Nazi consolidation of power in 1933 was primarily due to the use of terror and
violence
Paragraph 1 – terror
A large reason why the Nazi’s were able to solidify their position of power in 1933, was
their efficiency in removing any political opposition.
The way in which the enabling law was signed shows the effectiveness of Nazi
intimidation, the SS surrounded the Opera house shouting “sign the decree of
else blood and murder”.
The enabling Law then allowed to Hitler to eliminate opposition by
establishing a one party state – the SPD are exiled.
The enabling law effectively solidified Hitler’s position by giving him
dictatorial powers: giving the chancellor the power to sign decrees and
treaties, and transferred to the chancellor, all powers of the Reichstag.
Some 150,000-200,000 political opponents are imprisoned in 1933.
Concentration camps are opened.
The prime example is the way in which Hitler deals with the unruly SA, such as
the leader Ernest Rohm.
They were able to do so legally because of the Reichstag fire decree which
removed people’s civil rights and consequently the elections of March 1933 were
characterised by Nazi violence:
Gestapo made over 10,000 arrests after the fire.
In June 1933 the SPD are banned and 3000 of its members are arrested and
hundreds are murdered.
Trade unions are all banned on 1st of May 1933.
Terror and repression clearly played a large role in the Nazi’s consolidation of power.
The fact that all mediums of accountability were disposed of, led to a situation where
there was very few opportunities for political opposition to surface. Moreover, there was
a genuine fear amongst all that didn’t conform to Nazi rule, of brutal and violent
consequences as displayed in the night of the long knives. Terror created an
atmosphere of fear amongst all Germans and that serves to solidify Hitler’s position as
the despotic tyrant of Germany. Having said this, there was definitely support for the
regime amongst some groups in German society, which suggests that perhaps not all
groups in society were coerced into submission. The evidence seems to suggest that
different forms of eliminating opposition were used for different people, ordinary
Germans were propagated into supporting the regime, and political opponents were
disposed of.
The reason why the elimination of opponents through terror is so effective and arguably
easy for Hitler, is that he has the appearance of legality, he is able to do everything
through the constitution.
Paragraph 2 – propaganda
One aspect of the Nazi consolidation of power that cannot be overlooked is the way in
which they controlled people’s access to information.
One of the biggest mediums for propagated messages in the Third Reich was the radio.
Goebbels (head of the ministry of propaganda) made the ‘people’s radio’ which were only
35 marks, this made access to radio easy, and by 1939 70% of households owned a
radio.
In 1933, the 9 regional broadcasting companies were taken over by Reich governors.
October 1933: a law made editors responsible for the infringement of government
directives.
The Nazis, most significantly Hitler himself, were able to gain support by playing on the heart
strings of ordinary Germans, they had been devastated by the Treaty of Versailles and the
economic disasters under the Weimar Republic.
One of the most effective means of gathering support was through rallies. The mass
would become part of a gigantic happening, a communal celebration where people would
violence
Paragraph 1 – terror
A large reason why the Nazi’s were able to solidify their position of power in 1933, was
their efficiency in removing any political opposition.
The way in which the enabling law was signed shows the effectiveness of Nazi
intimidation, the SS surrounded the Opera house shouting “sign the decree of
else blood and murder”.
The enabling Law then allowed to Hitler to eliminate opposition by
establishing a one party state – the SPD are exiled.
The enabling law effectively solidified Hitler’s position by giving him
dictatorial powers: giving the chancellor the power to sign decrees and
treaties, and transferred to the chancellor, all powers of the Reichstag.
Some 150,000-200,000 political opponents are imprisoned in 1933.
Concentration camps are opened.
The prime example is the way in which Hitler deals with the unruly SA, such as
the leader Ernest Rohm.
They were able to do so legally because of the Reichstag fire decree which
removed people’s civil rights and consequently the elections of March 1933 were
characterised by Nazi violence:
Gestapo made over 10,000 arrests after the fire.
In June 1933 the SPD are banned and 3000 of its members are arrested and
hundreds are murdered.
Trade unions are all banned on 1st of May 1933.
Terror and repression clearly played a large role in the Nazi’s consolidation of power.
The fact that all mediums of accountability were disposed of, led to a situation where
there was very few opportunities for political opposition to surface. Moreover, there was
a genuine fear amongst all that didn’t conform to Nazi rule, of brutal and violent
consequences as displayed in the night of the long knives. Terror created an
atmosphere of fear amongst all Germans and that serves to solidify Hitler’s position as
the despotic tyrant of Germany. Having said this, there was definitely support for the
regime amongst some groups in German society, which suggests that perhaps not all
groups in society were coerced into submission. The evidence seems to suggest that
different forms of eliminating opposition were used for different people, ordinary
Germans were propagated into supporting the regime, and political opponents were
disposed of.
The reason why the elimination of opponents through terror is so effective and arguably
easy for Hitler, is that he has the appearance of legality, he is able to do everything
through the constitution.
Paragraph 2 – propaganda
One aspect of the Nazi consolidation of power that cannot be overlooked is the way in
which they controlled people’s access to information.
One of the biggest mediums for propagated messages in the Third Reich was the radio.
Goebbels (head of the ministry of propaganda) made the ‘people’s radio’ which were only
35 marks, this made access to radio easy, and by 1939 70% of households owned a
radio.
In 1933, the 9 regional broadcasting companies were taken over by Reich governors.
October 1933: a law made editors responsible for the infringement of government
directives.
The Nazis, most significantly Hitler himself, were able to gain support by playing on the heart
strings of ordinary Germans, they had been devastated by the Treaty of Versailles and the
economic disasters under the Weimar Republic.
One of the most effective means of gathering support was through rallies. The mass
would become part of a gigantic happening, a communal celebration where people would
