The Enabling Act and Consolidation of Nazi Power

Following the March 1933 elections, Hitler moved swiftly to further consolidate his power through the passage of the Enabling Act.

The Enabling Act:

1. Officially titled the "Law to Remedy the Distress of People and Reich"
2. Passed on March 23, 1933
3. Gave Hitler's cabinet the power to enact laws without the consent of the Reichstag
4. Effectively established Hitler's dictatorship

Highlight: The Enabling Act was a crucial step in Hitler's consolidation of power, allowing him to bypass democratic processes and rule by decree.

Key points about the passage of the Enabling Act:

1. Required a two-thirds majority in the Reichstag to pass
2. Communist deputies were already arrested or in hiding
3. The Centre Party agreed to support the act after receiving assurances from Hitler
4. Only the Social Democrats voted against it

Consequences of the Enabling Act:

1. Hitler could now rule by decree, bypassing the Reichstag and President
2. Civil liberties were further eroded
3. Opposition parties were banned or dissolved
4. Trade unions were abolished and replaced with the Nazi-controlled German Labor Front

Example: Within months of the Enabling Act's passage, all political parties except the Nazi Party were banned, establishing a one-party state.

Further consolidation of power:

1. State governments were brought under direct control of the Reich government
2. The civil service was "cleansed" of non-Nazis and Jews
3. Books deemed un-German were burned in public ceremonies
4. The Nazi Party became increasingly intertwined with the state apparatus

Vocabulary: Germany 1933-1934 - This period marks the crucial transition from the Weimar Republic to the Nazi dictatorship, characterized by rapid political changes and increasing repression.

By the summer of 1933, Hitler had effectively dismantled the democratic institutions of the Weimar Republic and established Nazi control over most aspects of German society. However, there were still potential threats to his power that he would address in the coming year.

The March 1933 Election and Reichstag Fire

Hitler's next step in his consolidation of power was to call for new elections, aiming to secure a stronger position in the Reichstag.

Key events leading up to the March 1933 election:

1. Hitler convinced Hindenburg to call for new elections, citing the need to destroy the Communist threat
2. The election was set for March 5, 1933
3. Hitler secured funding from industrialists, emphasizing the Nazi ability to end Socialist and Communist threats

The election campaign was marked by extreme violence and propaganda:

1. The SA (Sturmabteilung) openly attacked Socialist (SPD) and Communist (KPD) opponents
2. 50,000 SA members were drafted into the Prussian police force
3. Police were instructed to ignore SA violence but arrest those who fought back
4. An estimated 500 people were murdered by the SA, and 100,000 imprisoned by the end of 1933

Quote: "It has been estimated that 500 people were murdered by the SA and 100,000 imprisoned by the end of 1933."

Hitler also leveraged control over state media:

1. Joseph Goebbels was placed in control of state-owned radio
2. Nazi propaganda was broadcast widely, while opposition voices were silenced

The Reichstag Fire:

On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building was set ablaze. This event became a crucial turning point in Hitler's consolidation of power.

Highlight: The Reichstag fire provided Hitler with a pretext to suspend civil liberties and crack down on political opponents.

Key points about the Reichstag Fire:

1. A Dutch Communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was arrested at the scene
2. Hitler claimed the fire was a signal for a Communist uprising
3. The next day, Hitler convinced Hindenburg to use Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree

The Reichstag Fire Decree:

1. Officially titled "Decree for the Protection of People and State"
2. Suspended civil liberties guaranteed by the Weimar Constitution
3. Allowed for the arrest and detention of perceived threats to the state without trial

Definition: The Enabling Act, passed shortly after the Reichstag Fire, gave Hitler's cabinet the power to enact laws without the consent of the Reichstag, effectively establishing his dictatorship.

Consequences of the Reichstag Fire Decree:

1. Communist leaders and supporters were rounded up and imprisoned
2. The first concentration camp was established at Dachau on March 8, 1933
3. By July 1933, 26,789 political prisoners had been arrested and imprisoned in about 70 camps

Despite the violence and propaganda, the Nazis secured only 44% of the vote in the March election. However, with their conservative coalition partners, they achieved a majority in the Reichstag.

Example: The Dachau concentration camp, established outside Munich, became a model for future camps and a symbol of Nazi oppression.