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Hitler appointed chancellor
Hitler is appointed chancellor, Goering appointed minister of the Interior -
Period: to
Hitler's consolidation of power
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Police, SS and SA
Goering orders local police to cooperate with the SS and SA. -
Reichstag fire
The Reichstag,the German parliament building is burnt down. Hitler blames communists and other Nazi opponents and arrests 4000. Many Germans believe the Nazi's create the fire themselves, so they can use the communists as a scapegoat to gain support in the March 1933 election. -
Hindenburg's emergency decree
The decree allows: Police to hold suspects without trial
Hitler to take over regional governments -
Reichstag elections
The government uses various forms of media to intimidate opponents. Nazi's attract new voter with the slogan "the Battle against Marxism". They win the elections with 52%. -
New Minister of Propaganda
Josef Goebells is appointed head of the new Ministry of Propaganda. He takes control of all media. -
Enabling act
Allows Hitler to pass decrees without the president's involvement. Made Hitler a legal dictator. He could pass any law he wanted to. -
A purge of aliens
In an effort to prevent Hitler's government being undermined by the civil service, he purges the organisation of all Jews and Nazi opponents. -
Holiday
Workers granted May Day holiday -
Trade unions banned
All workers in Germany now belong to the German labour front (DAF). -
Employment law
Major program of public works is implemented. This includes road-building etc. Designed to lower employment in Germany. -
Formation of new parties
Hitler passes a law which prevents New parties forming. Germany becomes a one party state. -
Vatican Concordant
Agreement between the state and the Roman Catholic church: Government protected religious freedom; church banned from political activity. -
All State governments taken over
Hitler increases his power. -
The Night of the Long Knives begins.
Even with control of the state government, Hitler did not feel totally secure. He was suspicious of the S.A. and it's leader, a long time colleague of Hitler, Ernst Rohm. Rohm wanted to make the S.A. a second German army. Hitler feared Rohm with his control of 4 million S.A. soldiers made him a dangerous opponent. On the weekend of the 29th-30th of June squads of S.S. soldiers broke into the homes of leading members of the S.A.(including Rohm) and eliminated them. -
The Night of the Long Knives
Hindenburg thanked Hitler for his determined action(which he said nipped treason at the bud) which even eliminated Kurt von Schliecher, a critic of Hitler who had no connection with Rohm or the S.A. . The S.A. remianed as a paramilitary organisation and lost the influence it had before 1933, Many members were absorbed into the Schultzstaffel. -
The Death of Paul von Hindenburg
Upon the death of Hidnenburg, Hitler became Fuhrer of Germany. All members of the army swore a personal oath of loyalrty to him. They agreed to serve him and stay out of politics. In return, Hitler spent vast amounts on rearmament, brought back conscription and made plans to increase Germany's military strength.