Nazi Consolidation of Power

How much of a victory was the March 1933 election?

The election of 5 March 1933

·         Hitler rejected a coalition with the Centre Party as it would have given him a majority in the Reichstag that he and von Papen wanted to destroy.

·         He instead wanted another election to secure power democratically and then create a dictatorship

·         The subsequent campaign saw Hitler highlighting promises of German unity, a strong economy and restoration as major world power.

·         He claimed Christian morals and family orientation to convince German voters that there would not be a Bolshevik style revolution.

·         Hitler was allowed to use Article 48 to forbid political meetings and ban opposition newspapers.

·         Hermann Göring controlled the Prussian police force and reinforced them with SA men.

·         The Nazis used the Reichstag fire to blame and ban the Communist Party. Furthermore, Hitler introduced new emergency powers which gave the government the ability to arrest individuals, censor post, search private house and dismiss Länd governments.

·         The election featured the extensive use of the SA to attack the banned Socialist and Communists.

·         Despite, the Nazis only gained 43.9% of the vote and had to rely on an alliance with the Nationalist Party to secure a majority.

How the Enabling Act was passed and why was it so important?

·         The election results of 5 March 1933 were celebrated with more violence by the SA. Hitler made desperate appeals to quell the violence, as he still needed the support of Hindenburg and his coalition partners.

·         The Enabling Bill aimed to give full legislative and executive powers to the Nazi Cabinet over a period of four years. They were to be given powers to revise the constitution independently of the Reichstag.

·         The Bill needed a 2/3 majority in the Reichstag. To do this, Hitler promised to…