Chancellor to Dictator:
How did Hitler remove
opposition 1933 - 1934?
Lesson aims:
To be able to explain the
methods used to remove
opposition between 1933 and
1934
To explain how this led to the
dictatorship of Germany
What am I learning?
 Can I identify who stands in the way
of Hitler gaining total power?
 Can I explain why these groups pose a
threat to Hitler and the Nazis?
 Can I explain the methods use to
remove this opposition?
 Can I analyse the significance of the
events leading to total power for the
German people?
“The following steps gave me
TOTAL control of Germany
and the Nazi Party.
CHANCELLOR = The elected leader of
Germany but answerable to the
Reichstag AND THE German President.
DICTATOR = The power to pass any law
without the permission of (in this case)
the Reichstag.
HITLER
BECAME
CHANCELLOR
OATH OF
LOYALTY
TO
HITLER
THE
REICHSTAG
FIRE
THE
ENABLING
ACT
DEATH OF
PRESIDENT
HINDENBURG
THE NIGHT
OF THE
LONG
KNIVES
The depression
after the Wall
Street Crash made
many more people
vote for the
Nazis. In 1933
Von Papen
convinced
Hindenburg that
Hitler should
become Chancellor.
January 1933
Removing opposition
• Hitler faced two types of opposition.
• Under these 2 headings in your pairs list as
many people/groups that stand in his way of
total power
Internal opposition
External opposition
How did Hitler
remove external
opposition
in the years
1933-1934?
The Reichstag Fire
February
1933
 The
Reichstag (German
Parliament building) was
burnt down.
 A Dutch Communist
was caught red-handed
with matches and firelighting materials. He
admitted responsibility.
The Reichstag Fire
Feb 1933
The Nazis blamed the
Communists for the
fire.
It enabled Hitler to ban
the Communist party.
Reichstag elections – March 1933
Nazis win 288 seats in Reichstag
By far the largest party BUT not a majority.
This is last free
election under the
Nazis.
Why were they able to
increase
the seats they
held in the Reichstag?
NAZI PARTY
How did Hitler remove external
opposition in the years 1933-1934?
With the Communists
banned from the
Reichstag Hitler was
able to pass the
ENABLING ACT
March 1933
HITLER CAN
RULE ALONE
FOR FOUR
YEARS. THERE
IS NO NEED TO
CONSULT THE
REICHSTAG.
Hitler needed at
least two thirds of
the Reichstag to
vote for the Enabling
Law. He was able to
do this as he
arrested the
Communist Party (due
to the Reichstag
fire) and the SA
threatened to beat
up many of the other
members of the
Reichstag if they
turned up to vote.
The Enabling Act
gave Hitler the
power to pass any
law that he wanted
without permission
from the
Reichstag. This
ENABLED him to
become Dictator.
The Enabling Act
March 1933
THE ENABLING ACT GAVE
HITLER THE POWER TO
MAKE HIS OWN LAWS. SO,
HE BANNED ALL OTHER
POLITICAL PARTIES!
14 July 1933
One of the first laws that Hitler
passed as Dictator was to ban ‘the
formation of new political parties.’
This law actually banned
other political parties. Hitler
smashed all other parties
and put their leaders in
prison. Germany was now a
one party political state.
Removing external opposition
Trade unions are banned because they are a threat to the
Nazis. They could organise strikes.
Also their removal would please the business men that had
been funding the Nazis.
The SA (Brownshirts) block the
entrance to a trade union building.
REMOVAL OF EXTERNAL OPPOSITION
The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act
had dealt with all opposition outside the
Nazi Party. Germany was now a one party
State and democracy was effectively dead.
But what about threats from within the party
and its supporters?
How does Hitler deal with internal opposition?
How did Hitler remove internal opposition
in the year 1933-1934?
June 1934
Now I have got rid of opposing
political groups, I can now deal
with opposition in my party.
Ernst Rohm (an old friend), head
of the S.A. is very unpopular
with the German army leaders.
They have the power to
overthrow me. I’ve been worried
about Rohm for a while, so this
is a good excuse.
How had the SA helped Hitler into power?
Why were they now a threat?
Ernst Rohm the leader of the SA
had been a member of the party since
it’s early days.
The SA had been loyal to Hitler.
They had disrupted other party’s
meetings and protected Hitler.
The Night of the Long Knives, June 1934
Why were the SA purged?
 Hitler had to get rid of Rohm. He was seen as a




genuine threat to his position as leader.
Rohm led an organisation of nearly 2 million men.
The SA were increasingly violent and had become
an embarrassment.
Hitler needed the support of the army who felt
threatened by the SA.
Rohm’s homosexuality had tarnished the party’s
image.
Hitler secured the
control of the Nazi party
and his position as
Dictator of Germany
The Night of the Long Knives, June 1934
What happened?
On the night of 30th June 1934 Hitler’s S.S. killed
over 1000 S.A members including Rohm.
EFFECT
• Hitler had removed all opposition and threats to his
leadership within the Nazi Party.
• The S.S were established as a separate
organisation.
• The army were pleased and swore an oath of
allegiance to Hitler.
Every soldier swore a personal
oath of loyalty to ADOLF
HITLER.
August 1934
A final note
PRESIDENT HINDENBURG’S
DEATH GAVE HITLER THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE
THE ROLE OF CHANCELLOR
AND PRESIDENT. HE CALLED
HIMSELF ‘DER FUHRER’.
HITLER
BECAME
CHANCELLOR
OATH OF
LOYALTY
TO
HITLER
THE
REICHSTAG
FIRE
THE
ENABLING
ACT
DEATH OF
PRESIDENT
HINDENBURG
THE NIGHT
OF THE
LONG
KNIVES
The
cult of the
Fuhrer
A COMMON EXAM QUESTION IS ONE THAT
ASKS YOU TO CONSIDER WHICH OF THESE
IS MORE IMPORTANT IN HELPING HITLER
GAIN TOTAL POWER:
REICHSTAG FIRE vs ENABLING ACT
‘The Enabling Act was
the most important
factor in helping Hitler
become dictator’.
Do you agree? DISCUSS
Creation of the Nazi State: summary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0eyxlRGo5Y&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vPH4VHo_ig&feature=related
 The Reichstag Fire gave Hitler and the Nazis the
ideal excuse to remove the communist threat.
 The legal basis of Hitler’s dictatorship was the
Enabling Act of March 1933. Within a few months
he had created a one party state.
 Rohm and the SA threatened Hitler’s position as
leader and the continued support of the army.
This threat was removed on the Night of the Long
Knives.
 With the death of Hindenburg, Hitler became
Fuhrer and the Nazis carefully developed the
‘Hitler myth’.
What am I learning?
 Can I identify who stands in the way
of Hitler gaining total power?
 Can I explain why these groups pose a
threat to Hitler and the Nazis?
 Can I explain the methods use to
remove this opposition?
 Can I analyse the significance of the
events leading to total power for the
German people?
GCSE QUESTION: 12 MARKS
In what ways did the Reichstag Fire in
Feb 1933 help Hitler increase his
control over Germany?
You may use the following and any other
information of your own in your answer.
• Jan 1933: Hitler was appointed Chancellor
• March 1933 election: Nazis gain 288 seats
• March 1933: The Enabling Act.
GCSE QUESTION: 12 MARKS
‘The SA posed the greatest threat to Hitler in the years 1933 – 1934’. How far
do you agree with this view?
You may use the following in your answer and any other information of your own.
 By 1934 the SA had grown to more than 2 million men
 The Reichstag Fire was blamed on the communists
 Hindenburg had beaten Hitler in the March 1933 Presidential elections.