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Creation of a dictatorship - Coggle Diagram
Creation of a dictatorship
Reichstag fire
A lone Dutch communist was executed for supposedly starting the fire
Hitler seized the opportunity to accuse the communist party for conspiracy against the government
It gave Hitler an excuse to issue a decree for the protection of the people of the state, giving him powers to imprison political opponents
He persuaded Hindenburg to call an election in March 1993 for more Nazi seats
Nazi party managed to secure 2/3 of the seats by using the emergency powers to prevent the communists
Hitler could now change the constitution
Enabling act
Hitler proposed the Enabling Act in order to destroy the power of the Reichstag and give himself total power
Reich cabinet could pass new laws
The laws could overrule the constitution
Hitler would propose the laws
As a result: Germany would no longer be a democracy and Hitler/the Nazi party would be in complete control of Germany
Effect of enabling act
Allowed Hitler to get rid of opposition to the Nazis
Local government completely abolished
Trade unions were abolished and replaced by the German labour front
SDP and Communist party offices and funds were taken by the Nazis - political parties other than the Nazis were banned
Rohm, Hitler and the SA
Rohm did not like Hitler's policies
Rohm was head of the SA (stormtroopers)
SS wanted to reduce the size of the SA to increase their own power
Many SA were bitter because they were still unemployed and felt undervalued and angry
SA were much bigger than the army and army feared Rohm wanted to replace them
SS
SS were set up by Hitler in 1925 to act as his bodyguards - select group ran by Himmler.
They were menacing in their black uniforms
Night of the long knives
Hitler decided to rid himself of the threat of Rohm and the SA.
He invited Rohm and 100 SA leaders to a meeting
the meeting was a ruse and the leaders were arrested, including Rohm, and shot by the SS
Further killings occurred, including the murder of von schleicher
Death of Hindenburg
President Hindenburg was the only person senior to Hitler
He died and within hours, a law concerning the head of state made Hitler the Fuhrer of Germany, the dictator
Fuhrer means leader and hitler utilised propaganda to show that he is all powerful
Army oath of allegiance
The day Hindenburg died, Hitler made the army swear an oath of allegiance to him and not germany