2.1: The Consolidation of Power: Feb 1933 - Aug 1934 GLEICHSCHALTUNG GLEICHSCHALTUNG – REMAINING THREATS
LIMITATIONS TO HITLER’S POWER To establish a system of totalitarian control via the coordination and Army: Little Change: Well-respected, H nervous of its
synchronisation within factors of the German State. power, Effective Tactics, Only force that remains a threat.
LOYAL TO HINDENBURG ONLY.
Chancellor of a Democracy. Only 3 Nazis in Cabinet. No Majority in Reichstag: Big Business: Little Change: Need for
33%: needed other parties support. Pres. Hindenburg could dismiss. Some GLEICHSCHALTUNG – REGIONAL STATES production/rearmament
institutions not under control: Media, CS, Army, Lander State Assemblies, CS: Partial-Co-Ordination: They run the country - H needs
Trade Unions, Church. Numerous didn't want as Chancellor: SPD, Junkers,
What: March 1933 Law: Dissolved Regional Parl. and reformed for their support
Pres., minorities, Jewish, Businessmen, KPD, Z-Catholics
Nazi domination. April 1933 Law: Reich Governors created (usually Middle Class: Little Change: Reassure them that traditions
local Nazi Gauleiter). Jan 1934: Regional State Parl. abolished - will remain
THE REICHSTAG FIRE + THE DECREE power transferred to Ministry of the Interior. Ensured total Nazi Catholic Church: Little Change
control throughout Germany
The Reichstag Fire (27th Feb 1933)
How did this Consolidate Power: Created elements of German NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES (30th June 1934)
Patriotism, not individualism. Total control over Regional (Lander)
What: Reichstag set on fire by Marinus Van Der Lubbe, Dutch Anarchist. Governments, including the country as a whole - Able to infiltrate all
Nazis blame KPD: seek to remove them What: SA out of control + Army nervous: H needs their support:
levels of G society. Need for 'Second Revolution'. 1931: 70,000 SA. By 1934: 4.5m SA.
Hindenburg 86 with Lung Cancer: H wants control before death. SS
How did this Consolidate power: Gives H leverage over KPD. Reichstag GLEICHSCHALTUNG – TRADE UNIONS Storm Hotel: SA seniors shot/arrested. Rohm assassinated.
Fire Decree (28th Feb): uses Article 48 to grant emergency powers Schleicher + Strasser killed too
What: TU Leaders naively assumed cooperation with Nazis. May 1st
The Reichstag Fire Decree (28th Feb 1933) 1933: Declared a National Holiday: Nazis raid TU offices. May 2nd How did this Consolidate Power: Removes Internal
1933: TU officials find offices raided and seized by SS/SA. Union opposition/threats: Left-wing NSDAP destroyed + SA vanquished.
funds confiscated, some leaders arrested and sent to camps. Won Army support: Bloomberg publicly thanked H + swore loyalty.
What + How did this Consolidate power: Removed civil + political rights, Independent TU banned: absorbed into German Labour Front (DAF), Himmler + SS the lead institution for inflicting terror. Legitimised the
seen as protecting Germany. Comms. (KPD) arrested, jailed and banned from run by Robert Ley with 22m members use of fear/terror to secure H political supremacy
Reichstag. Political meetings banned, press censored. Goring: In-charge of
police.
How did this Consolidate Power: Workers lose right to negotiate DEATH OF HINDENBURG (2nd August 1934)
THE MARCH ELECTIONS (5 March 1933) th
over hours, contracts and wages. Within 1yr the German Labour
Movement destroyed: power to protest/strike etc.
H announces himself as Fuhrer, merging both President
What: Direct result of Reichstag Fire: Background of Fear that Goebbels and Chancellor together
exploits with propaganda. SA/Police Intimidation into Nazi Voting. Highest GLEICHSCHALTUNG – POLITICAL PARTIES No further presidential elections/opposition: no challenge to
Turnout of 88%: Nazis 44% = 288 seats. Need 2/3 to change constitution: joins H power
with DNVP with 52 seats
What: Comms. remained outlawed since fire. Social Dem assets No political crisis
seized after TU destroyed: banned on 22nd June 1933. Most parties Germany now a fully-fledged Nazi Dictatorship
How did this Consolidate power: Large mandate: legitimacy to increasing (inc. nationalists) dissolve in fear. ZP (centre) shut in July 1933. July
power. 1933: 'The Law Against the Establishment of Parties': Nazis only
legal party, creating a one-party state TOPIC ANALYSIS
Day of Potsdam (21st March): H, Hindenburg, Crown Prince +
Army Gen. lay wreaths on Frederick the Great/Old Prussian Kings How did this Consolidate Power: Removes political Key Question: How did Hitler Consolidate Power?
graves. H seen as a conservative statesman: not radical/seeking opposition/threats to H. Ensures a one-party Nazi state
power for himself: Effective Propaganda
Method Analysis
GLEICHSCHALTUNG – CIVIL SERVICE
THE ENABLING ACT (24th March 1933) The Enabling Laid the foundations for H supreme political
Act authority. Unchallenged in every decision took
What: Few areas by 1934 not fully merged. 7th April 1933: 'Law for The NOTLK Removed internal threats, solidifying H
What: 4 Year emergency Powers – could bypass Reichstag in passing any law supreme authority as leader + Fuhrer
the Restoration of Professional CS': 5% employees removed, i.e
wanted. Passed 441:94 - 2/3 needed and achieved. 81 KPD Banned Gleichschaltung Ensured the German State was ideologically
Jews, opposition etc. Partial Co-Ordination only: Lower ranks nazified
but top ranks remained. Revolution from below begins: Internal Party aligned with the Nazi party. Essential for
How did this Consolidate power: Weimar Constitution dismantled: end of conflict over CS positions and power supreme control and authority.
Democracy Reichstag Fire Laid the groundwork for the Enabling Act +
Future decisions.
How did this Consolidate Power: Ensured Nazi loyalty from the
Death of A matter of time – unlikely to have influenced
Renewed in 1937, 1941, 1943. Efficient to sustain the Nazi Regime core. Removed CS opposition. Effective Propaganda/Indoctrination
Hindenburg H decision making, but benefited from it.
in its entirety. Doesn't need to change the constitution further. techniques: i.e. Education
LIMITATIONS TO HITLER’S POWER To establish a system of totalitarian control via the coordination and Army: Little Change: Well-respected, H nervous of its
synchronisation within factors of the German State. power, Effective Tactics, Only force that remains a threat.
LOYAL TO HINDENBURG ONLY.
Chancellor of a Democracy. Only 3 Nazis in Cabinet. No Majority in Reichstag: Big Business: Little Change: Need for
33%: needed other parties support. Pres. Hindenburg could dismiss. Some GLEICHSCHALTUNG – REGIONAL STATES production/rearmament
institutions not under control: Media, CS, Army, Lander State Assemblies, CS: Partial-Co-Ordination: They run the country - H needs
Trade Unions, Church. Numerous didn't want as Chancellor: SPD, Junkers,
What: March 1933 Law: Dissolved Regional Parl. and reformed for their support
Pres., minorities, Jewish, Businessmen, KPD, Z-Catholics
Nazi domination. April 1933 Law: Reich Governors created (usually Middle Class: Little Change: Reassure them that traditions
local Nazi Gauleiter). Jan 1934: Regional State Parl. abolished - will remain
THE REICHSTAG FIRE + THE DECREE power transferred to Ministry of the Interior. Ensured total Nazi Catholic Church: Little Change
control throughout Germany
The Reichstag Fire (27th Feb 1933)
How did this Consolidate Power: Created elements of German NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES (30th June 1934)
Patriotism, not individualism. Total control over Regional (Lander)
What: Reichstag set on fire by Marinus Van Der Lubbe, Dutch Anarchist. Governments, including the country as a whole - Able to infiltrate all
Nazis blame KPD: seek to remove them What: SA out of control + Army nervous: H needs their support:
levels of G society. Need for 'Second Revolution'. 1931: 70,000 SA. By 1934: 4.5m SA.
Hindenburg 86 with Lung Cancer: H wants control before death. SS
How did this Consolidate power: Gives H leverage over KPD. Reichstag GLEICHSCHALTUNG – TRADE UNIONS Storm Hotel: SA seniors shot/arrested. Rohm assassinated.
Fire Decree (28th Feb): uses Article 48 to grant emergency powers Schleicher + Strasser killed too
What: TU Leaders naively assumed cooperation with Nazis. May 1st
The Reichstag Fire Decree (28th Feb 1933) 1933: Declared a National Holiday: Nazis raid TU offices. May 2nd How did this Consolidate Power: Removes Internal
1933: TU officials find offices raided and seized by SS/SA. Union opposition/threats: Left-wing NSDAP destroyed + SA vanquished.
funds confiscated, some leaders arrested and sent to camps. Won Army support: Bloomberg publicly thanked H + swore loyalty.
What + How did this Consolidate power: Removed civil + political rights, Independent TU banned: absorbed into German Labour Front (DAF), Himmler + SS the lead institution for inflicting terror. Legitimised the
seen as protecting Germany. Comms. (KPD) arrested, jailed and banned from run by Robert Ley with 22m members use of fear/terror to secure H political supremacy
Reichstag. Political meetings banned, press censored. Goring: In-charge of
police.
How did this Consolidate Power: Workers lose right to negotiate DEATH OF HINDENBURG (2nd August 1934)
THE MARCH ELECTIONS (5 March 1933) th
over hours, contracts and wages. Within 1yr the German Labour
Movement destroyed: power to protest/strike etc.
H announces himself as Fuhrer, merging both President
What: Direct result of Reichstag Fire: Background of Fear that Goebbels and Chancellor together
exploits with propaganda. SA/Police Intimidation into Nazi Voting. Highest GLEICHSCHALTUNG – POLITICAL PARTIES No further presidential elections/opposition: no challenge to
Turnout of 88%: Nazis 44% = 288 seats. Need 2/3 to change constitution: joins H power
with DNVP with 52 seats
What: Comms. remained outlawed since fire. Social Dem assets No political crisis
seized after TU destroyed: banned on 22nd June 1933. Most parties Germany now a fully-fledged Nazi Dictatorship
How did this Consolidate power: Large mandate: legitimacy to increasing (inc. nationalists) dissolve in fear. ZP (centre) shut in July 1933. July
power. 1933: 'The Law Against the Establishment of Parties': Nazis only
legal party, creating a one-party state TOPIC ANALYSIS
Day of Potsdam (21st March): H, Hindenburg, Crown Prince +
Army Gen. lay wreaths on Frederick the Great/Old Prussian Kings How did this Consolidate Power: Removes political Key Question: How did Hitler Consolidate Power?
graves. H seen as a conservative statesman: not radical/seeking opposition/threats to H. Ensures a one-party Nazi state
power for himself: Effective Propaganda
Method Analysis
GLEICHSCHALTUNG – CIVIL SERVICE
THE ENABLING ACT (24th March 1933) The Enabling Laid the foundations for H supreme political
Act authority. Unchallenged in every decision took
What: Few areas by 1934 not fully merged. 7th April 1933: 'Law for The NOTLK Removed internal threats, solidifying H
What: 4 Year emergency Powers – could bypass Reichstag in passing any law supreme authority as leader + Fuhrer
the Restoration of Professional CS': 5% employees removed, i.e
wanted. Passed 441:94 - 2/3 needed and achieved. 81 KPD Banned Gleichschaltung Ensured the German State was ideologically
Jews, opposition etc. Partial Co-Ordination only: Lower ranks nazified
but top ranks remained. Revolution from below begins: Internal Party aligned with the Nazi party. Essential for
How did this Consolidate power: Weimar Constitution dismantled: end of conflict over CS positions and power supreme control and authority.
Democracy Reichstag Fire Laid the groundwork for the Enabling Act +
Future decisions.
How did this Consolidate Power: Ensured Nazi loyalty from the
Death of A matter of time – unlikely to have influenced
Renewed in 1937, 1941, 1943. Efficient to sustain the Nazi Regime core. Removed CS opposition. Effective Propaganda/Indoctrination
Hindenburg H decision making, but benefited from it.
in its entirety. Doesn't need to change the constitution further. techniques: i.e. Education
