Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany: The Early Years : 

Nazi Germany: The Early Years Or “How to Create a Dictatorship in Just 18 Months...”

Democracy =Rule by the PeopleRule of Law : 

Democracy =Rule by the PeopleRule of Law Dictatorship = Rule by One Person No Rule of Law WEIMAR GERMANY 1919-1933 NAZI GERMANY 1933-1945

Hitler Becomes Chancellor : 

Hitler Becomes Chancellor As the Depression took hold in Germany, Weimar descended into political turmoil Gradually, people turned to extreme politics (Nazis, Communists) Hindenburg used his emergency powers to impose laws and choose Chancellors, in an attempt to fix Germany’s problems Bruning, von Papen and Schleicher were unable to sort out the mess In January 1933, Hindenburg turned to the leader of the Reiachstag’s largest party – the Nazi Party’s Adolf Hitler It was perhaps the biggest mistake any president has ever made...

Hitler Becomes Dictator : 

Hitler Becomes Dictator In January 1933, Hitler was the legally-appointed Chancellor of a liberal democracy. By August 1934, he was President, Chancellor, and Fuhrer (Dictator) of what would be Europe’s most tyrannical regime. How did this transformation occur in 18 short months?

8 Steps To Dictatorship : 

8 Steps To Dictatorship Rigged German Election Leads To Psychopath Nazi Fuhrer (A thousand thanks to John D. Clare, for this clever way of looking at this topic...)

Step 1: Reichstag Fire27 Feb 1933 : 

Step 1: Reichstag Fire27 Feb 1933 The Reichstag (the German Parliament) burned down.  A Dutch Communist named van der Lubbe was caught red-handed with matches and fire-lighting materials.    Hitler used it as an excuse to pass the ‘Decree for the Protection of People and State’ allowing him to limit people’s rights. He arrested many of his Communist opponents.  The fire was so convenient that many people at the time claimed that the Nazis had burned it down, and then just blamed the Communists.   Nobody is sure who actually lit the fire...

Göring in particular was suspected: he was first on the scene, and both Hitler and Goebbels were apparently surprised by the news. At Nuremberg, General Franz Halder testified that Göring admitted responsibility:“ At a luncheon on the birthday of Hitler in 1942... [Göring said]... "The only one who really knows about the Reichstag is I, because I set it on fire!" With that he slapped his thigh with the flat of his hand. ” Göring in his own Nuremberg testimony denied this story. It remains unclear whether or not Göring was responsible for the fire. : 

Göring to Blame? Göring in particular was suspected: he was first on the scene, and both Hitler and Goebbels were apparently surprised by the news. At Nuremberg, General Franz Halder testified that Göring admitted responsibility:“ At a luncheon on the birthday of Hitler in 1942... [Göring said]... "The only one who really knows about the Reichstag is I, because I set it on fire!" With that he slapped his thigh with the flat of his hand. ” Göring in his own Nuremberg testimony denied this story. It remains unclear whether or not Göring was responsible for the fire.

Step 2: General Election5 March 1933 : 

Step 2: General Election5 March 1933 Hitler held a general election, appealing to the German people to give him a clear mandate.   Only 44% of the people voted Nazi, which did not give him a majority in the Reichstag, so Hitler arrested the 81 Communist deputies (which did give him a majority).   Goering become Speaker of the Reichstag.

Step 3: Enabling Act23 March 1933 : 

Step 3: Enabling Act23 March 1933 Officially known as the Act for the Removal of Distress from People and Reich, this law ‘enabled’ Hitler to become the law. It allowed for ‘national laws to be prepared by the Chancellor and published in the official gazette’. The next day, they came into effect. Only the Social Democrats voted against the law. The Communists were unable to vote. 444 of 538 deputies voted in favour. The Reichstag now became a discussion forum only.

Step 4: Local Government26 April 1933 : 

Step 4: Local Government26 April 1933 The Nazis took over local government and the police.   The Nazis started to replace anti-Nazi teachers and university professors.   Hitler set up the Gestapo (the secret police) and encouraged Germans to report opponents and 'grumblers'.   Tens of thousands of Jews, Communists, Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, gypsies, homosexuals, alcoholics and prostitutes were arrested and sent to concentration camps for 'crimes' as small as writing anti-Nazi graffiti, possessing a banned book, or saying that business was bad.

Geheime Staatspolizei: "Secret State Police" : 

Geheime Staatspolizei: "Secret State Police"

Step 5: Trade Unions Banned2 May 1933 : 

Step 5: Trade Unions Banned2 May 1933 The Trade Unions offices were closed, their money confiscated, and their leaders put in prison.   In their place, Hitler put the German Labour Front which reduced workers' pay and took away the right to strike.

Deutsche Arbeitsfront : 

Deutsche Arbeitsfront

Step 6: Political Parties Banned14 July 1933 : 

Step 6: Political Parties Banned14 July 1933 The Law against the Formation of Parties declared the Nazi Party the only political party in Germany.   All other parties were banned, and their leaders were put in prison.

: 

When the Nazis came for the communists,I remained silent;I was not a communist. Then they locked up the social democrats,I remained silent;I was not a social democrat. Then they came for the trade unionists,I did not speak out;I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews,I did not speak out;I was not a Jew. When they came for me,there was no one left to speak out for me. Martin Niemoller

Step 7: Night of the Long Knives30 June 1934 : 

Step 7: Night of the Long Knives30 June 1934 The SA were the thugs who Hitler had used to help him come to power.   They had defended his meetings, and attacked opponents.   By 1934 there were more than a million of them.      Historians have often wondered why Hitler turned on his SA.   But Hitler was in power in 1934, and there was no opposition left - the SA were an embarrassment, not an advantage.   Also, Rohm, the leader of the SA, was talking about a Socialist revolution and about taking over the army.   On the night of 30 June 1934 - codeword 'Hummingbird - Hitler ordered the SS to kill more than 400 SA men.

Slide 20: 

Caption: ‘They salute with both hands now’

Step 8: Führer19 August 1934 : 

Step 8: Führer19 August 1934 When Hindenburg died, Hitler took over the office of President and leader of the army (the soldiers had to swear to die for Adolf Hitler personally).   Hitler called himself 'Fuhrer'.

The Fuhrer Oath : 

The Fuhrer Oath "I swear by almighty God this sacred oath: I will render unconditional obedience to the Fuehrer of the German Reich and people, Adolf Hitler, Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht, and, as a brave soldier, I will be ready at any time to stake my life for this oath."