Nazis in power

Nazis' popularity $\rightarrow$  Hitler Chancellor 1933 Jan

Reichstag Fire, Reichstag Fire Decree (emergency)  $\rightarrow$  opposition parties banned

general election, 1933 March

Enabling Act (legislative powers to the government)

Hindenburg dies 1934 Aug $\rightarrow$  Hitler 

Führer: president and chancellor combined

At first: SA: Sturmabteilung (stormtroopers)

and?

military power!

the first concentration camps open

trade unions banned: German Labour Front

+ the Night of the Long Knives

eliminate all party members who might be dangerous to Hitler's power

+ ideological explanation

SS

Gestapo (secret police)

terror

 $\rightarrow$  TOTALITARIAN state

Because of 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

So far, then, we know 2 things about rearmament:

a) due to the capital it needed, autarky could not be reached

b) it helped reduce unemployment