Discuss the methods used by Hitler to Consolidate Power at 1933 1934

Another policy introduced by Hitler in order to consolidate his power was the Gleichschaltung, which was the process by which the whole of the organized life of the German nation was to be brought under the single control of the Nazi party. It basically “Nazified” the entire German society. Numerous new legislations were introduced to the new Nazi society to impose Hitler’s authority upon the Germans, thus consolidate his power. An example is the Law against the New Formation of Parties, the KPD and the SPD were officially banned, all other political parties, except the Nazis, were declared illegal. Other institutions lost their independence and dissolved themselves, by that means Hitler had no other political opposition in the Reichstag now, which meant that he secured his authority. In January 1934, Hitler abolished the provincial assemblies of the Länder. He replaced them with his own Nazi governors (Reichstatthalter), and made Germany for the first time a centralized, unitary state. The Reich governor could appoint, remove and dismiss local governments, judges and officials bud did not have the power to replace officials in economic positions. In this way he had “spies” going around in society and give in potential threat to his position. Another new law imposed was the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service imposed April 7th, 1933. The government was now given the power to remove any “unsuitable” civil servants or those not of Aryan descent. The Civil Service was also purged to Jews and political opponents. The Nazis took steps to ensure that civil servants and lawyers were loyal to Nazism. By 1939 all civil servants had to belong to the Nazi Party and had to wear uniforms. Hitler had now his political supporters teaching and serving the society, and in that case spread his ideology easier and in addition consolidate his power. The Gleichschaltung enabled Hitler to expose the Germans more easy to Nazism and impose his authority, followed by consolidation of his power.

Hitler’s last method to strengthen his power was the event of The Night of the Long Knives, where all of his last potential contradictors were brutally killed. Even though Hitler had exterminated almost all of his political rivals, ironically, the greatest surviving threat to him and his policies came from within the Nazi’s own ranks. The SA were the thugs who Hitler had used to help him come to power. They had defended his meeting, and attacked his opponents. By late 1933 the number of members had risen to some 2.5 million men.     For Hitler – the SA were an embarrassment, not an advantage. Also, Röhm, the leader of the SA, was talking about a Socialist revolution and about taking over the army. Since this would go against everything Nazism represented, the result was the Night of the Long Knives on 30th June 1934. It was carried out by members of the SS though the army provided weapons and transport.Röhm, his lieutenant Edmund Heines and around 400 SA members were executed brutally without trial.  Hitler also took the opportunity of settling old political scores.  Gregor Strasser, his rival in the 1920s, was killed.  Many more were also shot for opposing Hitler in the Reichstag, such as von Streicher, or for betrayal during the Beer Hall Putsch, i.e. Kahr, or because they simply just knew too much. The Night of the Long Knives was Hitler’s most spectacular, and probably most successful, piece of Realpolitik. It had eliminated almost all remaining threat to Hitler’s power through all the initial shock it caused. Less than three weeks after the happening, 38,000,000 Germans gave their implicit support by accepting in a plebiscite vote Hitler’s assumption of the office of “Führer and Chancellor”. Hitler had now gained the support of the army, and increased his political support and obedience from the civilians, thus his power was consolidated.

Hitler wasted no time in consolidating his position as Chancellor, he did it in such a fast pace in comparison to Mussolini for instance which a lot of historians – and my self – find amazing. In order to consolidate his power in Germany, Hitler used force to make people agree with him, even if they didn't want to. The comical aspect of his consolidation of power is that everything he did was legal. He effectively eliminated all forms of opposition, both externally and internally. Through numerous ways, Hitler found many diverse methods to consolidate his power between 1933 and 1934. Factors such as the Enabling act of March 1933 were a particularly powerful act that broke down most political barriers to Hitler's dictatorship. The Gleichschaltung enabled totalitarian control and tight coordination over all aspects of society in order for Hitler to consolidate his power. Additionally the Night of the Long Knives was one of the crucial events which secured his rule, where he eliminated all possible threats from within his own party. At that particular event, all of his remaining and potential threats to oppose him were eliminated. After these short lasting events, Hitler had achieved his goal. In short, Hitler, by the above mentioned actions, had wiped out almost all possible threats and intimidated the German people. And fast and successfully gained and consolidate his power.