How did Hitler change Germany from a democracy into a dictatorship?

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  • Key question 2
    • Stage 1 - The Reichstag Fire
      • Reichstag fire - 27th February 1933
      • Hitler calls for an election in March 1933 to get more seats (has 196) - communists are a big threat
      • Hindenburg enacts article 48 - communists can be arrested without trail
      • Propaganda "gets rid" of communists and shows Nazi strengths (win 288 seats)
    • Stage 2 - The Enabling Act
      • Centre Party (Catholics) supported as Hitler would support the Catholic religion in Germany
      • Met in temporary building - Koll Opera House - 23rd March 1933
      • Nationalists supported Hitler as they were friends and easily persuaded
      • To pass the act, Hitler needed a 2/3 (66%) majority
        • passed 444-94
      • To allow Hitler to make laws without the approval of the Reichstag or the President - make Hitler a dictator
      • SA ushered in the different parties  intimidated social democrats into supporting Hitler
    • Stage 3 - Elimination of political oppositon
      • Trade unions closed down (contained communists) - May 1933 - replaced with the German Labour Front
      • Hitler banned all other political parties (May and June) including ones that helped him become Chancellor
      • law passed against the formation of parties - Nazi party only
      • Prominent socialists and communists arrested
      • July 1933  an agreement with the pope (concordat) to not interfere with Catholicism in Germany - gave Hitler international presige
    • Stage 4 - Night of the long knives
      • Claimed to be preventing civil war (Hitler)
      • 200 were shot, including the previous Chancellor - Von Schleicher
      • 30th June 1934 - ** arrest and shoot leading members of the SA, who were in a meeting in  village near Munich - Rohm shot in prison after refusing to commit suicide
      • SA were under leadership of Ernst Rohm and their violence/chaos gave Nazis a bad name (2 million members) - could challenge Hitler
    • Stage 5 - The death of Hindenburg
      • President and Chancellor become one - Fuhrer (Father)
      • 2nd August 1934 - Hindenburg dies from natural causes
      • Army loyal to Hitler as he is president
  • Mannus Van der Lubbe (Dutch communist) found guilty

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