What Helped Hitler Take Control Over Germany
· Reichstag Fire
· Enabling Act
· The Night of the Long Knives
Which of these were the most important? Explain your answer.
The Reichstag fire was when Hitler became Chancellor he took steps to
complete a Nazi takeover of Germany. The Reichstag Fire took place on
27 February, this was a dramatic development for the Nazis, the
Reichstag building burnt down. Hitler blamed the Communists and
declared that the fire was the beginning of a Communist uprising. He
demanded special emergency powers to deal with the situation and was
given them by President Hindenburg. The Nazi used this power to arrest
Communists, break up meeting and frighten voters. Many Germans thought
that it was the Nazis who started the fire.
In the election, the Nazis won, by their largest ever share of the
votes. They were given support of the smaller Nationalist Party,
Hitler had an overall majority. Using the SA and the SS, he then
intimidated the Reichstag into passing the enabling act which allowed
him to make laws without consulting the Reichstag. The Enabling Act
made Hitler a virtual dictator. For the next 4 years if he wanted a
new law he could pass it. There was nothing that President Hindenburg
could do.
The Night of the Long Knives happened on the weekend of 29 to the 30
of June. Squads of SS men broke into homes of Rohm and other leading
figures in the SA and arrested them, they then were taken to
concentration camps and later executed. Over this weekend Rohm and
possibly as many as 400 others were executed.
The Reichstag Fire was important because if the Reichstag Fire hadn’t
of happened then I don’t think that the other two events would of
happened. It was also important because it meant that Hitler was
given immense power by President Hindenburg, Hitler used this power so
that he could intimidate the Communists.
The Enabling Act was important because it meant that Hitler could make