The Reichstag Fire

Van der Lubbe stated in his trial that the other defendants were not in the Reichstag at the time of the fire. There is no evidence from Rudlph Diels account that any other person was responsible for the fire.

The method of starting the fire is not stated within Van der Lubbe's statement (source b). The fact is that he was found not wearing a shirt. The fire could easily have been started by lighting his shirt and setting fire to the old furniture, the heavy curtains and the bone dry wooden panels in the Reichstag.

Rudolph Diels gave a psychological view on Van der Lubbe based on his initial viewing at the Reichstag. Diels stated that he panted as if he had completed a tremendous task. He also referred to a wild triumphant gleam in Lube's eyes. Diels was not a psychologist and therefore his view has to be treated with caution. There is no evidence from Diels view on Van der Lubbe's state of mind that der Lubbe acted alone.

Van der Lubbe confesses to Diel that he started other smaller fires in Berlin. Details provided by Van der Lubbe suggested that other communists helped him start those other fires and therefore following on from that Diel assumed that the there must have been assistance to Van Der Lubbe at the Rieichstag. There is no oral evidence from Van Der Lubbe at the trial that this was the case.

2) On the 27th February the Reichstag is empty as it had been in recess since December. At around 20:30 one of the caretakers checks the building and finds nothing unusual. At 20:50 a postman is passing the entrance to the session chamber and notices nothing unusual.

At 21:05 a student sees a man carrying a burning brand on the first floor. By 21:14 the fire alarm is received by the local firestation and the firemen are in the building by 21:24 but fires are breaking out everywhere. At 21:27 there is a huge explosion and the great chamber is enveloped by flames. In the rear of the building a half naked dutchman, Marinus van der Lubbe is discovered and arrested. He claims to have done it as "a protest".

Rudolph Diels account was written after the Second World War ended and therefore it is reasonable to assume that he was not forced into writing what he did by his seniors. However, the Nazi's gained from the Reichstag fire. Given that Germany was immediately plunged into a state of total dictatorship it was initially difficult to gather hard evidence. There is evidence that points to the Nazi's starting the fire which contradicts Diels account of events. Before the fire Van der Lubbe was in the clutches of two SA men. Kar Ernst, head of the SA in Berlin when asked by a fellow Dutch Nazi whether his Storm Troopers were responsible for the fire answered " If I said yes, I'd be a bloody fool, if I said no I'd be a bloody liar. This evidence suggests that Diels view is not based on full knowledge of events. .......................

3) The cartoon from the British magazine illustrates the situation differently to that shown on the cover of the book. The cartoon shows Hindenburg handing over emergency powers and total dictatorship to Hitler by advising him to take advantage of the political situation. In contrast the cover of the book shows Van der Lubbe as part of an armed uprising.

The cartoon in the British magazine is satire. This contrasts with the propaganda portrayed on the book cover.

The Red Peril and the German book cover both agree that Hitler will be able to take total control of Germany because of the Reichstag fire. ..................

4) The Nazis wanted to blame the communists for the fire for political reasons.

By blaming the communists for the fire the Reich president was able to pass a Decree for the Protection of People and State. The consequence of this was that the government were able to arrest leading communists and to ban them from the election campaign.

The book was published in order try and convince people that the Nazis did not start the Reichstag fire.

Another reason for publishing the book was to convince people to vote for the Nazis in the forthcoming election.

The book, blaming the communists for starting the fire, gave Hitler the excuse for calling for new general elections in Germany