~Year 12 Question

2/3/2014

How important was the use of Legislation in the Nazi consolidation of power by the end of 1933?

aLfIe

2/2/2014 06:05:37 pm

during the early 1930s leislation was used in fair amount as part of the nazis consolodation of power.
a prime exam[le of legislation would be article 48 which was the emergency decree for hitler to have the power to get rid of other parties and arrst whoever he wanted without trail. this in tern was a large contributer to the getting rid of opposition and this was a key pert of hilters rise to power, another example of legislation is the enabaling act which is proberly one of the most important factors to hitler and the nazis rise. this is because this gave hitler the final amount of power that he neede to achieve overall power and the fianl step to becoming Fuhrer.

2/2/2014 06:09:18 pm

these two pieces of legislation are aruabally the most important factors in hitlers rise to power as they are the literal objects and actions to him acheieng power and allowing him to do as he wished.

another alfie instalment

2/2/2014 06:12:54 pm

points against legislation; the various laws passed, including the Decree for the Protection of the People and the
State, the Enabling Law and the Law against Formation of New Parties gave Hitler the
legal cover he required
• terror had been a key instrument in Hitler’s rise to power. It was the party’s modus
vivendi. The SA were almost a law unto themselves and Germany had a climate of fear
• the paradox that the whole emphasis was on using the legal powers of the Weimar
Constitution to destroy its political authority
• once the process of Gleichschaltung was commenced, it was inconceivable to allow the
existence of any other political parties.

Sophie

2/2/2014 06:15:26 pm

By the end of 1933 legislation was very important in the Nazi consolidation of power. The German legislation of proportional representation allowed Hitler to consolidate power because his growing influence put pressure on Hindenburg to give Hitler a position within the Reichstag. Additionally, Article 48 allowed Hitler to ban the communists from the Reichstag, by using it to introduce the decree for the protection of people and state after the fire in February 1933. As a result, in the election of March 1933 the Nazis were the biggest party in the Reichstag, and could therefore pass the Enabling Act, thus allowing Hitler to rule alone for four years, and effectively creating a one party state, as the enabling act allowed him to ban all other political parties. However, Legislation was accompanied by some non-lawful factors. It could be argued that economic depression, after hyperinflation and the Wall Street Crash led to some support for the Nazis, and their promise of ‘Work and Bread’. Moreover, the terror employed by the SA and SS allowed Hitler to consolidate his power in some aspects. For example, when there was a vote about the enabling act the SS and SA intimidated politicians into voting for it. Hitler himself also aided his consolidation. His powerful oratory skills enticed people into voting for the Nazis, and a huge propaganda campaign, funded by wealthy businessmen who were afraid of communism, which made the Nazis seem to be the way out of a difficult economic situation.
Overall by the end of 1933 legislation had become very important in Hitler’s consolidation of power, as although there were some non-legislative factors employed which gained him support from the German people, such as terror and propaganda, consolidation of the Nazis, and the creation of a one party state would have been virtually impossible without legislation, because Hitler was still ultimately ruled by Hindenburg in the Reichstag.

Emma

2/2/2014 06:15:36 pm

The use of legislation was quite important by the end of 1933. This is because factors such as article 48 and the enabling act helped Hitler to rise to power.

The Reichstag fire of 1933 helped with Hitler's rise to power as it removed political opponents as well as gave Hitler opportunity to use article 48 and use the emergency powers to his advantage. Also without the occurrence of the Reichstag fire Hitler wouldn’t have had the opportunity to use the enabling act to gain the power he wanted. For instance, with the enabling act Hitler was able to ban the other political opponents leaving only the Nazis in government.

chloe

2/2/2014 06:17:40 pm

Adolf Hitler had very traditional German values, and seemingly would use only legislation to consolidate the Nazi party’s power. While there was the use of legislation, there were also other causes that contributed to the Nazi’s consolidating power in 1933; legislative and non-legislative. After the failed 1923 Munich Putsch, Hitler came to realise that achieving power constitutionally within the Weimar constitution would pave the way for future consolidation and increased power. Hitler was very conscious that the best way to consolidate his power was gradually due to the need for financial support from businesses and acceptance from the army.
Hitler was granted the Enabling Act from President Hindenburg in March 1933 which led to the passing of the Decree for the Protection of People and the State along with the Law against Formation of New Parties; giving Hitler the legal cover he required if he was to be gradual in his approach at consolidating power. In addition to this, the existence of the SA acting as Hitler’s personal bodyguards, and then an instrument of terror were almost a law themselves. They represented everything Hitler was doing in rendering the legal powers of the Weimar Constitution useless.
While legislation was useful in Hitler’s consolidation of power, there were also the non-legislative methods he used; in particular, the suspicious events surrounding the March 1933 elections as a result of the Reichstag Fire. All existing left wing parties were essentially destroyed, which enabled the Nazis to seize control of the government. The subsequent passing of the Enabling Act was presented with much intimidation by the SA, which had rapidly increased (and arrested nearly 27,000 political prisoners by July 1933).

Hannah K

2/2/2014 06:18:34 pm

I think that legislation played an important part in Hitler’s rise to power.
During the 1930’s, Hitler used part of the Weimar constitution to consolidate some of his power. This was Article 48, in an emergency; the president did not need the agreement of the Reichstag, but could issue decrees. However there were other factors that played a part in his consolidation of power. President Hindenburg plays an important part as well, if it wasn’t for him, Hitler wouldn’t have been given the role as chancellor. He was given this because both Hindenburg and Von Papen believed that if Hitler was given a role, that they could control the Nazi party. However Hindenburg couldn’t have been in this position if Hitler hadn’t used his S.A. to intimidate people into voting for him.
Before 1930, Germany was in an economic disaster. Due to the constitutions of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was paying reparations to other countries and had taken loans out with America but due to the Wall Street Crash in 1929, America pulled their loans back and caused Germany to fall into a recession. This caused massive unemployment, hyperinflation (where money became almost worthless) and general depression. Hitler used this to gain voters in the working class, saying if they voted for him, he could offer them jobs and solve the economy problem. These votes gave him more seats in the Reichstag which he could use for proportional representation.
Terror could also play a part. The S.A. would go around intimidating voters for voting for Hitler and the Nazis.

In conclusion, I believe that legislation played a part in Hitler’s consolidation of power however there are other factors.

Olivia

2/2/2014 06:20:14 pm

The use of legislation was very important in the Nazi consolidation of power by the end of 1933 but to an extent, as there were many other long term causes of how power was seized by Hitler. World War One marked the end of Germany’s loss and the beginning of an economic depression. The German people felt betrayed and abandoned by the November Criminals for having signed the Treaty of Versailles in 1918 where which Germany had to pay back reparations caused by the War; hereby increasing unemployment and poverty; consequently discontent. When the Nazi party entered the Reich, Hitler established a self-image of being capable of rescuing Germany from strife. This caused wide support of the Nazi party and would not have given them the boost they needed to gain ultimate power. The role of the President Hindenburg was to dismiss and appoint Chancellors; however he was under a very strong influence by his advisors and courtiers including senior officer in Ministry of Defence, Kurt von Schleicher. In March 1933, Article 48 was introduced and stated that in an emergency; the President did not need the agreement of the Reichstag to make laws (but could issue decrees). After Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933, he was able to use this Article to legally seize power along with the Enabling Act and emergency decree. The burning of the Reichstag building in February 1933 (also a week before the elections) furthermore gave Hitler an opportunity to indoctrinate the German people into thinking they were under attack by a Communist revolution, as a Jewish Communist was found inside the building, arrested and tried. This gave Hitler an added increment of support by Germany because they saw him as a ‘Saviour’ who could redeem them from suffering.

Nicole

2/2/2014 06:21:28 pm

Whilst legislation was the main factor of the Nazis being able to consolidate their power other factors did convey importance in the Nazis rise to power. One of the main points is the weaknesses in the previous Weimar constitution which raised political concerns as there was never a firm party in place with one set of regulations which then set an unstable atmosphere with the German people wanting a strong leader to vote for. Hitler then used this concern of the German people and started using propaganda to appeal to the German people to vote for his party because they made the party to look like it was the strongest in the Reichstag. Additionally, he used the collapse of the Weimar constitution in his favour because it then enabled him to create a seen of terror people feared that it would continue if a strong leader was not put in place soon.
Article 48 which is the enabling act is also an important piece of legislation in Hitler’s rise to power due to the fact that this then allowed Hitler to pass any law he wished without the approval of the Reichstag as they were the emergency powers signed by Hindenburg which was set up in the previous Weimar constitution. This then enabled Hitler to remove all his political opponents from the Reichstag. However, if the Reichstag building had not been burnt down a week before the election then Hitler would not have been granted the emergency powers by Hindenburg which would then mean that Hitler would not have passed any laws.
Terror was another factor in Hitler’s consolidation of power as Hitler’s SA caused all the havoc on the streets of Germany when the collapse of Weimar was happening which then ensnared the German citizens to want a strong leader who would not let all of the political fighting and violence to continue.
1929 the wall street crash was another important factor of the Hitlers rise to power due to the fact that this meant America called in all of its loans to sort out the economy which then meant that Germanys own economy crashed as Germany had to repay America the money they had borrowed which then meant that people wanted someone to sort out Germanys government.
In conclusion legislation was one of the most important factors in Hitlers rise to power as he used the failure of Weimar and its collapse which then ensnared people in the idea of a dictator which meant that people wanted a strong leader and wanted a sole party government.

Malcolm X (alex)

2/2/2014 06:22:00 pm

The use of legislation was very vital when it came to the Nazi consolidation of power in the early 1930's. You could argue that article 48 was the main instrument in the Nazi consolidation of power which allowed the President, under certain circumstances, to take emergency measures without the prior consent of the Reichstag, Franz Von Papen who was chancellor at the time needed support in the Reichstag, Hindenburg and Papen were ruling by emergence decree under article 48. Both thought they would be able to control Hitler; in the cabinet only 3 post out of 12 were held by the Nazis, So Hindenburg and Papen appointed Hitler chancellor. Another factor that would contribute towards the Nazi consolidation of power would be the Reichstag Fire on the 27th February when the Reichstag was burnt down by a Dutch communist by the name of Van Der Lubbe who was caught and blamed, Hitler used this situation to his advantage to arrest many of his communist opponents and as a major platform in his election campaign in March 1933.

Furthermore due to Van Der Lubbe’s action the decree of the protection of the people and state was passed which allowed Hitler to make any appropriate measure to stop dangers to public safety. Also there was the general elections in march 1933 which in the beginning the Nazi didn’t receive that many votes, but then Hitler arrested around 81 communist which did gave him the majority.
And the contribution of the enabling act allowed Hitler to have unrestricted power therefore Hitler went from chancellor to dictator legally !

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