Nazi Germany Establishing Dictatorship

 Hitler gets Chancellorship, 30/01/33 Still Vulnerable  12 man cabinet  Hitler + 2 Nazis, no dictator  Von Papen: Vice Chancellor  Hindenburg: President Article 48 Hitler: ‘Drummer boy’, removable Establishment of a dictatorship

 Strengthen NSDAP in Reichstag  Reichstag Fire: February 27 th 1933  DPPS: ‘Decree for the Protection of People and State’ Consolidation of position THESE THREE FACTORS COMBINED TO GIVE THE NAZIS THE POPULAR SUPPORT NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN A STRONG POLITICAL ECONOMY

4 Democracy to destroy democracy  Dissolve Reichstag 1 st February  Call elections for March 5 th  Nazi advantages:  Largest political party  Conservatives had to work with Nazis  Alternative: Communism and civil war  Nazi access to state resources  Nazi cabinet ministers - H. Goering: Minister of interior, Prussia - W. Frick Reich Minister of the Interior How did the Nazis achieve this electoral victory? Party Building

5 Fanning the Flames  Imminent Communist coup?  Reichstag Fire Decrees February 27 th 1933 The German seat of parliament, the Reichstag, was set alight in an arson attack. The culprit, a Dutch Communist called Marius Van der Lubbe, was found at the scene. The Nazis capitalised on this fact to present the event a Communist coup de tat. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF A MAJOR BRITISH POLITICAL PARTY ATTEMPTED TO SEIZE POWER AND BURN DOWN THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT?

 Suspends all civil and political liberties  Central power increased over federal states  100s of political opponents arrested  Large scale intimidation and violence SA and SS State of Emergency Communists are blamed for the Reichstag Fire and lose political support The Nazi Party launches a massive anti Communist propaganda campaign Hitler arranged the President’s use of Article 48 to pass the DPPS. DECREE FOR THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE AND STATE It is the first instance of a concentration camp, used to segregate and detain German Communists. Preventing them from voting for the KPD in the imminent election. Hitler was able to use the circumstances to tighten his grip on Germany.

Reichstag elections: 5 th March 1933  Nazis: 43.9% = 288 seats, not enough  2/3rds needed to change constitution -Discount Communist Vote -Ally with the Centre Party & DNVP  392/534 Seats = 73.4% 1933 election poster, WWI soldier associated with SA brown shirt HITLER IMMEDIATELY PASSED THE ENABLING ACT. 4 YEAR EMERGENCY POWER TO PASS LAW WITHOUT THE REICHSTAG Neutralising Parliament

3 Main reasons for Nazi gains:  Immediate elections, opposition ill prepared  Deputies failure to invoke ‘Committee for the Protection of Parliamentary Rights’  Nazi monopoly of media, emergency decree and state powers Evaluation