Consolidating Power
The Enabling Act was Hitler's master stroke for gaining complete control over Germany. Passed on 24 March 1933 under incredibly intimidating circumstances, this law allowed Hitler to make new laws for four years without asking the Reichstag (German parliament) for permission.
The vote was a sham - communist members were absent (likely arrested), and the remaining politicians were massively intimidated by Nazi storm troopers. It passed 444 votes to 94, effectively ending German democracy. When renewed in 1937, it marked the final death of the Weimar Republic's constitution.
Hitler wasted no time eliminating potential opposition. In May 1933, trade unions were crushed when Nazis broke into their offices across Germany, arrested officials, and made strikes illegal. Hitler feared that communists could use trade unions to undermine his government through strikes and worker unrest.
Political parties suffered the same fate. Storm troopers attacked the offices of Hitler's main rivals - the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Communist Party (KPD) - destroying their newspapers and stealing their funds. By 14 July 1933, all political parties except the Nazi Party (NSDAP) were banned.
Key Point: The Enabling Act was the legal foundation that allowed Hitler to dismantle democracy whilst appearing to follow proper procedures.