The arguments for the Nazis maintaining power ‘The Factors’ Establishment of a Totalitarian State Fear and State Terrorism Propaganda Economic Policies Social Policies You should aim to cover 4 of these in your essay; but you must know all of them in case it is the isolated factor.

Establishment of a Totalitarian State : Knowledge The establishment of a totalitarian state After the Reichstag Fire on 27th February 1933 (apparently started by) the Communist party, Hitler used his position as chancellor to persuade the President to pass Article 48 – The Emergency Decree, removing all civil liberties (rights) from the German people. The SA Brownshirts and SS ‘protective squadron’ acted as a ‘temporary’ police auxiliary, arresting Communists, Socialists and Trade Union officials so that Hitler could call a new election and win a majority in the Reichstag With the Communists and Socialists ‘missing’ from the Reichstag, Hitler passed the Enabling Act on 24th March 1933 which gave him power to pass laws without Presidential authorisation, effectively allowing Hitler to rule as sole dictator.

Establishment of a Totalitarian State : Analysis Analysis (basic) This helped the Nazis maintain power as the Reichstag Fire and Enabling Act were very important in giving Hitler the power he needed to pass laws to get rid of opposition groups and political parties and was the first step in achieving a one-party state Analysis (+) However, even with the SPD arrested or ‘missing’ and Communists banned, Hitler still did not win a majority vote in the March 1933 election (43.9%) showing that there was still a lot of opposition in Germany that Hitler would need to take strong action against to stay in power

Establishment of a Totalitarian State : Knowledge The crushing of opposition On 2nd May 1933, Trade Unions were banned. The Reich Labour Front led by Robert Ley was set up to ‘protect the Rights of Workers’ and strikes became illegal. Trade Union leaders who may have potentially led uprisings or opposition groups were swiftly arrested and interned at the new concentration camp Dachau, near Munich. On the 22nd June 1933 the Socialist party was banned. The Communists had already been banned after the Reichstag Fire and most of the other parties broke up, the last being the Catholic centre party. On the 14th July 1933, a new law was passed declaring the Nazi party to be the only legal party in Germany.

Establishment of a Totalitarian State : Analysis Analysis (basic) This helped the Nazis maintain power because Hitler had successfully established a one-party dictatorship in Germany where the only legal party were the Nazis and German people no longer had civil rights, helping him maintain power Analysis (+) However, wages were low and working conditions were very poor in the Reich Labour Front so it was likely that Hitler would face opposition from working men in Germany which showed the Nazis there would have to be ‘incentives’ or rewards for peoples’ obedience

Establishment of a Totalitarian State : Practice Paragraph TS: Hitler wasted no time in establishing a totalitarian state in Germany in 1933. K: The Reichstag Fire – when/ who? Convincing Hindenburg to pass Emergency Decree K: SA/SS Removal of opposition, Enabling Act: A: This helped the Nazis maintain power because A: However… K: Removal of Trade Unions K: Removal of political parties/ achievement of one party state