Nazi Consolidation on Power 1933-34

30 January 1933

Hitler is appointed Chancellor and Goering minister for the interior.

17 February

Goering orders the local police forces to cooperate with both the SA and SS.

27 February

Reichstag fire, along with the arrest of 4,000 communists and other Nazi opponents.

28 February

Emergency Decree from Hindenburg: police arrest suspects and hold them without trial, search houses and ban radio stations; Hitler took over regional governments.

5 March

Reichstag elections; government used radio and the police to intimidate opponents. Nazis won 52% of the vote.

13 March

Goebbels was appointed head of ministry for propaganda and began to take control of the media.

24 March

Enabling Act allowed Hitler to pass decrees without the permission of the president, making his dictatorship legal.

7 April

Civil service administration, education and court purged of Jews and other opponents of the Nazis.

1 May

Workers were granted a May Day holiday.

2 May

Trade unions are banned and all workers belonged to the new German Labour Front.

9 June

Employment Law: this was a major programme of public works (e.g. road building) to create jobs for the unemployed.

14 July

Laws against the formation of new parties are passed and Germany became a one-party state.

20 July

Concordat with the Roman Catholic Church: the government protects religious freedom but the Church is banned from political activity.

January 1934

All state governments taken over at this point.

30 June

Night of the Long Knives.

August 1934

Hindenburg dies, and Hitler becomes Führer. German armed forces swore oath of loyalty to Hitler.

Nazi Consolidation on Power 1933-34