G23+Consolidation


 * 2 The rise of the Nazi Party**


 * initial consolidation of Nazi power 1933–1934

__6.1 The Concept of Totalitarianism__
 * Totalitarianism**: total control by one party over all aspects of society.

__6.2 The Path to Dictatorship__
 * As chancellor, Hitler immediately demanded a fresh election.
 * The SA were used to intimidate and coerce socialist and communist opponents. Concentration camps were built at Dachau and Oranienburg. Wilhelm Frick (Minister for the Interior) and Hermann Göring (Prussian Minister for the Interior) controlled the police force - numbers were greatly increased using SA and SS troops. The Gestapo grew in size.


 * The Reichstag fire and its consequences**
 * 27 Feb, a week before the election, the Reichstag building burnt down.
 * The Nazis used this as a catalyst for anti-communist violence and propaganda. Almost 4,000 communists were arrested (including KPD members of the Reichstag).
 * Article 48 was used to suspend the basic freedoms of the Weimar constitution through the decree “Order of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State” - //Verordnung des Reichspräsidenten zum Schutz von Volk und Staat//. This was the beginning of the Nazi totalitarian state.

The Nazis (44% of the vote - 288 seats), with the DNVP (8% - 52 seats) had a majority in the new Reichstag.
 * Election - 5 March 1933**


 * 21 March 1933 - The Day of Potsdam**
 * Opening ceremony for the 1st Reichstag of the Third Reich, orchestrated by Goebbels, held in Garrison Church, Potsdam, burial place of Frederick the Great. 21 March was the anniversary of the opening, by Bismarck in 1862, of the 1st Reichstag of the Second Reich.
 * The ceremony symbolically linked the new Reich with traditional German values and emphasised its legitimacy.


 * 23 March 1933 - The Enabling Act**
 * A law which suspended the powers of the Reichstag for four years. It needed a 2/3 majority to pass (432 votes - the Nazi/DNVP coalition had 340 votes). No KPD were present (arrested or fled). The SA encircled the Reichstag (meeting in the Kroll Opera House). The SPD argued and voted against the Act. It was passed with 441 votes.
 * Hitler was now a dictator, and could issue laws without regard for the Reichstag or President.

__6.3 Creating the Totalitarian State__

All areas of government and society were brought under the control of the Nazi Party.
 * Gleichschaltung**: coordination.


 * Civil Service**
 * April 1933 - Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service. Jews and known political opponents were removed. Mostly, the civil service was conservative and acquiesced.


 * Trade Unions**
 * Workers were mostly supporters of the SPD or KPD.
 * 1 May - May Day Holiday with torch-lit parade at Templehof Airport. Next day Free Trade Unions abolished (followed shortly after by Catholic Trade Unions). SA and police raided offices and arrested leaders.
 * Unions replaced with German Labour Front (Deutsche Arbeitsfront - DAF) under Robert Ley.


 * Political parties**
 * KPD had already been declared illegal. 22 June SPD banned. 28 June DDP dissolved. 29 June DNVP disbanded. July DVP abolished followed by CP.


 * Reichstag Election - Nov 1933**
 * All 661 seats were won by the Nazi Party.


 * Control of the States**
 * April 1933 - Law for the Coordination of the States. A Reich governor ensured states were loyal.
 * Jan 1934 state parliaments abolished.
 * Feb 1934 Reichsrat abolished.


 * Legal System**
 * The judiciary had been hostile to the republic throughout the Weimar Republic. It was generally supportive of the Nazi take over and was gradually brought under control of the Party. New professional body “National Socialist League for the Maintenance of the Law”; appointments controlled; judges dismissed for not supporting the Party.
 * April 1934 - People’s Court, separate from judiciary, for crimes against the state.

__6.4 Night of the Long Knives__
 * SA - by 1934 there were 3,000,000 members, mostly from lower class and unemployed. Ernst Röhm wanted a continuation of the revolution to include control of traditional socialist targets: industrialists and landowners.
 * The army was hostile towards the SA and Hitler needed the support of the army. He intended to become the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces when Hindenberg died.
 * April 1934 - Hitler agreed with the leadership of the army to remove the threat of the SA. Death lists were drawn up coordinated by Göring and Himmler - “Operation Hummingbird”.
 * 30 June 1934 - Night of the Long Knives. Röhm and SA leadership arrested and killed the next day. Other enemies also removed: von Schleicher, von Kahr, associates of von Papen (von Papen was placed under house arrest). Over 200 were killed.
 * Significance: removed the threat of the SA and consolidated support for Hitler within the army leadership.


 * 2 August 1934 - Death of Hindenberg**
 * Hitler combined the positions of Chancellor and President into a new position Reichs Chancellor: head of state, head of government, and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The army took a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler.
 * He was now “Der Führer”