Reichstag Fire, Feb 1933

What was the Reichstag Fire?

The Reichstag Fire was an arson attack on the German parliament in Berlin - the Reichstag building. Hitler used the attack as an excuse to severely curtail civil liberties and restrict the activities of the Communist Party.

When did the Reichstag Fire happen?

The Reichstag Fire happened on 27th February, 1933.

Who was involved with the Reichstag Fire?

A Dutch communist called Marinus van der Lubbe was accused of starting the arson attack.

What were the results of the Reichstag Fire?

There were 6 key consequences of the Reichstag Fire.

• ❖ Van der Lubbe was put on trial and executed.
• ❖ 4,000 communists were arrested.
• ❖ Hitler persuaded President von Hindenburg to declare a state of emergency and use Article 48.
• ❖ Hitler issued the Decree for the Protection of the People and the State which ended people's civil rights.
• ❖ Hitler announced a new general election for 5th March, 1933.
• ❖ Hitler was able to use this increase in his powers to attack his greatest rival, the Communist Party.

Why was the Reichstag Fire important?

The Reichstag Fire was important for 4 main reasons:

• ❖ The Reichstag Fire enabled Hitler to persuade President Hindenburg that communists were a danger to the country.
• ❖ Hitler was able to rule using decrees through Article 48 and he used that power to end people's civil rights. This meant he had increased his powers.
• ❖ It meant Hitler could introduce measures that banned leading communists from taking part in the upcoming election campaign.
• ❖ This was important because Hitler at this point still did not have the seats in the Reichstag he needed to form a majority.

What happened to Van Der Lubbe after the Reichstag Fire?

Marinus van der Lubbe was put on trial and executed.

What happened to communists after the Reichstag Fire?

There were 3 key consequences for the communists:

• ❖ The Decree for the Protection of the People and the State enabled Hitler to ban them from participating in the March election.
• ❖ They were targeted, rounded up and arrested with 4,000 thrown in prison.
• ❖ All their newspapers were shut down, preventing them from campaigning in the election.

What decree was created after the Reichstag Fire?

The Reichstag Fire led to the creation of the Decree for the Protection of the People and the State, which ended people's civil rights and meant Hitler could remove all opposition.