How strong was Hitler

1
How strong was Hitlers position in 1933
Nazis largest single party, but didnt have
overall majority in Reichstag

• Hindenburg Von Papen appointed Hitler as a
  puppet chancellor

Only 2 Nazis in Cabinet
Prodigy
Study the photo and the facts about Hitler the
Nazis in 1933. How powerful was Hitler? What
would he need to do in order to survive?
2
Who was to blame for the Reichstag fire?
? Key words Reichstag arsonist incendiary
? Aims

• To assess what Hitler could gain from the Fire
• To analyse the reliability of accounts the
  Reichstag Fire (27th Feb 1933)

3

• Your task
• Read about the events surrounding the Reichstag
  Fire of March 1933 in SHO, p.63. Make a note of
  the ways in which before after the fire Hitler
  increased his grip on power
• ? How far was Hitler responsible for increasing
  his grip on power who else shares the blame?

4
Hitler increases his power

• Hitler appointed Chancellor (Jan 1933)
• Calls new elections
• Nazi-controlled police used to break up political
  meetings during the elections
• Hermann Goering ordered Prussian police to
  cover for SA police who used firearms against
  Nazi opponents
• Hindenburg passed decree suspending Constitution

5
How did Hitler exploit the Reichstag fire?

• Dutch Communist, van der Lubbe
• Police imprisoned 4,000 Communist activists
• 28 Feb, Hindenburg suspended freedom of speech
  gave police emergency powers
• March 1933 NSDAP gained 288 seats won support of
  Nationalists Catholic Centre party abolished
  Communists

Why might some historians suggest van der Lubbe
was framed?
6
? Your task

• Read through the sources, decide which theory
  they support and explain why
• 1. Van der Lubbe started the fire and was acting
  alone
• 2. Van der Lubbe was acting as part of a
  Communist plot
• 3. Nazis started the fire themselves
• Give each source a reliability rating (out of 5)
  and explain why you have reached your decision
• Write a paragraph explaining who you think was
  responsible for the fire. Use evidence to support
  your opinion.

7
? Report

• Write a police report on who was to blame.
  Include the following
• Brief description of build up to Fire
• Key suspects
• Assessment of reliability of evidence gathered
• Judgement on who was to blame

8
Success criteria
Needs improving Getting better Wow factor
Includes a limited number of bullet points Describes key events of the Fire Refers to all bullet points Analyses the sources but could do so in greater depth, e.g. NOP Beginning to have the look feel of a police report Explains all 4 bullet points brief description of build up to Fire key suspects assessment of reliability of evidence gathered judgement on who was to blame Analyses the sources fully according to NOP Looks and feels like a police report from the time
9
Who was to blame for the Reichstag fire?
? Key words Reichstag arsonist incendiary
? Aims

• To assess what Hitler could gain from the Fire
• To analyse the reliability of accounts the
  Reichstag Fire (27th Feb 1933)