How and why was Hitler able to consolidate his position by 1934?

Hitler’s next task was to make himself supreme by getting rid of those who would challenge his authority. Armed with his newfound dictatorial powers to govern by decree, he launched a policy of Gleichshaltung. Hitler attempted to coordinate all aspects of German political and social life under Nazi control.  He put this into practise by ensuring the government had control of all key aspects of society, so that there would be little opposition.  The regime developed organisations that the Germans had to join, for example German Labour Front and Hitler Youth.  This ensured the regimes control and that the members would work to fulfil the government’s objectives. The Nazi state tried to get control over the media and all cultural activities.  They exercised this through direct ownership of some forms, by controlling those working in the media by directing the media what to produce and by prosecuting non-conformist activities.

Intimidation and violence were vital ingredients in Hitler’s methods to achieve and maintain power. Three pieces of evidence support this. Firstly, there was a boycott of Jewish on April the 1st.  Uniformed SA leaders posted themselves at entrances to Jewish businesses and displayed placards to passers-by which warned them against buying from Jews.  This ban, which Hindenburg insisted should only run for a day, was not extended because of public indifference, hostile foreign reaction and the danger to the economy.  Secondly, there was the abolition of trade unions which was a similar response taken by the of Nazi thugs six weeks before the leadership officially occupied trade union offices and absorbed them into the German Labour Front. Thirdly, reports came in from many towns of incidents in which storm troopers had attacked anyone speaking a foreign language or having dark skin.  The use of terrorism benefited Hitler because it frightened his political opponents and it was useful for ‘coordinating’ the state governments which he did not control. By mid February 1933 the SA had however got out of hand.  They started to work on their own initiative and intimidate governmental authority at regional and local level.

In April 1934, a group of leading generals demanded that Hitler discipline the Brownshirts of the SA.  Goring and Himmler also pressurised Hitler to take decisive action against Rohm and the SA to prevent a second revolution which might undermine the Nazi position.  Hitler acted against the SA on 30th June 1934, the so-called ‘Night of the Long Knives’.  With the excuse that the SA was on the verge of uprisings in Berlin and Munich, Hitler ordered a purge on the leadership of the SA.  He travelled to Bavaria in person where he ordered the arrest of Rohm who was shot two days later.  About 180 leading Nazis were executed. These included SA leaders such as Karl Ernst and Edmund Hennes.  Others were also murdered including ex Chancellor von Schleicher and an old rival of Hitler, Gregor Strasser. All in all about 400 political opponents were killed.    

By this event, Hitler solved the main problems that faced him. He got rid of Rohm and his rebellious SA, thereby satisfying the demands of the army and ending public dissatisfaction with street violence and terrorism.  The SA lost its importance but the SS led by Himmler, soon took its place as the most powerful and sinister empire within the Nazi state.  In a speech to Reichstag on the 13th of July, Hitler justified his actions as protecting the German people against the ‘bad behaviour’ and ‘drunken excesses’ of men who were ‘in the highest degree detestable’.  Frick drafted a law that declared all actions by Hitler in the purge to be legal and statesman like. The Night of the long knives marked a major shift in the development of Hitler’s dictatorship.  He had triumphed over both the Left and Right.

Upon the peaceful death of President Hindenburg on 2nd August, Hitler was able to abolish the position of President, assuming all powers for himself as Fuhrer of the German state.  On the initiative of the Minister of defence, Field Marshal Werner von Bloomberg, all officers of the army were called on to take a personal oath of loyalty to the Fuhrer.  This made opposition to him far less likely and was of critical importance in securing the dictatorship.  On 19th August 1934 a plebiscite was held.  The German people were asked to show whether they approved of Hitler becoming Fuhrer.  The result was a victory for Nazi propaganda: 43,06 million Germans voted and of this figure 89,93 per cent voted ‘yes’ in favour of Hitler.  This was a crucial moment for the regime which was now more secure.

To conclude, the main reason that Hitler was able to consolidate his position by 1934 was mainly due to ‘Night of the Long Knives’.  Ian Kershaw refers to it as ‘Propaganda coup par excellence’ in other words a wonderful exercise in propaganda.  This night on the 30th of June 1934 provided Hitler with the chance to get rid of any opposition which could, in any way, harm his position.  By eliminating the SA and other opponents he was able to effectively develop his dictatorship.