3.2 Impact of Hitlers rule notes

Prepared by: Mr Qin Yixuan 1 Humanities: History Elective Unit 2: The World in Crisis Chapter 3: Hitler’s Germany 3.2 Hitler’s Rule 3.1: Hitler’s Rule – What was the impact of Hitler’s rule? Political Impact a) One Party Rule  Enabling Act (Mar 1933) b) Consolidation of power  Night of the Long Knives (Jun 1934)  Creation of Fuehrer position (Aug 1934) Economic Impact a) Re-employment  Reduction of unemployment b) Improved economy  Rise of Big Industrialists c) Control of working conditions  Trade Unions (DAF)  Welfare schemes Social Impact a) Controlled society  Propaganda  Censorship  Rise of the Secret Police b) Persecution  Persecution of the Jews  Persecution of other “undesirables” c) Changed views of women and youth  Limiting women to domestic roles  Setting up of Hitler Youth 1. Political Impact a) One Party Rule Enabling Act in March 1933:  Nazi party won 44% of the vote in the March 1933 elections and Hitler wanted the German Reichstag (Parliament) to pass the Enabling Act which would give him even more power.  So, the SS and SA surrounded the Reichstag where the vote was to take place and only Nazis and Nazi supporters were allowed into the building. The Enabling Act was passed and Hitler used it to ban the Communist Party from ever taking part in anymore elections.  Hitler continued to increase his power by making the Nazi Party the ONLY political party in Germany in May 1933. He became the dictator of Germany. All other parties were banned, imprisoned or killed. Trade unions were dissolved and the SA and SS brutally punished those who opposed Nazi rule and Hitler b) Consolidation of power The Night of Long Knives (June 1934)  Although Hitler was already a dictator, the German army was not completely under Hitler’s control. Hitler has his own army – the SA who was under the control of the SA leader Ernst Roehm, who was loyal to Hitler  The problem was the German Army disliked the SA because they saw them as a threat and several Nazi leaders also warned Hitler that Ernst Roehm was too powerful and might be a threat to Hitler.  Hitler decided to gain the support of the German Army and get rid of Ernst Roehm. This was known as the Night of the Long Knives in

Prepared by: Mr Qin Yixuan 2 June 1934 where Hitler ordered the SS to execute Roehm and other SA leaders – about 400 men were executed. The rest of the SA and the German Army swore allegiance to Hitler and Hitler’s control over the army was complete. Creation of the Fuehrer Position (Aug 1934)  When President Hindenburg died in 1934, Hitler took the opportunity to consolidate his power. He wanted to ensure that he would not face any more opposition. Based on the Constitution, the President had to be elected. However, Hitler merged the powers of the President and the powers of the Chancellor to create the position of