ENABLING ACT
Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany throughout the 1920s and early 1930s. After a failed attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic with his Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, Hitler instead worked to increase the popularity of the Nazi Party and gain power through the electoral system. In fact, Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany, leader of the democratically elected government, on January 30th, 1933. Soon after, the German parliament was severely burned in an event known as the Reichstag Fire. The resulting Reichstag Fire Decree gave Hitler increased powers and helped the Nazi Party win a majority in the elections of March 1933. Also in March of that year was the creation of the Enabling Act, which historians consider to be a major event in the rise to power of Adolf Hitler.
Officially called the Law to Remedy the Suffering of People, the Enabling Act was created and presented to the German Parliament on March 23rd, 1933. In general, it gave Hitler emergency powers for a period of four years, which the Nazi Party argued was needed following the Reichstag Fire that occurred just weeks earlier. More specifically, it gave Hitler authority to create laws without the involvement of the German parliament and without the approval from German President Paul Hindenburg. The Enabling Act was quickly passed since, by this point, the Nazi Party controlled the majority of the seats in the Reichstag. Regardless, on the day it was voted in to law, the Nazis had SA members present in order to intimidate legislators from other parties into approving it. While Hitler promised to use restraint with the emergency powers granted to him in the Enabling Act, he used it as an opportunity to gain complete control over the country.
Historians consider the Enabling Act a significant stage in Hitler’s rise to power as it effectively ended democracy within Germany. Ironically, with the passage of the Enabling Act, the German parliament effectively ended its own powers and granted Hitler and the Nazi Party complete control. With his powers, Hitler banned all other political parties and censored any media that he did not approve of. As such, historians view this as the final stage in Hitler’s rise to power since he essentially created a dictatorship with himself in charge.
President Paul von Hindenburg died on August 2nd, 1934. Rather than holding new presidential elections, Hitler's cabinet passed a law proclaiming the presidency dormant and transferred the role and powers of the head of state to Hitler as Führer und Reichskanzler (leader and chancellor). As head of state, Hitler now became supreme commander of the armed forces. Hitler’s rise to power in Germany was complete.
Officially called the Law to Remedy the Suffering of People, the Enabling Act was created and presented to the German Parliament on March 23rd, 1933. In general, it gave Hitler emergency powers for a period of four years, which the Nazi Party argued was needed following the Reichstag Fire that occurred just weeks earlier. More specifically, it gave Hitler authority to create laws without the involvement of the German parliament and without the approval from German President Paul Hindenburg. The Enabling Act was quickly passed since, by this point, the Nazi Party controlled the majority of the seats in the Reichstag. Regardless, on the day it was voted in to law, the Nazis had SA members present in order to intimidate legislators from other parties into approving it. While Hitler promised to use restraint with the emergency powers granted to him in the Enabling Act, he used it as an opportunity to gain complete control over the country.
Historians consider the Enabling Act a significant stage in Hitler’s rise to power as it effectively ended democracy within Germany. Ironically, with the passage of the Enabling Act, the German parliament effectively ended its own powers and granted Hitler and the Nazi Party complete control. With his powers, Hitler banned all other political parties and censored any media that he did not approve of. As such, historians view this as the final stage in Hitler’s rise to power since he essentially created a dictatorship with himself in charge.
President Paul von Hindenburg died on August 2nd, 1934. Rather than holding new presidential elections, Hitler's cabinet passed a law proclaiming the presidency dormant and transferred the role and powers of the head of state to Hitler as Führer und Reichskanzler (leader and chancellor). As head of state, Hitler now became supreme commander of the armed forces. Hitler’s rise to power in Germany was complete.