  found
• Von Lubbe has been founded both guilty and
  innocent in studies. However at the time the
  Nazi's were able to exploit the situation
• On 28th Feb Frick and Hindenberg drew up and
  signed the Decree for the Protection of People
  and State, suspending civil liberties and the
  central government was strengthened, the
  justification being the threat by the communists.
  In the last week of elections hundredds were
  arrested and violence by the Nazis reached a new
  high
• The result was an 88 turn out, and the Nazi's
  increased their vote from 33 to 43 securing 288
  seats in the Reichstag. Hitler could claim a
  majority with the help of the 52 seats from the
  Nationalists. Also a blow for democracy-
  constitutional changes coiuld be made with 2/3
  majority in the Reichstag
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJt5HtPYv1FQ

8
Enabling Law March 1933

• Hitler decided to propose a new Enabling Law to
  the Reichstag which would do away with
  parliamentary procedure and legislation, and
  transfer power to the Chancellor and the
  government for four years
• Therefore the dictatorship would be grounded in
  legality but this depended upon other political
  parties in order to achieve the 2/3's majority
• There were further problems with a revolution
  from below- those who had taken Nazi power into
  their own hands, which threatned to challenge
  Hitlers legality, as well as antagonise the DNVP
  support (Conservative)
• To help legitimise the Nazi's Hitler arranged at
  the opening of the Reichstag in the presence of
  Hindenberg and the Crown Prince as well as army
  generals- alisgning the Nazis with Germany's old
  regime
• Two days later at the Opera House (Reichstag) the
  Reichstag met to discuss the Enabling Law. The
  communists were refused entry, whilst the Nazis
  knew they would need the backing of the Centre
  party if the SPD voted against them. Hitler
  promised to respect the Catholic church and
  uphold relgious and moral values if they
  supported him- these were lies
• The Enabling Law was passed- 244 to 94

9
Task

• Read the consolidation of power by Hitler in the
  red book between Jan-March 1933
• Extension
• Find out what happened in the Night of the Long
  Knives

10
The Key Debates

• Why did the Weimar Republic collapse and why did
  it give way to Hitler and Nazism
• Left wing Marxist view- crisis of captialism
• Anti German determinists- Hitler an inevitable
  result of German history
• Ritter- Moral crisis in Europe
• Structuralists- response to economic and
  political structure
• Intentionists- Hitlers Ideology and Evil Genuis
• Kershaw-result of miscalculation