Removing opposition (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes
Removing opposition
After gaining power, the Nazi Party systematically eliminated all political opposition to establish Hitler's dictatorship. This process involved exploiting crisis situations, passing enabling legislation, and physically removing rival political groups and trade unions between 1933-1934.
The Reichstag fire and emergency powers
On 27 February 1933, the German parliament building (Reichstag) was set ablaze by Marinus van der Lubbe, a Dutch communist who was later executed for the crime. Hitler immediately seized upon this incident as justification for emergency measures against his opponents.
The Reichstag fire became one of the most controversial events in Nazi history. While van der Lubbe was clearly responsible for setting the fire, historians still debate whether he acted alone or was part of a larger conspiracy that the Nazis exploited for their own political gain.
The fire provided Hitler with the perfect excuse to issue the Emergency Decree for the Protection of People and the State. This crucial legislation granted the Nazi government sweeping powers to arrest political opponents and suppress opposition newspapers. Within hours, approximately 4,000 communists were detained and imprisoned.
Hitler then convinced President Hindenburg to call new elections for March 1933, hoping to increase Nazi representation in the Reichstag. Using their emergency powers to prevent communist campaigning and intimidate voters, the Nazi Party successfully secured two-thirds of the parliamentary seats, winning 81 additional positions. This electoral success gave Hitler the foundation he needed to fundamentally alter Germany's constitutional system.
The Reichstag fire marked the beginning of the end for German democracy. By exploiting this single incident, Hitler gained the legal authority to arrest thousands of political opponents and suppress free speech - powers that would never be relinquished.
The Enabling Act of 1933
With increased parliamentary strength, Hitler moved to consolidate his legal authority through the Enabling Act. This legislation was designed to destroy the power of the Reichstag and transfer complete legislative control to Hitler's government.
The Act established three key provisions that transformed Germany's political system:
- The Reich Cabinet could create new laws without parliamentary approval
- These laws could override the constitution entirely
- Hitler personally would propose all new legislation
When the vote took place, Hitler anticipated resistance and deployed SA (Stormtroopers) around the parliament building to intimidate opposition members. Despite this pressure, the final vote was relatively close at 444 in favour to 94 against. The passage of this Act marked the end of German democracy, as it gave Hitler legal authority to rule by decree.
The Enabling Act was the single most important piece of legislation in establishing Hitler's dictatorship. Once passed, it effectively made Hitler a legal dictator, allowing him to bypass parliament and the constitution entirely. This was the moment when Germany ceased to be a democracy.
Systematic elimination of political opposition
Following the Enabling Act, Hitler launched a coordinated campaign to remove all remaining political opposition and independent organisations. The Nazis followed a deliberate strategy: first intimidate and arrest leaders, then seize assets and offices, and finally ban the organisations entirely.
This process unfolded rapidly throughout 1933:
March 1933: Regional state parliaments were dissolved and reorganised with Nazi majorities. All political parties except the Nazis were banned by January 1944.
April 1933: Nazi opponents were systematically removed from the civil service and legal profession, ensuring government control over key institutions.
May 1933: The assets and offices of rival political parties were seized by Nazi authorities. Simultaneously, trade union offices were raided, their officials arrested and sent to concentration camps, and all workers were forced to join the new German Labour Front.
June 1933: The Social Democratic Party (SPD) was officially banned as "hostile to the nation and state." Rather than face similar treatment, the Centre Party and German Nationalist Party voluntarily dissolved themselves.
July 1933: The Law against the Formation of New Parties was enacted, legally prohibiting any political organisation except the Nazi Party.
The speed of this elimination process was remarkable - in just five months, Hitler transformed Germany from a multi-party democracy into a one-party state. This rapid transformation was possible because the Nazis combined legal methods (like the Enabling Act) with intimidation and violence.
This systematic approach ensured that by July 1933, Germany had become a one-party state with no legal political opposition remaining.
Timeline of key events
- 27 February 1933: Reichstag Fire occurs
- March 1933: Emergency elections held; regional parliaments closed
- 23 March 1933: Enabling Act passed (444 to 94 votes)
- April 1933: Civil service purged of Nazi opponents
- May 1933: Political party offices confiscated; trade unions dissolved
- 22 June 1933: SPD banned; other parties dissolve voluntarily
- 14 July 1933: Law against Formation of New Parties enacted
Key Points to Remember:
- The Reichstag Fire gave Hitler the justification to arrest thousands of communists and pass emergency legislation
- The Enabling Act legally destroyed German democracy by allowing Hitler to rule without parliament
- Opposition elimination followed a systematic pattern: arrest leaders, seize assets, ban organisations
- By July 1933, Germany had become a one-party state through both legal and violent means
- The SA played a crucial role in intimidating opponents during key votes and transitions