Terror Tactics: The Key to Nazi Regime Consolidation in Germany by 1934
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‘Terror was the crucial factor in the Nazi regime consolidating its power in Germany by 1934.
ESSAY
The consolidation of power by the Nazi regime in Germany by 1934 was indeed a complex process that involved various methods, one of which was the use of terror. While terror played a significant role in the Nazis' rise to power, it is essential to evaluate this view in the context of other factors that contributed to the regime's consolidation of power during this period.
One key event that highlighted the Nazis' use of terror was the Reichstag Fire in February 1933. The fire was used as a pretext by the Nazis to push through the Emergency Decree for the Protection of the People, which suspended civil liberties and allowed for the persecution of political opponents. The banning of the Communist Party (KPD) following the fire further demonstrated the regime's willingness to use terror to eliminate opposition.
The March election of 1933 saw the Nazis win 288 seats, solidifying their position in the Reichstag. The passage of the Enabling Act shortly after granted Hitler dictatorial powers, effectively eroding the last remnants of the Weimar Republic's democratic institutions. While the use of physical intimidation by the Sturmabteilung (SA) was evident in ensuring the passage of the Enabling Act, it was not the sole factor in the regime's consolidation of power.
The Night of the Long Knives in June 1934 saw a brutal purge of the SA leadership, including Ernst Röhm, eliminating a potential threat to Hitler's authority. The event underscored the regime's willingness to use violence to maintain control and eliminate internal dissent. The death of President Hindenburg later that year allowed Hitler to consolidate his power further by assuming the new title of Führer and merging the roles of President and Chancellor.
The establishment of the Gestapo and the SS under Heinrich Himmler marked the growth of the Terror State, with the introduction of concentration camps and the Nazification of the police and legal systems reinforcing the regime's authoritarian control. The use of protective custody and the suppression of dissent through terror tactics contributed to the creation of a police state under Nazi rule.
While terror was indeed a crucial factor in the Nazi regime's consolidation of power, it is important to consider other elements such as propaganda, economic policies, and the co-option of various institutions into the Nazi ideology. The reduction of unemployment and the Nazification of society through cultural and social initiatives also played a role in securing popular support for the regime.
In conclusion, while terror played a significant role in the Nazis' consolidation of power in Germany by 1934, it was part of a broader strategy that included political maneuvering, propaganda, and the dismantling of democratic institutions. The regime's use of terror, exemplified by events like the Reichstag Fire and the Night of the Long Knives, was instrumental in eliminating opposition and solidifying Hitler's authoritarian rule.
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**Terror was the crucial factor in the Nazi regime consolidating its power in Germany by 1934.**
Evaluate this view. The period 1933 to 1934 saw the Nazi consolidation of power known as the Gleichshaltung.
Various events need examining and assessing. These might include the Reichstag Fire, the Emergency Decree for the Protection of the People, the banning of the Communist Party (KPD), the March election, the Enabling Act, the Civil Service Law, the banning of all other political parties, the closing of the Reichsrat, the Night of the Long Knives and the purge of the Sturmabteilung (SA), the death of President Hindenburg, creation of the new role of Fuhrer and the Armed Forces swearing personal allegiance to Hitler.
At the same time, the growth of the Terror State and the growth of the Gestapo and the SS under Himmler. The opening of the concentration camps at Dachau and Sachsenhausen and the introduction of protective custody and the Nazification of the police and legal systems needs examining too as it adds to the creation of a police state.
The consolidation of power was achieved by creating a state of panic and crisis with the Reichstag Fire, which in turn allowed the banning of the communists, electoral success in the March election where the Nazis won 288 seats and then a combination of trickery and physical intimidation by the Sturmabteilung to ensure that the Enabling Law was passed.
This was the foundation stone of the Nazi dictatorship as it allowed the Reichstag to be turned into a one-party assembly and the removal of the last vestiges of Weimar Democracy. Terror was more evident in the use of the Gestapo and the SS and with the murder of the SA leadership at Bad Wiessee during the Night of the Long Knives.
This allowed the Nazi to remove a potential threat in Ernst Rohm and settle old scores such as the murder of General von Schleicher and Gregor Strasser. The death of President Hindenburg allowed for a final usurpation of the Weimar Constitution and removal of the final check on Nazi power. Propaganda, reducing unemployment and the Nazification of all walks of life were also begun and formed a part of the consolidation of power.
The key here is to look at the various strands to consolidation and to assess the role of terror amongst the other methods used.