The Reichstag Fire - 27th February 1933

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  • Created by: Kitty
  • Created on: 13-04-13 10:08
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  • The Reichstag Fire - 27th February 1933
    • Hitler had made it clear in the days immediately prior to January 30th 1933 that he would not be able to work with the Reichstag that had been elected in the November 1932 election.
    • The SA rounded up as many Communists (and other political oppenents of the Nazis) as they could find - nearly 4000 people were arrested.
    • The public was told that Communists had burned down the seat of the Government in Germany and that the Police and the SA were doing all that they could to save the nation from unrest and catastophe.
      • This helped to spread a fear of Communism across Germany causing many Germans to turn to more extreme Parties such as the Nazis.
    • The Reichstag Fire took place one week before the March 5th election.
      • Due to the fact that the Communists were blamed for the fire, there was quite a big impact on voting.
    • A Dutch communist called Marius Van der Lubbe was blamed for starting the fires.
      • Along with four other communists, Van der Lubbe was charged with arson.
      • Van der Lubbe was accused of starting at least 12 fires and was put on trial in late December.
      • Van der Lubbe was found guilty and execduted in January 1934.
    • At the Nuremberg war trials, General Franz Halder calimed that he overheard Hermann Goering boasting whilst at a birthday lunch for Hitler.
      • Halder claimed that he clearly heard Goering boasting that he was responsible for the fire.
        • This may however, only been to impress Hitler.
    • Martin Sommerfeldt (Ministry of the Interior in Berlin), believed it was carried out by men of the SA on the orders of Goebbels to the boost the party's election chances in 1933
    • The Reichstag could no longer be used as a base for the seat of the Government . The nearest large building that could accomodate all the deputies was the Kroll Opera house.

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Gillian Talbot

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That's so helpful! Thank you for putting it up!

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