How did Adolf Hitler and the Nazis turn Germany into a totalitarian state?

By January 1933 the Nazi party in Germany was the largest single party in the Reichstag (German parliament). Though it did not command an overall majority in the Reichstag the aging President Hindenburg was convinced by Von Papen (who was convinced he could control Hitler), and those around him (in particular his own son who became a convinced Nazi), to appoint Hitler as chancellor, as parliament was unable to form a government by majority. In doing so he unknowingly began the extremely rapid transformation of Germany into a totalitarian state.

Hitler began this process by announcing a new election to secure a majority in the Reichstag. Then quite unexpectedly, but much to Hitler's advantage, the Reichstag building was burned to the ground by a left-wing fanatic, Marinus Van Der Lubbe. The vey next day Hitler took advantage of thsi situation to pass through his 'Decree for the Protection of People and State'. This allowed him to imprison suspects without trial, to search without a warrant, and gave him the powers necessary to set up concentration camps (which it must be noted were not killing camps. Concentration camps used forced labour camps, not killing camps). It also allowed Hitler and the Nazis to take over total control of federal states deemed to be ineffective in dealing with security. This law existed until the end of the Third Reich and was one of the first trappings of a totalitarian state to be set up by Hitler.

Unsurprisingly the Nazi performance in the following elections improved and they achieved 43.9% of vote, doubtless helped by the intimidation and violence of the Brownshirts. However, this had not yet allowed Hitler and the Nazis to turn Germany into a totalitarian state. To achieve this, on the 23third March 1933, Hitler brought the Enabling Act to the Reichstag. This act gave Hitler the power to pass laws for four years without consulting the Reichstag. Hitler forced this law through the Reichstag to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority through promises and obstructing the entry of opposition deputies into the debating chamber. Once the Enabling Act was passed Hitler had almost dictatorial power over Germany.

Throughtout the next year and a half Hitler used these to establish party control over every element of life, and to crush opposition to create his totalitarian state. In May of 1933 he banned all trade unions and co-operatives in Germany. In their place he created a state controlled unions and co-ops. In July 1933 he banned all political parties other than the Nazi party, and in February 1934 he abolished the Reichstrat(the upper house of the German parliament). In this way Hitler and the Nazis were rapidly turning Germany into a totalitarian state.

However, three major obstacles still remained, namely the army, his own party, and the elderly President Hindenburg(who commanded huge respect throughout the country). On the 30th June 1934 he dealt with the first two of these problems with what is known as 'the Night of the Long Knives'. On this night he sent the SS to murder almost 400 prominent members and vocal members of the SA(who were beginning to rival the German army) and the Nazis, most notably Rohm who was speaking out against Hitler publicly. With this blow he not only silenced the opponents close to him, but also made the formerly hostile armed forces look more favourably upon him, as they had resented the growing power of the SA.

Once these final few obstacles were removed only Hindeburg sotdd between Hitler and the Nazis creating a totalitarian state. Although they has effective control over Germany, technically the much loved president could at any time have dismissed Hitler, and would undoubtedly have had teh army's total backing. However, on the 2nd August 1934 President Hindenburg died, and Hitler took the final step in creating the German totalitarian state. He merged the roles of the Chancellor and President to become 'Der Fuhrer'.

In the short space of a year and a half from his appointment as chancellor in January 1933, to his rise to the title of 'Der Fuhrer', Hitler and the Nazis managed to create probably the most totalitarian state in history. From this moment forwar Hitler was totally free to achieve the aims he laid out in 'Mein Kampf', and toward the almost inevitable conflict of war.

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The rise of Hitler is possibly one of the most depressing titles for a history essay you can get. I forgot to mention his pacification of the churches, but I think it's a good essay. I'll see in a few days anyway.

Purely for typing practise really. Topics in brackets are additions made for anyone who reads thia and doesn't know much about the topic. Not in the version I handed to Monsieur Hanlon. Not that I can see many people reading this.

We have since moved onto the almost equally depressing topic of the various attempts to gain Irish independence since 1870. Depressing studpidity from both sides and the inevitable results of every action make for a dull and unpleasant topic.