Hitler's Rise to Dictatorship

This section explores Hitler’s rise to dictatorship. In January 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, and by August 1934, he had declared himself Führer; the sole leader of the nation. During this time, Hitler systematically eliminated all sources of opposition, both within the Nazi Party and across Germany as a whole.

Initially, Hitler needed more support in the Reichstag to strengthen his government and eventually seize absolute power. He convinced President Paul von Hindenburg to call a new Reichstag election for March 1933. This triggered a series of events that culminated in Hitler establishing a dictatorship.

Key steps in Hitler's rise to dictatorship

Reichstag Fire and Reichstag Election (27 February - 5 March 1933)

• The Reichstag building was set on fire, and a Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was caught at the scene.
• Hitler used the incident to convince Hindenburg to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and allowed mass arrests of communists.
• In the March election, the Nazis secured 44% of the vote, winning 288 seats, but still lacked an outright majority. However, after banning communist deputies and intimidating other politicians with the SA, Hitler had enough support to push through the Enabling Act.

The Enabling Act (23 March 1933)

• With the communist deputies absent and the SA ensuring compliance, the Reichstag voted by a two-thirds majority to grant Hitler the power to make laws without parliamentary approval for four years.
• This effectively dismantled democracy, allowing Hitler to rule by decree and eliminate any opposition.

Banning of Political Parties (14 July 1933)

• All political parties except the Nazi Party were banned.
• Germany became a one-party state, removing political opposition and solidifying Nazi control.

Night of the Long Knives (30 June 1934)

• The SA, led by Ernst Röhm, was becoming too powerful and calling for a "second revolution."
• To appease the army and German elites, Hitler ordered the SS to execute Röhm and around 400 other perceived threats, including former Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher.
• This strengthened the SS and secured Hitler's position by removing internal Nazi opposition.

Hitler Becomes Führer (19 August 1934)

• Following President Hindenburg's death, Hitler merged the roles of President and Chancellor, declaring himself Führer.
• The army swore a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler, ensuring military allegiance to his regime.

Other Measures to Consolidate Power:

• Local government reorganisation: Nazi officials were appointed to control regional and municipal governments.
• Abolition of trade unions: Trade unions were banned, and their leaders arrested, preventing worker opposition.
• Concordat with the Catholic Church: Hitler reached an agreement with the Pope, promising non-interference with the Church in exchange for its political neutrality.
• People’s Courts: Special courts were established where judges pledged allegiance to the Nazi regime, ensuring that legal decisions favoured Hitler’s authority.

By late 1934, Hitler had dismantled all opposition, transformed Germany into a totalitarian state, and established complete control over its political, military, and social institutions.