Housekeeping

Collection of essays – Weakness of Weimar Republic or Rise of Hitler

CAS and MUN students – submission of Historical Investigations

Discussion

Read page 169

You are a political advisor to Hitler in charge helping consolidate Nazi power. Using the list on page 169, make choice recommendations to Hitler – Be prepared to defend your choices.

Consolidation of Power

Read page 168. Explain how Hitler tried to win the support of the people

Read 170-171. At the end of this unit you should be able to explain the significance of each of the key events.

Consolidation of Power – Goal # 1 Control the

ReichstagHitler is appointed Chancellor on January 30th and two days later asks for the Reichstag to be dissolved and elections held

Goal: Control the Reichstag with a majority or two-thirds of the seats

Consolidation of Power

Currently Chancellor by invitation of Hindenburg

Win a majority -Chancellor by rightWin 2/3 of seats – Can change the constitution

Consolidation of Power

March Elections Article 76 of the Weimar Constitution which

provided:

"The Constitution may be amended by law. The acts of the Reichstag amending the Constitution can only take effect if two-thirds of the regular number of members are present and at least two-thirds of those present consent."

http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/document/DOCNAC9.htm

Consolidation of Power-Strategy

Continue to get Hindenburg’s support:Dissolves the ReichstagPresidential Degree using Article 48

Consolidation of Power -Strategy

Large number of Communists, including party officials and Reichstag deputies, and a smaller number of Social Democratic officials and deputies to be placed in "protective custody”

Current events

Extracts from a typical Robert Mugabe speech; leader of Zimbabwe:

“The MDC are British puppets”

“Zimbabwe will never be a colony again.”

Video clip:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7376723.stm

Consolidation of Power-Strategy

Reichstag FireDanger of communist threat

So a radical government takes power in your country what do you do? Protest take to the streets – proof of the dangers of civil disobedience and lawlessness. Do nothing and consolidation of power occurs un-challenged

Marinus van der Lubbe – Dutch Communist

Reichstag Fire

Consolidation of Power-Strategy

Use the Reichstag Fire

Presidential Degree for the Protection of the Nation and State Gives Hitler and the members of his Cabinet

plenary powers of legislation. Martial law – mass arrests of Communists – also

main opposition in the Reichstag Control of media Result: Control of electoral process

Consolidation of Power -Results

Slim majority with Nationalist support44% for the Nazi Party 8% Nationalist Party

Still a coalition government

Results

Communist Party (KPD) 81

Social Democratic Party (SDP) 120

Catholic Centre Party (BVP) 93

Nationalist Party (DNVP) 52

Nazi Party (NSDAP) 288

Others 23

Consolidation of Power Goal #2- Control the President

Enabling Law – March 23 Constitutional amendment

Limits the power of HindenburgCabinet can pass degrees without

Presidential approval4 years of emergency powers

Consolidation of Power Strategy

KPD banned and leadership sent to concentration campsProcedural change (Quorum - any deputy who was "absent without excuse“ [determined by President] was to be considered as present) Intimidation of political opposition (SPD) Arrest of leaders Armed men within the discussion chambers Threats (Noakes 157-158)

Role of the Centre Catholic Party

Joined with Social Democrats from 1919-1933 Successful in moderation of policies

Heroic but Pointless stand: “We would have made a heroic exit… and would have been beat up and thrown out” No obvious decision Hitler’s speech: Promises to guarantee the rights of the Catholic Church.

The role of Hindenburg

Did Hindenburg still have power? Refuse to sign Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service

Publicly Hitler deferred to Hindenburg

“Prussian sense of duty”

“Presiding over the marriage of his world to the new world”

Consolidation of Power Goal #3

Solidify control over ReichstagLaw against the Formation of New Parties

– July 14Result is the creation of a single Party

state

Assignment

Take Home Assignment: Activity 3 on Page 171 Using a triangle diagram, rank the five historical

interpretations according to personal preference Select one piece of evidence to support each of

the historical interpretations I.E. C – Decree for the Protection of the Nation and the

State

Write a short explanation on how this evidence supports the theory

Poem Analysis: First They Came for the Jews

First they came for the Jewsand I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.Then they came for the Communists

and I did not speak outbecause I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionistsand I did not speak out

because I was not a trade unionist.Then they came for me

and there was no one leftto speak out for me.

By Martin Niemöller

Consolidation of Power Religion

Strategy: Control – Weaken – Replace (308) (Chapter 16- 304-315) Protestants –

Government historical appoints leaders of the Lutheran Church

Adolph Hitler appoints Ludwig Muller, an active member of the Nazi Party and anti-Semitic, as the country's Reich Bishop of the Protestant Church.

The Reich Church is set up to create a unified state church

Consolidation of Power Religion

German Christians formed in November 1933Racial based Nazi Church “Swastika on our breasts and the cross in

our hearts”

German Faith MovementReplace Christianity with a New Nazi

religion – Small sect

Consolidation of Power Religion

Concordat agreement – Catholic Church Stick:

Thousands of Catholics were in concentration camps by the end of June 1933

Threat to claim that the Vatican was anti-Nazi and obstructionist Church to stay out of politics “Separation of Church and

State” Government to protect religious freedoms “Without the agreement, Catholics would have been left to

the mercy of SA, SS and Gestapo hit squads. With the agreement, they at least had legal grounds on which to protest injustices.”

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/history/world/wh0033.html

Cartoon

Consolidation of Power Religion

Read pages 308-312To extent did Hitler control religion in Nazi Germany? – Find evidence for the following statements of conclusion Hitler had a lack of complete control over the Church The Church was under control so far as they did not

or could not openly criticize or challenge the Nazi Regime

The relationship between the Church and the Nazi state is characterized as one of simmering tensions.

Goal #5

Regional controlLaw for the Reconstruction of the State

Centralization of power

Goal #6

Control of the Nazi Party and the military(173-178)The Night of the Long Knives Answer the following questions Why were the SA now seen as a political liability to

Hitler? Explain the quote “By acting against the SA, Hitler had

reassured his conservative supporters but he had also intimidated his conservative critics”

How is the military’s reaction to The Night of the Long Knives once again illustrate an underestimation of Hitler (179)

Was Hitler an all Powerful Dictator

Reconstructive EssayYou have a series of paragraphs from an

essay on the extent in which Germany became a totalitarian state under Hitler and the Nazi Party. Re-construction the essay

Was Hitler an all Powerful Dictator?

Lawyers

You are lawyers at the Nuremberg Trails for a mid-level Nazi officer. His defense against the charge of war crimes is that Hitler had total control over the Nazi party. Therefore, he was simply following orders. Using the information on page 184-190 to construct an argument for either the defendant or the prosecution.