Voting Activity 4.1: Hitler’s decisions to total power

Briefing Hitler was definitely not an all powerful dictator when he became Chancellor in January 1933 He deliberately set about getting rid of his opponents You are going to look at the events of 1933 from Hitler’s perspective and analyse the decisions he made

Decision 1: February 1933 Hitler wants to eliminate his non-Nazi partners in the government, especially von Papen For this Hitler needs control over half the seats in the Reichstag

Decision 1: Should Hitler… A.Call another election for the Reichstag B.Wait for the death of President Hindenburg and then stand for President so he can change the law C.Have his opponents in the Reichstag murdered?

Decision 2: February 1933 If Hitler calls an election, what sort of campaign should he fight against his opponents?

Decision 2: What sort of campaign? A.A 'fair' campaign using only propaganda B.A campaign using propaganda, but first ban all Communist and Social Democrat meetings and newspapers C.A campaign as in b) but also use violence to kill and injure his opponents?

Decision 3: February 1933 Hitler needs to make the people aware of the danger of a Communist victory. Does he take a chance and set the Reichstag building on fire and blame it on the Communists?

Decision 3: Set fire to the Reichstag? A.Yes: Nazi agents know just the person to blame. B.No: it is too dangerous and the people will not believe him.

Decision 4 Someone does set fire to the Reichstag. How can Hitler best use it to help the Nazi election campaign? Does he (and you can choose more than one) …

Decision 4: After the fire, should Hitler… A.Arrest thousands of Communist officials and other anti-Nazi leaders B.Use it to persuade President Hindenburg to sign a decree taking away rights such as freedom of speech and freedom to hold meetings C.Keep quiet about the fire in case people think it is a Nazi plot? D.More than one of these

Decision 5 After the election results of 4 March 1933 the Communist members are under arrest and cannot vote So Hitler has more than half of the remaining votes in the Reichstag Now he wants to make sure no party can threaten his power. How should he do this?

Decision 5: How can Hitler reduce threats: A.Ignore the Reichstag and President Hindenburg, and use force to get rid of his enemies – this will be illegal under the Constitution B.Get the Reichstag to pass an Enabling Act giving him power to make laws without first asking the Reichstag – this requires a two- thirds majority to pass, since it changes the Constitution C.Simply use his majority in the Reichstag to run the country as normal?

Decision 6 Now Hitler can consolidate his power by removing his enemies. First he wants to remove the Communist and Social Democratic Parties. How can he do this?

Decision 6: How to remove the other parties… A.Make them illegal B.Try to persuade them to disband and join the Nazi Party?

Decision 7 The Centre and Nationalist parties have helped Hitler in the past. How should Hitler handle them now?

Decision 7: How to handle the Socialist and Nationalist parties… A.Allow them to continue B.Persuade them to dissolve themselves C.Make them illegal?

Decision 8 Many of the biggest trade unions are linked to the Social Democrats They had defeated the Kapp Putsch in 1920 and may now persuade workers to act against the Nazis. How should Hitler handle them?

Decision 8: How to deal with the trade unions… A.Ban them B.Ban them and smash them by occupying their offices and beating up and imprisoning their leaders?

Decision 9 The Nazis want the Civil Service, lawyers, teachers and other groups to do as they are told. How can they achieve this?

Decision 9: How to control other sectors… A.Dismiss all of them and appoint only good Nazis to do these jobs B.Keep them if they do as they are told and dismiss only those who obstruct the Nazi Party?