Consolidation of Nazi power 1933-34

Hitler became Chancellor on 30 January 1933, but the Nazi party did not yet have full control of Germany. Over the next 18 months, through a combination of legal manoeuvre, intimidation and political elimination, Hitler transformed a democratic republic into a one-party totalitarian state. This process is often called the Machtergreifung (seizure of power).

The Reichstag Fire (27 February 1933)

On the night of 27 February 1933, the Reichstag building was set ablaze. A young Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was caught at the scene. Hitler used the fire to declare a communist conspiracy — whether the Nazis started the fire remains disputed by historians.

The result was immediate: President Hindenburg signed the Reichstag Fire Decree (28 February 1933), which suspended key civil liberties guaranteed by the Weimar constitution: freedom of speech, press, assembly and habeas corpus. Thousands of communists and political opponents were arrested overnight.

The Enabling Act (23 March 1933)

With the communist deputies arrested and the SA intimidating the remaining members, the Reichstag voted to pass the Enabling Act — giving Hitler the power to govern by decree for four years, bypassing the Reichstag entirely. Only the SPD voted against it.

The Enabling Act effectively ended parliamentary democracy in Germany. Hitler now had legal authority to rule without the Reichstag.

Coordination (Gleichschaltung)

Between March and July 1933, the Nazis "coordinated" German society — bringing all institutions under Nazi control:

• Trade unions were banned (May 1933), replaced by the Nazi German Labour Front (DAF).
• All political parties other than the NSDAP were dissolved or banned by July 1933.
• State governments were abolished and replaced by Nazi-appointed Reich Governors.
• Professional organisations, media, and youth groups came under Nazi control.

The Night of the Long Knives (30 June 1934)

By 1934, Hitler faced a threat from within: Ernst Rohm, leader of the SA (now 3 million strong), demanded a "second revolution" — incorporating the SA into the army, threatening the power of the traditional Wehrmacht generals whose support Hitler needed.

On 30 June 1934, the SS (Schutzstaffel) and Gestapo carried out a purge. Rohm and dozens of senior SA figures were murdered, along with other political opponents (including former Chancellor von Schleicher). Hitler claimed the victims were planning a coup. The army remained loyal.

The death of Hindenburg (2 August 1934)

When President Hindenburg died on 2 August 1934, Hitler merged the offices of Chancellor and President, naming himself Fuhrer und Reichskanzler (Leader and Reich Chancellor). The army immediately swore a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler — not to Germany or its constitution.

Germany was now a one-party dictatorship with no legal or institutional check on Hitler's power.

CCEA exam focus

Examiners often ask: "How did Hitler use the Reichstag Fire to strengthen his power?" and "Explain how the Night of the Long Knives helped Hitler establish control." Be ready to assess whether consolidation was more dependent on legal methods or on terror and violence.