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 Night of the Long Knives and Hitler's Absolute Power

The final major step in Hitler's consolidation of power came with the Night of the Long Knives in June-July 1934, followed by his assumption of absolute power upon President Hindenburg's death.

The Night of the Long Knives:

1. Also known as the Röhm Purge or Operation Hummingbird
2. Took place from June 30 to July 2, 1934
3. A series of political murders carried out by the SS and Gestapo

Definition: The Night of the Long Knives was a purge that eliminated Hitler's political opponents and potential rivals within the Nazi movement and beyond.

Key targets of the purge:

1. Ernst Röhm and other SA leaders
2. Conservative figures like former Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher
3. Left-wing Nazis like Gregor Strasser
4. Other political opponents and perceived threats

Reasons for the purge:

1. To eliminate the threat posed by the SA and Röhm's calls for a "second revolution"
2. To reassure the army of Hitler's loyalty and gain their support
3. To remove conservative critics and potential rivals
4. To consolidate Hitler's personal power within the Nazi movement

Highlight: The Night of the Long Knives demonstrated Hitler's willingness to use extreme violence against even his own supporters to maintain power.

Consequences of the Night of the Long Knives:

1. The SA was significantly weakened and brought under Hitler's direct control
2. The SS under Heinrich Himmler gained prominence
3. The army leadership pledged loyalty to Hitler
4. Any remaining opposition within Germany was terrified into silence

Hitler's assumption of absolute power:

1. President Hindenburg died on August 2, 1934
2. Hitler combined the offices of President and Chancellor
3. He assumed the title of Führer and Reich Chancellor
4. The army swore a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler

Quote: "The army will henceforth swear its oath of loyalty to me personally." - Adolf Hitler, after combining the offices of President and Chancellor.

By August 1934, Hitler had achieved absolute power in Germany:

1. All political opposition had been eliminated
2. The Nazi Party controlled all aspects of government and society
3. The military had sworn personal loyalty to Hitler
4. Germany had become a totalitarian dictatorship under Hitler's leadership

Vocabulary: Führer - German for "leader" or "guide," this became Hitler's official title and symbolized his absolute authority over Nazi Germany.

The period from January 1933 to August 1934 saw Hitler transform from a chancellor with limited power to an absolute dictator. Through a combination of legal maneuvering, propaganda, violence, and political cunning, Hitler dismantled the Weimar Republic and established the Third Reich, setting the stage for the tragic events that would follow.

Hitler's Initial Position as Chancellor

Hitler's consolidation of power began when he was appointed Chancellor in January 1933, but his position was initially far from secure.

Highlight: Although Hitler became Chancellor, he was far from being an all-powerful dictator at first.

Hitler faced several significant limitations on his power:

1. President Hindenburg retained constitutional authority to dismiss Hitler
2. Hindenburg controlled the army and held their loyalty
3. The Nazi Party had only 3 members in the cabinet, including Hitler
4. Hitler's coalition lacked a majority in the Reichstag
5. Left-wing trade unions remained powerful and could organize strikes

However, Hitler also had some advantages:

1. Leadership of Germany's largest right-wing party
2. Support from conservatives who saw him as necessary for a stable right-wing government
3. Control over key state organizations through Nazi cabinet members

Example: Wilhelm Frick, a Nazi, became Minister of the Interior for the Reich, giving him control over law enforcement. Hermann Göring became Minister of the Interior for Prussia, Germany's largest state.

Hitler quickly moved to consolidate his power, outmaneuvering his political rivals and using his position to harass opponents and gain supporters.

Vocabulary: Consolidation of power meaning - The process by which a leader or group strengthens their control over a government or organization.