23.3.1933 / Total power for Hitler 1 by Lunlumo I remember someone (Mark ? ) asking about the time of the so-called "Erm?chtigungsgesetz" - the law that gave total power to Hitler on March 23, 1933. It may possibly be regarded as the true chart of the Third Reich. The documents say that the session of the Reichstag was closed at about 19:52 (Berlin local time). The law was officially proclaimed some minutes earlier -probably round 19:45. LL Quote Sat Jul 17, 2010 6:29 am
2 by Mark I remember someone (Mark ? ) asking about the time of the so-called "Erm?chtigungsgesetz" - the law that gave total power to Hitler on March 23, 1933 Hi Lunlumo, Wow you have a good memory! Yes it was me. The point being that while Hitler became Chancellor on 30th January 1933 the Nazis and their political allies ( German National People's Party) didn't have a majority in the Reichstag . It was the ''Enabling Act'' (''Erm?chtigungsgesetz") that consolidated Nazi power. Thanks I took this from Wikipedia: On 30 January 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. ...by becoming the Vice Chancellor and keeping the Nazis a cabinet minority, von Papen expected to be able to control Hitler. Although the Nazis had won the greatest share of the popular vote in the two Reichstag general elections of 1932, they had no majority of their own, not even with the NSDAP?DNVP alliance that started governing in 1933 by Presidential Decree, per Article 48 of the 1919 Weimar Constitution. Consolidation of power The new government quickly installed a totalitarian dictatorship to Germany with legal measures establishing a co-ordinated central government,. On the night of 27 February 1933, the Reichstag building was set afire, and the Dutch council communist Marinus van der Lubbe was found inside; he was arrested, charged with arson, tried, and then decapitated. The fire immediately provoked the response of thousands of anarchists, socialists, and communists throughout the Reich; describing said free-speech exercises as insurrection, the Nazis imprisoned many to Dachau concentration camp. The public worried that the fire had been a signal meant to initiate communist revolution in Germany, as in 1919, so the Nazis exploited the arson with the Reichstag Fire Decree (27 February 1933), rescinding most German civil liberties, including habeas corpus, to so suppress their opponents. In March 1933, with the Enabling Act, voted 444?94 (the remaining Social Democrats), the Reichstag conferred dictatorial (decree) powers to Chancellor Adolf Hitler; four years of political power authorizing him to deviate from the Weimar Constitution; in the event, Germany officially became a single-party state on 14 July 1933. Forthwith, throughout 1934, the Nazi Party ruthlessly eliminated all political opposition; the Enabling Act already had banned the Communists (KPD), the Social Democrats (SPD) were banned in June, despite appeasing Hitler, and, in the June-July period, the Nationalists (DNVP), the People's Party (DVP), and the German State Party (DStP) were like-wise obliged to disband. Moreover, at the urging of Franz von Papen, the remaining Catholic Centre Party, disbanded on 5 July 1933 after obtaining Nazi guarantees for Catholic religious education and youth groups. On 14 July 1933, Germany was officially declared a single-party state. Hitler obtained his majority in the Reichstag in separate steps. The Reichstag Fire decree suspendied most of the human rights provided for by the 1919 constitution of the Weimar Republic. A further decree enabled preventive detention of all communist leaders, amongst many thousands of others. Since the new government lacked a majority in parliament, Hitler held a new election in March 1933. With the communists eliminated, the Nazis dominated the election with 43.9%, and with their Nationalist (DNVP) allies, achieved a parliamentary majority (51.8%). This was largely achieved as the Communists (KPD) had been banned as a political party by the Nazis. Equally, by the time of the vote on the Enabling Act 26 Social democratic (SPD) members of the Reichstag had been arrested. The other crucial element was gaining the support of the Roman Catholic Centre party in the Reichstag who gave Hitler tacit political support in return for guarantees on the status in Catholics in Germany. This allowed the Nazis the two thirds majority they needed to bring the Enabling Act into effect thus transforming Hitler's government into a legalised dictatorship. Mark Last edited by Mark on Sat Jul 17, 2010 12:05 pm, edited 5 times in total. As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly Quote Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:36 am
3 by Mark The documents say that the session of the Reichstag was closed at about 19:52 (Berlin local time). The law was officially proclaimed some minutes earlier -probably round 19:45. Just one question. I read that President Paul von Hindenburg had to sign the legislation to bring it into legal effect. I see he did that the same day so I assume the effective time stems from his signature? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enabling_Act_of_1933 Mark As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly Quote Sat Jul 17, 2010 11:31 am
4 by Lunlumo Hi Mark, sorry for my being so late (on holiday..) I firmly believe that "legal procedures" such as signatures can and should be trusted. However, by that time Hindenburg was no longer in control - in control of whatever. I do not really think that in this case his signature really matters. I'm quite familiar with the subject but I've never come across the slightest hint concerning Hindenburg signing that document. "Wer "A" sagt, sagt auch "B", sagt auch "C"..." - He who says "A" consequently will say "B", will say "C" - common proverb, in this case meaning: Hindenburg made Hitler Chancellor ("A"), he signed the law "Gesetz zum Schutz von Volk und Staat" on February 28th ("B"), he did not object to the "Erm?chtigungsgesetz" ("C"). I'll have a closer look at the chart. Regards, LL Quote Sat Jul 24, 2010 5:15 pm