Option 31: Key topic 3: Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933–39 - 1 The creation of a dictatorship, 1933–34 — Edexcel GCSE History
Test yourself on Option 31: Key topic 3: Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933–39 - 1 The creation of a dictatorship, 1933–34 with PEARSON EDEXCEL GCSE practice questions.
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Option 31: Key topic 3: Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933–39 - 1 The creation of a dictatorship, 1933–34 explained
The creation of the Nazi dictatorship began rapidly in 1933.
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The Reichstag Fire in February 1933, blamed on a Dutch communist, allowed Hitler to persuade Hindenburg to pass an emergency decree suspending civil liberties and targeting political opponents. This atmosphere of fear helped the Nazis secure enough votes to pass the Enabling Act in March 1933, which gave Hitler the power to make laws without the Reichstag's approval for four years, effectively ending Weimar democracy. Hitler quickly used these dictatorial powers to eliminate opposition. In May 1933, trade unions were banned, their leaders arrested, and workers forced into the German Labour Front (DAF). By July 1933, the Law Against the Formation of Parties was passed, banning all other political parties and making Germany a one-party state.
The threat from Röhm and the SA, the Night of the Long Knives. The death of Hindenburg. Hitler becomes Führer, the army oath of allegiance.
By 1934, Ernst Röhm and the SA posed a significant threat to Hitler. The SA was vast, and Röhm wanted it to replace the regular army, alarming military leaders whose support Hitler needed. To secure army backing and eliminate internal rivals, Hitler orchestrated the Night of the Long Knives in June 1934, purging Röhm and other SA leaders, alongside old political enemies. This ruthless action neutralised the SA and won the army's gratitude. When President Hindenburg died in August 1934, Hitler immediately merged the offices of Chancellor and President to become Führer, the undisputed supreme leader of Germany. On the same day, the regular army swore a personal oath of allegiance directly to Hitler, rather than to the German state, cementing his absolute dictatorial control over the nation and its armed forces.
Your focus
- Explain how the Reichstag Fire helped Hitler consolidate power and target political opponents.
- Analyse the significance of the Enabling Act in the destruction of Weimar democracy.
- Describe the methods used by the Nazis to eliminate opposition from trade unions and rival political parties.
Show all 6 objectives
- Analyse the reasons why Ernst Röhm and the SA were perceived as a threat by Hitler and the regular army.
- Evaluate the consequences of the Night of the Long Knives for the SA, the SS, and Hitler's relationship with the army.
- Explain how the death of Hindenburg and the army oath of allegiance completed Hitler's consolidation of dictatorial power.
Option 31: Key topic 3: Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933–39 - 1 The creation of a dictatorship, 1933–34 exam tips
Marking Points
- Explain how the Reichstag Fire was used by Hitler to claim a communist uprising was imminent, leading to the Decree for the Protection of the People and the State.
- Describe the mechanics of the Enabling Act, which allowed the Chancellor to pass laws without the Reichstag, effectively dismantling the Weimar Constitution.
- Detail the process of banning trade unions in May 1933, replacing them with the German Labour Front (DAF) to remove a major source of working-class opposition.
- Outline the banning of other political parties by July 1933, culminating in the Law Against the Formation of Parties, establishing a one-party state.
- Identify the threat posed by Ernst Röhm, who controlled the millions-strong SA and advocated for a second revolution and the absorption of the regular army.
- Describe the events of the Night of the Long Knives (June 1934), where Hitler used the SS to murder Röhm, SA leaders, and other political opponents like von Schleicher.
- Explain the significance of Hindenburg's death in August 1934, which removed the final constitutional check on Hitler's power.
- Detail the creation of the title of Führer and the significance of the army swearing a personal oath of allegiance to Hitler, securing military loyalty.
Examiner Tips
- 💡When discussing the Reichstag Fire, focus on its consequences rather than the debate over who actually started it.
- 💡Link the banning of trade unions and political parties directly to Hitler's goal of removing all organised opposition to his rule.
- 💡Use the Enabling Act as the key turning point where Germany transitioned from a democracy to a legal dictatorship.
- 💡Use the Night of the Long Knives to demonstrate how Hitler chose the support of the traditional elites over his own radical supporters.
- 💡Connect the death of Hindenburg directly to the army oath; the army could only swear allegiance to Hitler once the President, their former commander, was dead.
- 💡Highlight the transition from the SA to the SS as the primary instrument of terror following the purge of Röhm.
Common Mistakes
- Error: Confusing the Reichstag Fire Decree with the Enabling Act. Correction: Distinguish that the Decree suspended civil liberties, while the Enabling Act granted dictatorial law-making powers.
- Error: Stating that the Nazis banned all parties immediately after Hitler became Chancellor. Correction: Clarify that the banning of parties was a gradual process over several months, ending in July 1933.
- Error: Assuming the Enabling Act was passed illegally. Correction: Explain that the Act was passed using constitutional mechanisms, albeit in an atmosphere of severe SA intimidation.
- Error: Believing the Night of the Long Knives was directed against communists or Jews. Correction: Specify that it was a purge of internal Nazi rivals (the SA) and conservative political opponents.
- Error: Stating that Hitler became President. Correction: Explain that Hitler merged the roles of Chancellor and President to create the entirely new position of Führer.
- Error: Misunderstanding the army oath. Correction: Emphasise that the oath was sworn personally to Adolf Hitler, not to the German state or the constitution, binding the military directly to him.