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From Chancellor To Dictator. The National Revolution. Hitler had been legally appointed Chancellor in January 1933. However, he was in a coalition government He did not have absolute power Immediately he called for new elections He wanted to gain 50% of the vote
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The National Revolution • Hitler had been legally appointed Chancellor in January 1933. • However, he was in a coalition government • He did not have absolute power • Immediately he called for new elections • He wanted to gain 50% of the vote • He wanted to remove his coalition partners • Election Date: March 5th
The ‘Unfair’ 1933 Election • Scare Tactics • The Nazis claimed that the Communists were about to ‘take over’ Germany • The government banned Communist meetings • Communist newspapers were shut down • In Prussia, the SA were given full police powers • Government money and power • The Nazis no longer had to rely on their own money to fight an election campaign. Goebbels used propaganda very effectively. • Huge Propaganda event on 27th Feb • Just a week before the election
The Reichstag Fire • The German Parliament was burnt to the ground • 5th March 1933 • Nazis claimed that it was by a Dutch Communist • Van der Lubbe • Possibly a Nazi Conspiracy • Gave the Nazis a golden propaganda opportunity
“The Decree for the Protection of the People and the State” • Using the Reichstag Fire as an excuse (an assault on German Democracy), Hindenburg signed the emergency decree on February 28th: • Brownshirts given Police Powers • Thousands of Communists were arrested • ‘Protective Custody’ introduced • Indefinite Imprisonment without trial • First Concentration Camps created • Freedom of Speech removed • Opposition newspapers closed down • Freedom of Assembly removed • Only Nazis could hold meetings, rallies, etc…
The Enabling Act • Nazis still did not have over 50% of seats • They needed a 2/3rds majority to change constitution • Nazis wanted to pass the Enabling Act • Would allow Nazis to pass laws without votes in Reichstag and without Article 48 • Would turn Germany into a Dictatorship • Nazis used emergency decree powers to arrest Communists • Convinces Catholic Party to support him • Enabling act passed 441 – 84 • Hitler is now a Dictator!