By Tan Yong Ting and Kenny Yeo Hitler: Before Dictatorship & WW2 By Tan Yong Ting and Kenny Yeo

Quick Introduction But what happened before his total control of the country? Well let’s all take a time tour, shall we? Adolf Hitler, the man who was once an ordinary artist/soldier, soon became the most powerful leader of Germany.

Prison Life and Release - 1923- 1924 During his time in prison for his failed Coup d'état in 1923 for trying to overthrow the Weimar government., he wrote a book called Mein Kampf [My Struggle] that outlines his thought about Germany and the Jews. He was later released in December 1924, serving for 6 months, and immediately started to reorganize his Nazi Party to win power through elections.

Getting Power & Control- 1924- 1932 His party soon won many seats, and later was offered the role of Vice-Chancellor, which he refused for he wants a higher role. In February 1932 Hitler decided to stand against Hindenburg in the forthcoming Presidential election. He however lost the election and the following ones after that, which allowed Hindenburg to remain in office. The collapse of the Wall St. stock exchange in 1929, along with the following economic changes and the death of Stressman, who was in charge of the economy, changed the situation in favour of Hitler.

Becoming Chancellor - 1932-1933 This led to a turn of events such as Chancellor Papen's resignation, Schleicher’s resignation when he just became Chancellor and then finally on January 30th, 1933 President Hindenburg decided to appoint Hitler Chancellor in a coalition government with Papen as Vice-Chancellor. In September 1932, the Nazi members of the Reichstag, together with support from the Center Party elected the prominent Nazi Herman Goering as President of the Reichstag (equivalent to House Speaker).

The Burning of the Reichstag & The Enabling Act – February & March 1933 On the night of 27th February 1933 when the Reichstag was destroyed by fire. The fire was almost certainly planned by the Nazis, Goebbels and Goering in particular. A Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was made scapegoat for the fire, but the main outcome was that Hitler was given an excuse to have all the Communist deputies of the Reichstag arrested, and managed to obtain a decree from President Hindenburg giving the Nazi government powers to inter anyone they thought was a threat to the nation.  The Enabling Act, placed before the Reichstag on 23rd of March 1933 was to allow the powers of legislation to be taken away from the Reichstag and transferred to Hitler's cabinet for a period of four years. Thus dictatorial powers were finally conferred, legally, on Adolf Hitler. By July 14th Hitler had proclaimed a law stating that the Nazi Party was to be the only political party allowed in Germany. All non-Nazi organizations were stripped and disbanded, including political parties and trade unions, while Nazi officials became state governors.

The Night of the Long Knives & The Death of Hindenburg - 1934 On June 30th 1934 Himmler's SS and Goering's special police arrested and executed the leaders of the SA [Strum Abteilung or Storm Troopers], including his friend Ernst Roehm due to the threat of ruining his plan for Germany, and many others not connected with the SA, but against whom the Nazi leaders had a score to settle. These others included General von Schleicher, the former Chancellor, and with the elimination, the army generals sworn their loyalty to Hitler President Hindenburg died on August 2nd 1934. Hitler had already agreed with the Cabinet that upon Hindenburg's death the offices of President and Chancellor would be combined. The last wishes of Hindenburg were that upon his death the monarchy should be restored, but Hitler did not publish the President's will. Having already ensured the support of the Army, Hitler went a step further by making the whole of the armed forces swear an oath of loyalty to him personally. Thus Hitler had become "Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor" and the title of President was then abolished.

Preparation for War Many who protest against Hitler were secretly disposed of by the SS and the Gestapo, democracy was completely abolished, loyalty to Hitler was tested on the people, with some reporting their neighbours and even families about their disloyal faith towards Hitler. All Jews were treated badly by the people, some quickly deciding to leave the country, while some stayed on, which lead to the worst possible scenario of being placed in Concentration Camps, where they work, starve or even gas to death. Thus the start of a ‘new age’ for Germany was born, one that leads to World War 2. After he assumed total power, he began spreading propagandas of his wish to ‘unite and purge Germany’ by continuing to blame the Jews, breaking the rules of the Treaty of Versailles and using fear and terror to anything that stood in his way.

Thank You!!! Source from: http://secondworldwar.co.uk/index.php/biography-of-adolf-hitler Picture from Walfas by KirbyM