The Emergency Decree Feb 1933.

1. Hitler called for re-elections

2. On the night of 27th Feb 1933, Reichstag building was set on fire. Dutch communist Van der Lubbe was found inside and arrested. Hitler accused him of plotting against the government, trialed him for the crime. He was found guilty and sentenced to death.

3. Hitler used this to argue communists were trying to bring down his government. Communists denied involvement and actually had nothing to do with th event. Goering's Prussian police arrested and imprisoned 4000 communist leaders, that night, and put them in concentrations camps for re-education.

4. Hitler used event to persude Hindenburg to pass emergency decree. Giving police emergency powers to search houses, confiscate property and detain people indefinitely without trial.

5. Newspapers closed down. Public mettings banned. Nazi opponents rounded up and put into hastily organized concentration camps. Goering also took control of the state radio station.

6. In short term, seemed very convienient for Nazis - Giving excuse to blame communists.

7. Nazis gained such an advantage form the Reichstag fire, people suspected Nazis to have possibly organized the fire themselves.

8. In March election, Nazis had best results but still no majority. Nazis needed to do something else to ensure complete control over the Reichstag.