Explain why Hitler was able to consolidate his power between 1933-34
One reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power was because of the Reichstag Fire,
which occurred on 27th February 1933. This was when police found Marius van der Lubbe, a
Dutch Communist, at the scene and arrested him, causing Hitler to be able to use the event to
his advantage and portray the Communists, his greatest opponent, in a very negative light.
This meant that he could consolidate his power as it was an ideal situation to exploit, for
example, Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to declare a national state of emergency; this gave him
the power to arrest political opponents and shut down the newspapers of other political
parties. As a result of this, Hitler was able to ban all Communist Party members from the
Reichstag and had about 4000 of them arrested, which meant that he was able to consolidate
his power because he had fewer opponents voting against him during the general election in
March 1933; the Nazi Party was able to secure two thirds of the seats. Therefore, the
Reichstag fire was a key reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power because it
caused his opposition to immediately weaken and he was able to ban Communist and
Socialist newspapers; the public would now only read what the Nazis wanted them to.
Another reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power was because of the Enabling
Act, which was passed on 23rd March 1933. This was when Hitler’s intention was to have full
power over all other parties in the Reichstag, as he wanted Germany to become a Totalitarian
State. As a result of this, the act was introduced and passed by devious means, as the
intimidation of the SA ensured that other parties support it: the act was passed with 444 votes
to 94. This meant that Hitler was able to consolidate his power because his police forces and
previous actions caused the Weimar Republic to effectively vote itself out of existence; the
Communist party was unable to contest it as all members had been banned from the
Reichstag after the Reichstag Fire. Consequently, on 14 th July, Hitler could proclaim a law
stating that the Nazi Party was to be the only party allowed in Germany, which massively
helped to consolidate his power as it meant he had full power to pass any law he desired
without the support of the Reichstag; he later banned Länder parliaments, which centralised
Germany and give him complete control over its government. Therefore, the Enabling Act
was a key reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power because it signalled the end of
the Weimar Republic and the start of his dictatorship.
A final reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power was because of the Night of the
Long Knives. This was when Hitler viewed the SA as a major threat during his first few
months as Chancellor, as he believed that they could overpower the Nazis; the SA appeared
to be loyal to Röhm, not Hitler. Consequently, on 30 th June 1934, he invited Röhm and 100
SA leaders to a meeting in the town of Bad Wiessee, where they were arrested by the SS once
they arrived. This meant that Hitler was able to consolidate his power because over 85 of his
political opponents were murdered, including Röhm, and he had succeeded in securing the
support of the army; previously the army was worried about being replaced by the SA, as the
army consisted of only 100,000 men compared to the SA having 3 million members. As a
result of this, Hitler was able to demonstrate the threat and terror posed by the SS, which
caused him to have greater control over Germany as Germans were worried that they too
could be arrested and strived to follow his orders. Therefore, the Night of the Long Knives
was a key reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power because it caused several of
Hitler’s opponents to be eradicated and highlighted just how ruthless the SS were, which
scared the public into supporting him.
One reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power was because of the Reichstag Fire,
which occurred on 27th February 1933. This was when police found Marius van der Lubbe, a
Dutch Communist, at the scene and arrested him, causing Hitler to be able to use the event to
his advantage and portray the Communists, his greatest opponent, in a very negative light.
This meant that he could consolidate his power as it was an ideal situation to exploit, for
example, Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to declare a national state of emergency; this gave him
the power to arrest political opponents and shut down the newspapers of other political
parties. As a result of this, Hitler was able to ban all Communist Party members from the
Reichstag and had about 4000 of them arrested, which meant that he was able to consolidate
his power because he had fewer opponents voting against him during the general election in
March 1933; the Nazi Party was able to secure two thirds of the seats. Therefore, the
Reichstag fire was a key reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power because it
caused his opposition to immediately weaken and he was able to ban Communist and
Socialist newspapers; the public would now only read what the Nazis wanted them to.
Another reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power was because of the Enabling
Act, which was passed on 23rd March 1933. This was when Hitler’s intention was to have full
power over all other parties in the Reichstag, as he wanted Germany to become a Totalitarian
State. As a result of this, the act was introduced and passed by devious means, as the
intimidation of the SA ensured that other parties support it: the act was passed with 444 votes
to 94. This meant that Hitler was able to consolidate his power because his police forces and
previous actions caused the Weimar Republic to effectively vote itself out of existence; the
Communist party was unable to contest it as all members had been banned from the
Reichstag after the Reichstag Fire. Consequently, on 14 th July, Hitler could proclaim a law
stating that the Nazi Party was to be the only party allowed in Germany, which massively
helped to consolidate his power as it meant he had full power to pass any law he desired
without the support of the Reichstag; he later banned Länder parliaments, which centralised
Germany and give him complete control over its government. Therefore, the Enabling Act
was a key reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power because it signalled the end of
the Weimar Republic and the start of his dictatorship.
A final reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power was because of the Night of the
Long Knives. This was when Hitler viewed the SA as a major threat during his first few
months as Chancellor, as he believed that they could overpower the Nazis; the SA appeared
to be loyal to Röhm, not Hitler. Consequently, on 30 th June 1934, he invited Röhm and 100
SA leaders to a meeting in the town of Bad Wiessee, where they were arrested by the SS once
they arrived. This meant that Hitler was able to consolidate his power because over 85 of his
political opponents were murdered, including Röhm, and he had succeeded in securing the
support of the army; previously the army was worried about being replaced by the SA, as the
army consisted of only 100,000 men compared to the SA having 3 million members. As a
result of this, Hitler was able to demonstrate the threat and terror posed by the SS, which
caused him to have greater control over Germany as Germans were worried that they too
could be arrested and strived to follow his orders. Therefore, the Night of the Long Knives
was a key reason why Hitler was able to consolidate his power because it caused several of
Hitler’s opponents to be eradicated and highlighted just how ruthless the SS were, which
scared the public into supporting him.
