Now Hitler had two-thirds majority and could enforce the first change to the constitution. The Enabling Act made it possible for the government to introduce their own laws and to pass them through the vote of the Reichstag. Germany was now a one-party state, which was through the use of the constitution.
In 1934 President Hindenburg died and Hitler secured himself the place of the President. Hitler decided to combine the ranks of Chancellor and President together. From now on Hitler was to be known as Fuhrer (leader), there was no chance of anyone preventing Hitler from having his own way. He was now in complete power.
Hitler now started to enforce their political power through the use of propaganda, indoctrination and terror. Propaganda and indoctrination was their first priority and in 1933 the ministry for people’s enlightenment and propaganda was born. This was under the presence of Dr Joseph Goebbel’s. The ministry was responsible for all the propaganda throughout the country. Within the ministry there were several smaller departments, which specified with different forms of propaganda i.e. press, media and theatre.
The ministry prevented the use of unwanted ideas. Schools and universities were informed that they could only teach a particular curriculum. Eventually everything would be Nazified and their first step into the creation of the master race had just taken place.
How did the Nazis enforce their Political power through the use of Propaganda, Indoctrination and terror?
It was thought that many Germans would adapt to the new ideas of the Nazis by indoctrination. However, as for those who resisted, harsher steps had to be taken to maintain a Nazi state. Organisations permanently kept on terrorising the German people into accepting the new way of life under Nazi rule. Justice in the courts came to an end as in 1934 Hitler set up the People’s Court, this was directed to put people on trial for crimes against the state. This new court was under the rule of Judge Roland Freisler, a quote of his view upon justice is “justice is that which is useful to the German People.” Judge Freisler was a loyal member of the Nazi party from 1925 until his death in 1945; his view on justice was harsher than Hitler’s.
Punishments in Germany were ruthless and mass numbers of people were sentenced to death and executed for political opposition.
Concentration camps came into use, which were filled with all types of threats to Germany. They included intellectuals, dissidents, communists homosexuals and of course Jews! Life in these camps was not easy in fact it was very harsh and tough to survive. Through time some of the concentration camps were changed into extermination camps (During World War II).
All of these key elements combine together to create how the Nazis enforced their political power through the use of propaganda, indoctrination and terror!
