history, hitlers germany, key issue 2

Reichstag fire

• february 1933
• reichstag was set on fire by a dutch communist, van der lubbe 
• could of been set up by the SA or was a set up
• hitler claimed this was proof of a communist takeover
• hindenburg signed an emergency decree 'low for the protection of people and the state;
• law ended all freedoms guaranteed in the constitution and gave police total control
• communist leaders were arrested, meetings were broken up and newspapers closed down

march 1933 election

• Propaganda used to encourage people to vote nazi
• propaganda methods were rallies, paraders and radio broadcasts
• nazis had 288 seat, 44% of the vote
• nazis were the largest party but not a majority
• nationalist party gave nazis there 52 seats, nazis now have majority

enabling law march 1933

• enabling law was the power to make any law without consulting the reichstag or president
• it need 2/3rds majority of the reichstag for law to be passed
• hitler banned 81 communists using 'law for protection of people
• social democrats threatened by SA
• pressure put on other parties
• enabling law passed 444 to 94
• destroying the constitution
• reichstag now only met to hear speeches by hitler
• november 1933 election, only nazi party was allowed to stand

removal of opposition

• social democrats were now banned
• law against the formation of new parties meant only nazi's could stand in elections
• trade unions abolished
• ministers were nazis
• local government was nazis
• judges were nazis
• civil servants were nazis
• those who refused to become nazis were sacked

night of the long knives

• hitler no longer needed the SA 
• SA was undisciplined body of thugs
• ernest roehm was the leader and homosexual which goes against nazis image
• roehm was more socalist than nationalist, gained support from industrialists and they didnt want to lose this
• roehm wanted the SA to control the army, this would make him more powerful than hitler
• army leaders would not support hitler if he was connected to the SA
• Hitler claimed that the SA were plotting to take over. hitler ordered ** to arrest SA…