“To what extent was the Nazi consolidation of power in the years
1933-34 achieved by legal means?”
The consolidation of power from 1933-34 was mostly legal but terror
was most definitely used to ensure Hitler and the Nazis maintained
power right up to Hitler becoming Fuhrer. The Nazis were allowed to
secure their power through many legal means right from the
beginning with Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor. However, whilst
it may have been legal on the surface, many of these legal means of
consolidation, quite a few had a hidden use of terror and
intimidation behind them, such as the Enabling Act which on the
surface legally gave Hitler to power to make laws without the
approval of the Reichstag or President but it had terror behind it.
The Nazi consolidation of power was achieved my legal means firstly
as Hitler was appointed Chancellor legally by Hindenburg (with
convincing from Papen) before convincing Hindenburg to dissolve
the Reichstag and hold new elections in the hope he’d gain 2/3
majority. Not long after Hitler’s appointment, on 27th February 1933,
the Reichstag fire took place; Hitler used this to advantage, blaming
the fire on the communists and persuading Hindenburg to give him
emergency powers by presenting the fire as a warning sign of a
communist uprising – this was the Decree for the Protection of
People and the State. The decree suspended civil and political rights
that were guaranteed under the constitution as well as giving the
secret police the power to hold people indefinitely in protective
custody. Hitler used these powers to repress the KPD, essentially
beginning to rid himself and the Nazis of one of their major
opponents. In the space of 2 weeks, 10,000 communists were
arrested and being a member of the KPD was seen as an act of
treason. Ridding himself of a major opponent would have been a
huge achievement for Hitler as it not only removed chances of
hindrance from the KPD but also made himself and the Nazis be
seen in a better light since the communists were the ones blamed
for the fire. So, by banning the KPD, Hitler was complying with the
wishes of German people. Furthermore, people like Civil servants,
judges and police were all right wing so happily supported Hitler’s
removal of the KPD. The Nazis, therefore, gained a lot of support via
Hitler’s use of these emergency powers given to him by Hindenburg
which helped them to consolidate power.
On 24th March 1933, The Reichstag passed the Enabling Act with a
two-thirds majority. It gave emergency powers to the government
for four years which meant Hitler had the legal power to pass laws
1933-34 achieved by legal means?”
The consolidation of power from 1933-34 was mostly legal but terror
was most definitely used to ensure Hitler and the Nazis maintained
power right up to Hitler becoming Fuhrer. The Nazis were allowed to
secure their power through many legal means right from the
beginning with Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor. However, whilst
it may have been legal on the surface, many of these legal means of
consolidation, quite a few had a hidden use of terror and
intimidation behind them, such as the Enabling Act which on the
surface legally gave Hitler to power to make laws without the
approval of the Reichstag or President but it had terror behind it.
The Nazi consolidation of power was achieved my legal means firstly
as Hitler was appointed Chancellor legally by Hindenburg (with
convincing from Papen) before convincing Hindenburg to dissolve
the Reichstag and hold new elections in the hope he’d gain 2/3
majority. Not long after Hitler’s appointment, on 27th February 1933,
the Reichstag fire took place; Hitler used this to advantage, blaming
the fire on the communists and persuading Hindenburg to give him
emergency powers by presenting the fire as a warning sign of a
communist uprising – this was the Decree for the Protection of
People and the State. The decree suspended civil and political rights
that were guaranteed under the constitution as well as giving the
secret police the power to hold people indefinitely in protective
custody. Hitler used these powers to repress the KPD, essentially
beginning to rid himself and the Nazis of one of their major
opponents. In the space of 2 weeks, 10,000 communists were
arrested and being a member of the KPD was seen as an act of
treason. Ridding himself of a major opponent would have been a
huge achievement for Hitler as it not only removed chances of
hindrance from the KPD but also made himself and the Nazis be
seen in a better light since the communists were the ones blamed
for the fire. So, by banning the KPD, Hitler was complying with the
wishes of German people. Furthermore, people like Civil servants,
judges and police were all right wing so happily supported Hitler’s
removal of the KPD. The Nazis, therefore, gained a lot of support via
Hitler’s use of these emergency powers given to him by Hindenburg
which helped them to consolidate power.
On 24th March 1933, The Reichstag passed the Enabling Act with a
two-thirds majority. It gave emergency powers to the government
for four years which meant Hitler had the legal power to pass laws
