History 101:
How did Hitler become a dictator? Part 2
In this next part of this mini series we will be investigating how Hitler solidified his role as an absolute dictator:
To actually become dictator, Hitler had to pass a law that would give him complete power to him. So Hitler, on the 23rd of March 1933, did exactly this by passing a law (amendment to the Weimar constitution) called the Enabling Act. This gave him the power to create laws without having to pass it through the Reichstag. During the vote the SA and SS were standing at the doors trying to persuade MPs , with violence, to vote for the Nazis Enabling Act. Hitler passed the vote 444 to 94. From this point onwards Hitlers emergency powers were made redundant and he now assumed permanent control over Germany. However this by no means meant that Hitler was literally unstoppable, he still had plenty of enemies!
Hitlers first move came in July 1933 and ,with his new permanent powers, was to ban all Political parties and make Germany a one party state with the Nazis. No one was allowed to make political parties and even the slightest opposition were snuffed out by the SS and Gestapo. Next Hitler banned trade unions in May 1933. Trade unions basically was the last refuge for communists (after the communist party was banned). This is because most people who were part of trade unions were workers and most of these workers were communists. Banning trade unions would deal a serious blow to Hitlers far left opposition, however seeing as there were so many workers part of trade unions in Germany Hitler knew that disabling them all together might start a communist uprising. Hitler also had only been chancellor for a few months and knew he didn't have too much support. So instead Hitler nationalised the trade unions and incorporated them into one big state (Nazi) owned union called the German Labour Front. His plan seemed to work and now with the communist workers supposedly under a Nazi union, he would be unstoppable when making decisions in power.. almost.
Hitler still had a couple of quarrels to settle. One being the SA and Ernst Rohm. The problem was that Ernst Rohm had a serious amount of power in the Nazi party. He had 3 million armed men in the SA (Nazi private army) and many other supporters. Rohm also saw himself as second in command in the Nazi party, which Hitler despised. However the problem lied in Rohm's aspirations for the SA. Rohm wanted the SA to take over the Wehrmacht (German army) and become a single supreme fighting entity within the new 'National Socialist' army. If Hitler gave Rohm this much control Hitler would have been almost powerless, with no fighting army, and vulnerable to uprisings. The German army generals also hated Rohm and his ideas for the SA and army. The generals wanted a strong military supported by the state who would help Germany become a stable power again. The idea of 3 million private thugs suddenly rocking up and getting some of the highest ranks in the army, who some members of the SA hadn't even seen actual action, just didn't seem fair. So Hitler had to make a decision, abolish the SA and win the support of the professional army, which hitler would need to carry out Lebensraum*, or incorporate the SA into the army. Hitler chose to abolish the SA, which won the support of the army, however the way Hitler did this was unprecedented.
Instead of quietly disowning and disintegrating the key officers of the SA and their roles, Hitler ruthlessly murdered most of them and this is known as the Night of the Long Knives. On the night of the 30th June 1934 Hitler enlisted the help of the SS and Gestapo to carry out the arrests and killings. Rohm, along with most SA senior officers, was brutally murdered after being arrested. Not only were the SA taken out but there were many other killings. Mostly political opponents who still had some support that could threaten the Nazis. Most notably supporters of Vice-Chancellor Von Papen, who had stayed loyal to him and had become a threat. At least 85 people died during the purge, although the final death toll may have been in the hundreds or even thousands. It doesn't stop there though! Not only did Hitler kill hundreds, he also made a public speech to a council in the Reichstag about it and openly talked about the mass killing of opponents. This basically incorporated the idea of murder in the new Nazi state and almost legalised it! You could even use the phrase 'He got away with murder'.
Now with every other enemy taken out of the picture Hitler had one last task before he could be crowned Fuhrer of Germany. This was the death of the only person who was more powerful than him in Germany and that was President Hindenburg. Luckily for Hitler though, Hindenburg died on the 2nd August 1934 of natural causes. Without anyone to object, Hitler made himself President and ruled as a dictator from then onwards. The army, after Hindenburg died, also swore an oath to the newly appointed Fuhrer of Germany. By now Hitler was unstoppable in his authoritarian paradise, where every inch of power was primarily rested upon HIS shoulders!
Thanks for Reading! Bit of a meaty one this week but hopefully you enjoyed it and maybe even learnt something! Seeing as this is the end of another mini series I would love some more suggestions as to what questions I should answer next or generally any feedback!
P.S those of you who have emailed me thank you very much for your continued support and suggestions!
History 101
Enquires: theverybesthistory101@gmail.com
Twitter: @TheVBHistory
[I do not own these pictures]
How did Hitler become a dictator? Part 2
In this next part of this mini series we will be investigating how Hitler solidified his role as an absolute dictator:
 |
| MPs voting on Enabling act in the Reichstag, 1933 |
Hitlers first move came in July 1933 and ,with his new permanent powers, was to ban all Political parties and make Germany a one party state with the Nazis. No one was allowed to make political parties and even the slightest opposition were snuffed out by the SS and Gestapo. Next Hitler banned trade unions in May 1933. Trade unions basically was the last refuge for communists (after the communist party was banned). This is because most people who were part of trade unions were workers and most of these workers were communists. Banning trade unions would deal a serious blow to Hitlers far left opposition, however seeing as there were so many workers part of trade unions in Germany Hitler knew that disabling them all together might start a communist uprising. Hitler also had only been chancellor for a few months and knew he didn't have too much support. So instead Hitler nationalised the trade unions and incorporated them into one big state (Nazi) owned union called the German Labour Front. His plan seemed to work and now with the communist workers supposedly under a Nazi union, he would be unstoppable when making decisions in power.. almost.
Hitler still had a couple of quarrels to settle. One being the SA and Ernst Rohm. The problem was that Ernst Rohm had a serious amount of power in the Nazi party. He had 3 million armed men in the SA (Nazi private army) and many other supporters. Rohm also saw himself as second in command in the Nazi party, which Hitler despised. However the problem lied in Rohm's aspirations for the SA. Rohm wanted the SA to take over the Wehrmacht (German army) and become a single supreme fighting entity within the new 'National Socialist' army. If Hitler gave Rohm this much control Hitler would have been almost powerless, with no fighting army, and vulnerable to uprisings. The German army generals also hated Rohm and his ideas for the SA and army. The generals wanted a strong military supported by the state who would help Germany become a stable power again. The idea of 3 million private thugs suddenly rocking up and getting some of the highest ranks in the army, who some members of the SA hadn't even seen actual action, just didn't seem fair. So Hitler had to make a decision, abolish the SA and win the support of the professional army, which hitler would need to carry out Lebensraum*, or incorporate the SA into the army. Hitler chose to abolish the SA, which won the support of the army, however the way Hitler did this was unprecedented.
 |
| Ernst Rohm, right. |
Instead of quietly disowning and disintegrating the key officers of the SA and their roles, Hitler ruthlessly murdered most of them and this is known as the Night of the Long Knives. On the night of the 30th June 1934 Hitler enlisted the help of the SS and Gestapo to carry out the arrests and killings. Rohm, along with most SA senior officers, was brutally murdered after being arrested. Not only were the SA taken out but there were many other killings. Mostly political opponents who still had some support that could threaten the Nazis. Most notably supporters of Vice-Chancellor Von Papen, who had stayed loyal to him and had become a threat. At least 85 people died during the purge, although the final death toll may have been in the hundreds or even thousands. It doesn't stop there though! Not only did Hitler kill hundreds, he also made a public speech to a council in the Reichstag about it and openly talked about the mass killing of opponents. This basically incorporated the idea of murder in the new Nazi state and almost legalised it! You could even use the phrase 'He got away with murder'.
Now with every other enemy taken out of the picture Hitler had one last task before he could be crowned Fuhrer of Germany. This was the death of the only person who was more powerful than him in Germany and that was President Hindenburg. Luckily for Hitler though, Hindenburg died on the 2nd August 1934 of natural causes. Without anyone to object, Hitler made himself President and ruled as a dictator from then onwards. The army, after Hindenburg died, also swore an oath to the newly appointed Fuhrer of Germany. By now Hitler was unstoppable in his authoritarian paradise, where every inch of power was primarily rested upon HIS shoulders!
Thanks for Reading! Bit of a meaty one this week but hopefully you enjoyed it and maybe even learnt something! Seeing as this is the end of another mini series I would love some more suggestions as to what questions I should answer next or generally any feedback!
P.S those of you who have emailed me thank you very much for your continued support and suggestions!
History 101
Enquires: theverybesthistory101@gmail.com
Twitter: @TheVBHistory
[I do not own these pictures]
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