Let’s do a quick recap

Hitler’s Rise to Power1) Weaknesses of Weimar Govt2) Hitler’s Abilities

Recap

CircumstancesO There was early O to the Weimar GovernmentC The Weimar Government was a C Government

D During its time in power, the Weimar Government made a few Bad D

C The WR also lost a C Leader in Gustav Stresemann

D The WR was badly affected by the Great D

PPOSITION

OALITION

EPRESSION

APABLE

ECISIONS

Hitler’s Rise to Power1) Weaknesses of Weimar Govt

Recap

Hitler’s Rise to Power2) Hitler’s Abilities

OMMUNISM

EORGANISED

Hitler’s GermanyPolitical Impact

1933: Hitler was Chancellor of Germany

However …

Nazis did not have clear majority in parliament

Only 3/11 cabinet ministers were Nazis

Communists were the Nazis’ main rivals

Mmmm.. What can I do to gain more power?

The elections are coming up soon!

COMMUNISTS

How did Hitler consolidate his power?

Reichstag Fire, Feb 1933

Video on the Reich-stag Fire

-Think about Hitler’s response to it

Reichstag Fire, Feb 1933

Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was arrested, together with several other communist leaders Charged with attempting to overthrow

the government

Reichstag Fire, Feb 1933

Hitler convinced President Hindenburg to establish emergency powers Hindenburg signed the Reichstag Fire

Decree▪ Suspended civil liberties such as freedom of

the press and freedom to assemble in public▪ The SA arrested communists, broke up their

meeting and shut down their newspapers – effect?▪ Those who spoke up against Hitler also

beaten up

Affected election campaigns of rival parties

Enabling Act, March 1933

March 1933 Elections Nazis won 44% of the vote an

increase!

Nazis44%

+

German National People’s Party

8%

=52%Majority

InParliament!

Enabling Act, March 1933 Hitler wanted the Enabling Act to

be passed Would grant him the power to pass laws

without the President’s approval▪ SA and SS men surrounded building where

vote was held

Bill Passed!

Enabling Act, March 1933Communist Party and Social

Democratic Party banned from taking part in future elections

March 1933 Elections

Enabling Act=

PoliticalAuthority Increased!

Est. of One Party Rule, July 1933

2 May 1933 Hitler passed law making Nazi Party the

ONLY LEGAL POLITICAL PARTY in Germany

Nazi officials took charge of local governments in the individual states

Trade Unions dissolved and their leaders put in prison

Night of the Long Knives, June 1934

Rohm was leader of the SA Influential figures

like Himmler felt that he was becoming too powerful

Army also viewed SA as a threat

Hitler’s Pact If Rohm was

removed, Army would swear loyalty to Hitler

Ernst Rohm

Night of the Long Knives, June 1934

Night of the Long Knives, June 1934

Rohm was actually a homosexual Karl Ernst

Night of the Long Knives, June 1934

Night of the Long Knives SS arrested and killed Rohm and other

SA leaders Other political opponents who angered

Hitler were also targeted SA’s power broken and became

subject to SS’s controlI’m now in a position of

GREAT POWER!

Himmler

Creation of the Führer Position

Hindenburg died in 1934 Hitler merged position of President with

position of Chancellor

President

Chancellor+ =

Fuehrer(SupremeLeader)

Recap

FREAK

F Fuehrer due to:R Reichstag FireE Enabling ActA All other parties outlawedK Knives