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How did Hitler consolidate his power?

How did Hitler consolidate his power?

Hitler consolidated his power by creating a dictatorship. He used the Reichstag Fire to gain the power he needed to be able to pass the Enabling Act in March 1933. This law enabled him to remove all possible groups, institutions or organisations that could oppose him.

When did Hitler consolidate his power?

The main events used by Hitler to consolidate his power took place between January 1933 and August 1934.

What did Hitler do to consolidate his power?

There were 10 main steps that Hitler took to fully consolidate his power and create a Nazi dictatorship:

• ❖ He used the Reichstag Fire to gain emergency powers under the Decree for the Protection of the People and the State which suspended all civil rights.
• ❖ He used this power to attack his rivals, the Communist Party.
• ❖ After the March 1933 election, he gained the support of the Centre Party and the German National People's Party to achieve a 2/3 majority in the Reichstag so he could pass the Enabling Act.
• ❖ Nazi officials were put in charge of all local government on 7th April, 1933.
• ❖ All independent trade unions were banned and replaced with the Nazi German Labour Front on 2nd May, 1933.
• ❖ The 'Law against the Formation of the New Parties' was passed on 14th July, 1933 which made all political parties illegal except the Nazi Party.
• ❖ In January 1934, all local governments were taken over, the Länder parliaments were abolished and Hitler appointed governors to run them instead.
• ❖ During the Night of Long Knives, Hitler had the SS murder possible rivals in the SA on 30th June, 1934.
• ❖ When President von Hindenburg died on 2nd August, 1934, Hitler declared himself Germany's Führer and combined the powers of chancellor and president.
• ❖ The army then swore an oath of loyalty to Hitler.
• ❖ All of these events meant that Hitler was able to rule Germany as a dictator.

How did Hitler control the trade unions to consolidate his power?

Hitler controlled the Trade Unions:

• ❖ He banned all independent trade unions on 2nd May, 1933 and replaced them with the Nazi German Labour Front to control the workers.
• ❖ Workers could no longer complain about pay and conditions or go on strike.
• ❖ Trade Union leaders were thrown in jail.

How did Hitler control political parties in order to consolidate his power?

Hitler controlled political parties:

• ❖ The 'Law against the Formation of the New Parties' passed on 14th July, 1933 and this made all political parties, except the Nazi Party, illegal.
• ❖ Now, the Nazis could round up all political opposition, arrest them and put them in concentration camps.
• ❖ All other political parties were closed down, including their newspapers.

How did Hitler control local government to consolidate his power?

Hitler controlled local governments:

• ❖ In April 1933, Hitler controlled all local government which put them in charge of the local police forces. The Gestapo was formed and the first concentration camp for political prisoners open in Dachau.
• ❖ In January 1934, the Nazis took control of all regional, or Länd, governments by abolishing their the regional or Länder parliaments.
• ❖ Hitler appointed governors to run the regions instead that answered directly to him.

What did Hitler do to the role of President in order to consolidate his power?

When President von Hindenburg died on 2nd August, 1934, Hitler declared himself Germany's Führer and combined the powers of chancellor and president.

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