Creation of the One Party State Flashcards
(10 cards)
What was the Enabling Act of 1933?
A law passed in March 1933 that gave Hitler the power to make laws without the Reichstag for four years, effectively allowing him to rule by decree.
How did the Reichstag Fire help Hitler consolidate power?
It allowed Hitler to persuade Hindenburg to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree, suspending civil liberties and enabling mass arrests of Communists.
What was the purpose of the Reichstag Fire Decree (February 1933)?
To suspend key civil liberties (freedom of speech, press, assembly) and allow detention without trial, which helped suppress opposition.
What happened during the Night of the Long Knives (June 1934)?
Hitler ordered the purge of the SA leadership and other rivals like Ernst Röhm to secure the loyalty of the army and eliminate opposition.
Why was the SA seen as a threat to Hitler?
Their radicalism, desire for a “second revolution,” and Röhm’s ambition to merge the SA with the army alarmed conservative elites and the military.
When and how was the Nazi Party made the only legal political party?
In July 1933, the Law Against the Formation of New Parties was passed, banning all other political parties.
What was the role of the Gestapo in the one-party state?
The Gestapo (secret police) helped enforce Nazi rule by rooting out dissent and instilling fear, operating outside legal constraints.
How did Hitler use propaganda to support the one-party state?
Goebbels’ Ministry of Propaganda controlled media, arts, and culture, glorifying Hitler and promoting Nazi ideology while suppressing dissent.
What was Gleichschaltung?
The process of Nazifying all aspects of German society, ensuring total alignment with Nazi ideology (civil service, education, unions, etc.).
What was the significance of Hindenburg’s death in August 1934?
Hitler merged the positions of Chancellor and President, becoming Führer, solidifying the one-party totalitarian regime.
