Hitler removes his opposition: Jan 1933-June 1934 QUIZ STARTER 1. When (month & year) did these events happen?

(a) Hitler became Chancellor (b) The Reichstag Fire (c) The Enabling Act (d) The Night of the Long Knives?

2. What % of the national vote/Reichstag seats did the Nazis have when Hitler became Chancellor?

3. What was the name of the law passed by Hindenburg (using Article 48) shortly after the Reichstag Fire?

4. Identify 2 effects of the Reichstag Fire. 5. What did the Enabling Act enable Hitler to do? 6. Identify 3 reasons why Hitler decided to kill Rohm

and other leaders of the SA in the Night of the Long Knives.

7. Identify two effects of the NOLK.

• Jan 1933: Hitler becomes Chancellor

1. Feb 1933: The Reichstag Fire

2. March 1933: The Enabling Act (Law)

is passed

3. June 1934: The Night of the Long Knives – Hitler ensures that he has the German army’s support

Hitler’s RISE TO POWER 1921-33

Hitler SECURES POWER (removes opposition) 1933-34

The Enabling Act, March 1933 W

hat

was

it? • A law which

enabled Hitler to pass any law he wanted, without the Reichstag or President having to agree to that law. Such laws could go against the Weimar Constitution, too.

Wh

y d

id H

itle

r n

eed

it? • In the March

1933 election, despite the Nazis’ best efforts to rig the outcome, they only got 44% of the vote. This was not the majority that Hitler needed in order to have control over law-making. The Enabling Act would make gaining a majority unnecessary.

Ho

w d

id h

e ge

t it

pas

sed

? • The Enabling Act was a change to the Weimar Constitution. Changes could only be made by a 2/3 majority vote in the Reichstag.

• The Communists were banned from the Reichstag.

• Hitler got the SA to threaten the remaining deputies into voting for the Enabling Act. Some Social Democrats still voted against it!

Which of these statements BEST sums up the effect of the Enabling Act/Law on Hitler’s power?

1. Hitler now had a majority so he could pass whatever laws he wanted.

2. There was no longer any Reichstag or President so Hitler could pass any laws he wanted.

3. There was now no Reichstag and the constitution had been altered to by-pass the President, so Hitler could pass any laws he wanted.

4. Hitler was now a dictator. He was answerable to no one and could pass any laws he wanted.

5. Hitler had complete power to pass any laws, but he had to be careful to keep voters on his side so he would stay in power.

Common mistakes: The Enabling Act was

passed by Hindenburg using Article 48.

The Enabling Act suspended civil liberties.

THINK! • Why don’t the two mistakes make sense? Why would they

not happen? • Can you rewrite these statements so they are correct and

accurate?

Explain the effects of the Enabling Act (1933) in Germany. (8 marks)

Explain the effects of x = what difference did x make?

QUESTION 1c: Explain the effects of……. (8 marks)

One effect of x was…….. For example…….. (explain the effect

using detailed knowledge). This led to..... (try to explain the longer

term significance of the effect).

A second effect of x was…….. For example…….. (explain the effect

using detailed knowledge). This led to..... (try to explain the longer

term significance of the effect).

To reach an A*, link your two effects

Another way of reaching an A* on this Q is to link your two effects at the end, by writing a short conclusion explaining the link. You only need a conclusion if you’re aiming for an A*

10 mins

Explain the effects of the Enabling Act (1933) in Germany. Effect 1: The Reichstag was made redundant. • Hitler could now make laws without

the Reichstag • No longer any need for the Nazis to

focus on gaining a majority • Rival political parties silenced Effect 2: Turned Germany from a democracy into a dictatorship • Once silenced, rival parties would be

outlawed – G would be a one party state

• Hitler could alter the constitution as he wished and put his policies into effect without delay

Explain how the Enabling Act (1933) changed the way Germany was governed. (8 marks)

QUESTION 2 TYPE A: Explain how……. (8 marks) CHANGE/IMPACT

One way in which x changed was… For example……. (use your knowledge to explain how events led to this change). This changed x because..... (sum up the

impact of events on x).

A second way in which x changed was… For example…… (use your knowledge to explain how events led to this change). This changed x because..... (sum up the

impact of events on x).

To reach an A*, link the ways in which x changed

Another way of reaching an A* on this Q is to write a short conclusion explaining the link

between the 2 ways in which x changed. You only need a conclusion if you’re aiming for

an A*

10 mins

Explain how the Enabling Act (1933) changed the way Germany was governed.

Change 1: The Reichstag no longer had any role in law- making. • Hitler could now make laws without

the Reichstag • Rival political parties silenced, Hitler

could rule as a dictator

Change 2: Turned Germany from a democracy into a dictatorship • Once silenced, rival parties would be

outlawed – G would be a one party state

• Hitler could alter the constitution as he wished, permanently getting rid of civil liberties/freedoms and the role of President

What was the Night of the Long Knives?

• It’s when the SS killed the leading members of the SA (not the other way round!)

• This secured Hitler the backing of the German army

• Other, political opponents were murdered too – eg. von Schleicher and Gregor Strasser (a Nazi with strong socialist views)

• Around 400 were killed in total

A British cartoon: “They salute with both hands, now!”

The German army Stormtroopers (SA) ?

OR

Can you explain 3 reasons why Hitler chose the army over the SA?

The Night of the Long Knives

The 8 mark ‘explain why’ question Explain why Hitler acted against the Sturmabteilung (SA) on the Night of the Long Knives (30 June 1934).

You need to be able to explain 2 out of 4 possible reasons……

Rohm was a threat The SA were an embarrassment

The SA were pushing their socialist views

Hitler needed the army’s support

• Rohm (leader of SA) wanted to merge the SA and the army.

• This would have put him in charge of more than 3 million men.

• This would have enabled Rohm to challenge Hitler’s authority.

• The SA were thuggish street brawlers.

• They beat up political rivals, such as Communists, and started fights at rival parties’ election meetings.

• Hitler, as Chancellor, needed to project a more responsible, respectable image.

• Rohm and the SA were calling for a ‘second revolution’.

• They wanted the Nazi Party to follow a more socialist agenda – giving the workers more rights.

• Hitler wanted to suppress socialism within the party – it threatened the sponsorship the Nazis received from big business.

• Hitler knew that if he didn’t have the army’s support, the army could overthrow him in a coup.

• Hitler also needed the army’s support to fulfil his rearmament and war aims.

• The army generals resented Rohm and the SA.

QUESTION 1d: Explain why……. (8 marks)

One reason why x was…….. For example…….. (explain the reason

using detailed knowledge). This caused x because..... (try to explain

why your reason led to x happening).

One reason why x was……..

For example…….. (explain the reason using detailed knowledge).

This caused x because..... (try to explain why your reason led to x happening).

To reach an A*, link your two reasons

Another way of reaching an A* on this Q is to write a short conclusion explaining the

link between your 2 reasons OR which reason was the most important cause, and

why. You only need a conclusion if you’re aiming for an A*

10 mins

If you don’t explain how your reasons led to the outcome stated in the question, you won’t get above a C grade on the ‘explain why’ question.

Explain why Hitler acted against the Sturmabteilung (SA) on the Night of the Long Knives.

The 8 mark ‘explain why’ question Explain why Hitler acted against the SA on the Night of the Long Knives (30 June 1934).

One reason why Hitler acted against the SA was because he believed that the leaders of the SA were getting ‘too big for their boots’ and the main leader, Rohm, was searching for too much power. Rohm wanted to join the SA and the German Army together; this would make Rohm the most powerful man in Germany, putting him in charge of over 3 million men. Hitler saw Rohm as a threat. Therefore, Hitler got the SS to kill Rohm and some other SA leaders in order to neutralise this threat by leaving the SA leaderless. 6/8 marks (B)

Here, the student has linked their reason (Rohm was a threat) to the outcome stated in the Q (Hitler acting against the SA in the NOLK).

Q1(a) What can you learn from source A about the power of the Nazis in Germany? (4 marks)

Writing frame: Source A suggests that…….. I know this because it says……………(quote)

QUESTION 1a: What can you learn from source A about……. (4 marks)

Source A suggests that….. I know this because it

says…..(QUOTE)

• This is an inference question. • This Q similar to the first Q on

the Divided Union paper, but you only need to explain ONE inference, not two.

• You should not use your own knowledge for this question. Instead develop your inference by giving a short quote to back it up.

5 mins

Other past exam questions about the NOLK (and the Reichstag Fire/Enabling Act): Explain how Hitler was able to overcome opposition to his government in the years 1933–34. (8 marks) Explain how Hitler dealt with opposition to his rule in the years 1933-34. (8 marks)

Explain the effects of the Night of the Long Knives (1934). (8 marks)