Hitler’s Power and Maintenance of Power in Germany in the Period 1933-39

Hitler’s successes in assuming and maintaining power from 1933-1939 were facilitated by a number of factors. His ultra-conservative opinions regarding the Treaty of Versailles facilitated the gaining of wide spread support for him and the NSDAP. After being awarded the chancellorship in 1933, fabricating the Reichstag fire of 1933 and implementing the Enabling Act, he effectively assumed power.

The death of President Hindenburg in August 1934 allowed Hitler to combine the offices of President and Chancellor into that of the Fuhrer; also facilitating the assumption of his power. His main instruments utilised for the maintenance of power included the utilisation of an excellent propaganda machine and the employment of terror and repression. Further to this, he implemented  ‘Gleichschaltung’ andceeated the illusion of a ‘Volksgemeinschaft’. As well,  his charismatic personality and employment of scapegoats allowed Hitler to maintain power in Germany.

Hitler’s success in his assumption of power was due to a number of factors. This initially can be traced back to his resentment of Versailles and his ability to criticize the Social Democrats for “Dolchstosslegende” or “The Stab in the Back Theory” from the early beginnings of The Weimar Republic. Hitler joining the ‘Harzburg Front’ in 1929 established a link between the ‘old right’ and Hitler’s ‘new nationalists’. The onset of the depression “put the wind in the sails for Hitler”, and brought about much resentment for democracy. He also assumed power through consensus, by promising something to every social class. His promises were often contradictory and fabricated. He effectively camouflaged or avoided questioning regarding this. He also offered national unity, prosperity and full employment, which contributed to his assumption of power. His magnetic personality combined with his ruthless and strong will assisted him in gaining much support. After political scheming conducted by Papen, Schleicher and Hindenburg, Hitler was awarded chancellorship in January 1933. Indeed, “Hitler’s success is owed much to luck and even more to the bad judgement of his political opponents and rivals”.

This assumption of power was effectively consolidated through the exaggeration of The Reichstag Fire’s seriousness, which occurred in February 1933. Hitler emphasised the significance of this event to a great extent, effectively employing dramatic propaganda to fuel the hysteria. He did this by blaming the incident on the KPD, claiming that Germany was in a state of turmoil; a proposition that allowed him to implement Article Forty-Eight of the Constitution. Consequently, the Enabling Act of March 1933 awarded Hitler dictatorial powers, of which he effectively acted upon immediately, dissolving all trade unions, abolishing political parties and establishing the German Labour Front.