Platinum:
Although Hitler had passed the
Enabling Act, he was not satisfied.
There were powerful groups in
Germany that could, if they wanted,
compete for power too.
Trade Unions
Political parties such as the Social
Democrats
Local parliaments
The army
The SA (who were loyal to Rohm.
Rohm said he was loyal to Hitler)
Hitler used the power given to him
by the Enabling Act to remove
opposition. He was concerned that
Communists in the working class
could infiltrate trade unions and so,
in May 1933, they were banned.
Strikes were made illegal and trade
union officials arrested. Nazi SA men
stormed the Social Democrat and
Communist party offices and
destroyed their newspapers. They
also took all their funds. By July
Hitler had made a decree that made
any political party except the NSDAP
illegal. The next step was to ensure
that local government had no
opportunity to oppose Nazi policy. In
January 1934 the 18 Lander (local)
parliaments were abolished. Instead
Nazi appointed governors would run
each region in Germany.
So, Hitler arranged to remove the
threat of Röhm and the SA.
Hitler arranged a meeting with Röhm
and 100 other SA leaders. They were
arrested, imprisoned and shot.
This is known as the Night of the
Long Knives.
The SA were no longer a threat.
Hitler also killed von Papen, von
Schleicher and Kahr.
Hitler was now just killing his rivals.