How Did Hitler Consolidate His Power in 1933–34? (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE History)
Revision Note
Author
Zoe WadeExpertise
History
Hitler's Path to Dictatorship - Timeline & Summary
Hitler’s appointment as chancellor on 30th January 1933 was the first step in his taking power and complete control of Germany. The Reichstag Fire provided the Nazi Party with the legal means to limit and restrict the power of the KPD. With a two-thirds majority following the March 1933 election, Hitler was able to pass the Enabling Act - a law that transformed Germany into a one-party state. Opposition was silenced, trade unions banned and local governments ruled by pro-Nazi leaders. With external opposition to Hitler and the Nazi Party greatly reduced, attention was turned to dissent within the Nazi Party. Ernst Röhm - head of the SA - had distanced himself from Hitler. The SA were becoming more and more unsettled, frustrated by unemployment like the Freikorps before the Kapp Putsch of 1920. Hitler struck during the Night of the Long Knives, when leading members of the SA were purged. The death of President Hindenberg in August 1934 allowed the rise of Hitler to Führer. The Weimar Republic had ended and the era of Nazi Germany had begun. |
The Reichstag Fire
Hitler became Chancellor of Germany on 30th January 1933, but still did not have complete control of Germany:
The Nazi Party only controlled one-third of the Reichstag
Hindenburg was President of Germany
The Weimar Constitution limited the power of the chancellor
A fire destroyed the Reichstag building on 27th February 1933
The police arrested a Dutch Communist named Marinus van der Lubbe at the scene
He was later executed for the crime
The fire resulted in the arrests of around 4,000 Communists
Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree
The Reichstag Fire gave Hitler the opportunity to scapegoat the KPD
Hitler imprisoned political opponents and shut down Communist newspapers
The SA used the decree to justify using violence and intimidation towards political opponents
Worked Example
What was the Reichstag Fire?
4 marks
Answers:
The Reichstag building burnt down in 1933, just before the March election (1). A Dutch Communist called van der Lubbe was arrested on the grounds (1). Hitler claimed that there was a Communist plot against Germany (1). President Hindenburg issued an emergency decree, which led to the arrest of political opponents (1).
Exam Tip
This question in Paper One requires you to state information you know about the Reichstag Fire. The Cambridge IGCSE gives you a point for each relevant piece of information that you write. Therefore, do not spend any additional time trying to describe or explain each reason.
The Election of 1933
On 5th March 1933, the government held Reichstag elections
The Reichstag Fire allowed Hitler to control the radio
Hitler used the SA and SS to intimidate opponents
The election results were important
The Nazis received nearly 44% of the votes
This was short of the two-thirds majority to change the constitution
Hitler forced a coalition with Nationalists and the Centre Party using promises and threats
The Enabling Act
The Enabling Act became law on 24th March 1933 by 444 votes to 94
All 81 members of the Communist Party were absent
Only the SPD opposed the vote
The SA intimidated other members of the Reichstag before the vote took place
The Act gave the Nazi Party several powers
As chancellor, Hitler could propose new laws
Hitler’s cabinet could pass these laws without the Reichstag’s approval
These laws could overrule the Weimar Constitution
The Enabling Act was only valid for four years, but it was renewed again in 1937
Parties in the Reichstag could no longer oppose new laws, marking an end to democratic rule in Germany
Exam Tip
Consider the significance of the Reichstag Fire Decree and its links to the Enabling Act. By reducing the power of the Communist Party and branding them enemies of Germany, Hitler weakened his opposition. The event portrayed Hitler and the Nazi Party as the defenders of the German state. Many members of the public mistakenly believed the Enabling Act would protect their security and livelihoods. However, it was used as a tool by Hitler to set up the foundations for a police state.
Removing Public Opposition
The Enabling Act provided Hitler and the Nazi Party the power to pass laws without the consent of the Reichstag
Hitler used the powers of the Enabling Act to remove forms of public opposition:
The Night of the Long Knives
The Enabling Act allowed Hitler to remove external opposition to the Nazi Party
Hitler was concerned about internal opposition, particularly from the head of the SA - Ernst Röhm:
Röhm was a suspected homosexual, which did not align with Nazi Party values
Röhm led around three million SA members, around 60% of which were unemployed by 1933
Röhm believed in merging the SA with the army
Röhm wanted a ‘second revolution’ with a greater focus on supporting the working class
This contrasted with Hitler’s desire to win the support of the rich
It sounded like a Communist strategy
Röhm’s SA clashed with the SS, led by Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich
The SA had a poor reputation
Hindenburg threatened to impose martial law if Hitler could not bring the SA under control
Hitler arranged a meeting with Röhm and other SA leaders at a hotel in the town of Bad Wiessee on 30th June 1934:
Röhm and around 400 SA members were arrested and later shot
Other opponents such as von Schleicher, Gregor Strassor and von Kahr were also arrested and killed
The Nazi Party told the public that
Röhm had been planning to replace Hitler
Röhm’s death served the interests of the country
Worked Example
Why did the Night of the Long Knives take place?
6 marks
Partial answer:
One reason why the Night of the Long Knives took place was Hitler’s desire to remove opposition (1). Ernst Röhm was a potential threat to Hitler. The SA had about three million members loyal to Röhm (1). This caused the Night of the Long Knives because Hitler needed to violently remove Röhm and before the SA became too powerful (1).
Exam Tip
A strong response to this answer would contain two PEE paragraphs explaining the reasons why the Night of the Long Knives took place. Other reasons could include:
To secure Hitler’s position
To gain the support of senior army officers
To reduce the power of the SA as the upper classes considered them thugs
Röhm wanted to merge the SA with the army and take control of the army
The Death of Hindenburg
Paul von Hindenburg had been President of Germany since 1925
On 2nd August 1934, he died of lung cancer aged 86
Hitler combined the positions of president and chancellor to make himself Führer
90% of the public voted in favour of Hitler becoming Führer
Hitler forced every soldier to swear an oath of loyalty to him
This marked the end of the Weimar Republic and the beginning of Hitler’s Nazi Germany
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