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Hitler Establishes a Dictatorship. http://bookworm-megs.blogspot.com/2009/04/april-blogging-day-two.html. Opposition. http://www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles/a55_longlive.jpg. 30 January 1933 Hitler - appointed Chancellor However, the Nazis did not have a majority in Reichstag.
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Hitler Establishes a Dictatorship http://bookworm-megs.blogspot.com/2009/04/april-blogging-day-two.html
http://www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles/a55_longlive.jpg 30 January 1933 Hitler - appointed Chancellor However, the Nazis did not have a majority in Reichstag
REICHSTAG ELECTION NOVEMBER 6 1932 Party vote % Nazi 11,737,000 33.1 Social Democratic 7,248,000 2.4 Communist 5,980,000 16.9 Center 4,231,000 11.9 Nationalist 2,959,000 8.8 Bavarian People's 1,095,000 3.1 Other parties 2,635,000 7.6
http://opal.kent.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/ccc.py?mode=single&start=12&search=hitlerhttp://opal.kent.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/ccc.py?mode=single&start=12&search=hitler
REICHSTAG ELECTION MARCH 1933 • Party vote % • Nazi 17,277,000 43.9 • Social Democratic 7,182,000 18.3 • Communist 4,848,000 12.3 • Center 4,425,000 11.7 • Nationalist 3,137,000 8.0 • Bavarian People's 1,074,000 2.7 • Other parties 1,533,000 3.8 http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/germany/elect.htm
Reichstag Fire February 27, 1933 Reichstag burned down • A Communist was arrested for the crime • Gave Hitler an ideal excuse to arrest & persecute leading Communists + break their organization • Communists were outlawed
Two weeks after the Reichstag fire, Hitler requested the Reichstag to temporarily delegate its powers to him so that he could adequately deal with the crisis. • the vote was taken, the result was 441 for and 84 against, giving Hitler the two-thirds majority he needed to suspend the German constitution.
http://opal.ukc.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/ccc.py?mode=single&start=0&search=nazishttp://opal.ukc.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/ccc.py?mode=single&start=0&search=nazis
Enabling ActsMarch 23, 1933 • Gave Hitler the power to make laws without parliament’s approval for four years • Made Hitler a dictator
Bill acquired 2/3 majority with only the Socialist voting against it • May 2, 1933 trade unions abolished and leaders are arrested • By July 14 – all political parties are banned only the NAZI party left • The SA (Storm troopers or Brown Shirts) intimidated all non-Nazi members of the Reichstag
http://opal.ukc.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/ccc.py?mode=single&start=2&search=nazis%20hitler%20reichstag%20firehttp://opal.ukc.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/ccc.py?mode=single&start=2&search=nazis%20hitler%20reichstag%20fire
SS (Blackshirts) • A German police/ military style organization created to serve as the personal bodyguards of Adolf Hitler • they eventually controlled the intelligence, security and police forces, and extermination of those they considered undesirable.
GESTAPOSecret State Police • Gestapo (secret state police) were given the job of identifying & bringing to justice opponents of the Nazis (included: Communists, Socialists, Jews, homosexuals, gypsies) • All important offices (judges, chiefs of police) were held by Nazis
Heydrich led the Gestapo‘Henchman Heydrich’ • Gestapo could arrest anyone on suspicion and taken into ‘protective custody’ (imprisonment without trial)
Himmler controlled the SS + the regular police (and was Heydrich’s superior) Hitler encouraged rivalry between the two – so he would not be challenged
Night of the Long KnivesJune 30, 1934 • some SA (Brownshirts/Nazi Storm troopers, formed in 1921 to protect the party) leaders were demanding that the Nazi party carry out its socialist agenda • National Socialist German Workers’ Party • Hitler had only used the word Socialist to get support from workers as he hated socialism • Two points of the party’s original plan were • Profit sharing in the great industries • Abolition of all incomes unearned by work
SS murdered 400 of the SA (Brownshirts) members, including its leader Ernst Roehm and along with a number of Hitler's other opponents • Roehm wanted nationalization of major firms but Hitler could not afford to annoy ‘big business’ who supported the Nazi party • Roehm wanted the SA (2 million men) to replace the professional army (200,000 men) but Hitler could not afford to annoy the generals
British cartoon by David Low, 1934 They salute with both hands, now!
FuhrerOath of Army Loyalty • President Hindenburg died in 1934; Hitler abolished the titles of Chancellor & President and made himself Fuhrer or leader • Night of the Long Knives had impressed the army; when Hitler became Fuhrer, the army swore an oath of personal loyalty to the Fuhrer • As the Fuhrer, Hitler was in complete control
First published by Daily Express on 13 March 1933http://opal.kent.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/ccc.py?mode=single&start=14&search=hitler
The Fuhrer Oath I swear by almighty God this sacred oath: I will render unconditional obedience to the Fuehrer of the German Reich and people, Adolf Hitler, Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht, and, as a brave soldier, I will be ready at any time to stake my life for this oath."