Reasons the Nazis kept power - Establishment of a totalitarian state

2. Coalition government
Hitler became Chancellor in
January 1933 and was head of a
coalition government, meaning
he had to work with others.
Hitler persuaded the President
to call an election for March so
he could win greater control.

3. Reichstag fire
One week before the election
the Reichstag burned down.
The fire was blamed on
Communists. Hitler said it
was the start of a revolution.
Doubts remain about who
started the fire.

4. Reichstag Fire decree
President Hindenburg passed a
law after the fire which let the
government:
• Arrest political opponents
• Censor/shutdown newspapers
• Read people’s private letters
Left-wing newspaper announcing its closure

5. SS and SA become the police
The SA and the SS were the
Nazis’ two security groups,
famed for violence.
After the Reichstag fire, Hitler
made them an official auxiliary
police force.

6. Arguments for influence
The Fire Decree ensured Hitler
could stop all opposition.
Having the power of arrest meant
removing opponents, and
newspaper censorship meant that
Nazis could stop people reading
criticism of them.

7. Arguments against influence
Some groups continued to
fight against Nazi rule.
Although the Social
Democrats and Communists
were banned, they worked
underground to distribute
anti-Nazi materials.

8. March 1933 elections
In the elections, the Nazis
gained 43.9% of the vote.
Hitler wanted to change the
German constitution to give
him more power. He needed
two-thirds support for the
Reichstag to do so.

9. The Enabling Act
The Enabling Act would allow
Hitler to pass laws with the
Reichstag's agreement.
On the day of the vote (when he
needed 2/3 support), Hitler had 26
SPD members arrested, meaning
the Enabling Act passed.

10. Political control
After the Enabling Act was
passed, Hitler banned the left-
wing SPD. Other political
parties were then disbanded.
Hitler passed a law in July 1933
making the Nazis the only
legal political party.

11. Employment controls
Trade unions were banned in
Germany. Trade union leaders
were sent to concentration camps.
Anti-Nazis and Jews were forced
to resign from their jobs. Large
numbers of teachers and doctors
were Nazi Party members.

12. Legal controls
Anti-Nazi judges were
removed from their posts and
replaced with Nazi
sympathisers.
Laws were introduced allowing
the Nazis even more control of
their opponents.

13. Arguments for influence
The lack of any organised groups
meant that only individuals
could try to resist Nazi rule.
Most Germans were too scared to
do so, and this enabled Hitler to
keep power without opposition.

14. Arguments against influence
Even without these new
controls, Hitler had the
support of large numbers of
Germans (44% of voters).
The German public backed
many Nazi foreign and
economic policies.

15. Religious controls
The Nazis worried that the
German churches could oppose
many of their plans.
They tried to control Protestant
churches by setting up the Reich
Church to teach a Nazi
interpretation of the Bible.

16. Religious controls
The Nazis reached a concordat
(agreement) with the Catholic
Church that they would stay out
of politics.
In return the Catholic Church
would be allowed to keep control
of its schools and youth groups.

17. Arguments for influence
The Nazis feared that
attacking the churches would
lose them support.
By reaching peaceful
agreements they kept the
support of many religious
Germans.

18. Arguments against influence
The Nazis failed to fully
control the churches.
Many Catholic priests spoke
out against the Nazis. The
Protestant Confessional
Church was set up to oppose
Nazi control of religion.