Hitler takes political control, 1933-34

Hitler’s Rise to Power (1933)

Enabling Act (March 1933): After the Reichstag fire, Hitler persuaded President Hindenburg to pass the Enabling Act which gave him the power to make laws without consulting the Reichstag.
Formation of single-party state: Hitler banned all other political parties except the Nazi party in July 1933. This effectively turned Germany into a single-party state, thus eliminating competition and opposition.

Consolidation of Power (1933-1934)

Roehm Purge (Night of the Long Knives): On the night of 30th June 1934, Hitler ordered the SS to murder Ernst Roehm (the head of the SA) and other political rivals. This is known as the Night of the Long Knives. This action was taken since Hitler saw Roehm and his growing army as a threat to his political standing.
Death of President Hindenburg (August 1934): Following Hindenburg’s death, Hitler merged the roles of Chancellor and President and made himself ‘the Fuehrer’ (the leader) of Germany, thereby achieving absolute power.

Establishment of Dictatorship

The Army’s oath of loyalty: Hitler made the Army swear an oath of personal loyalty to him, and not to the German state. This helped ensure the direct allegiance of the military to Hitler.
Use of Propaganda: The Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, led by Joseph Goebbels, shaped public opinion through radio broadcasts, films, books, art and the press to portray Hitler as a heroic and divine figure, and to promote the Nazi ideology.
Suspension of Civil Liberties: The Nazis suspended civil liberties, such as freedom of speech and assembly, and established a police state with the Gestapo (the secret police) and concentration camps used to silence political opponents and other groups deemed undesirable by the Nazi party.

The Role of Terror

The Gestapo: The Nazi state security police played an integral role in suppressing opposition and controlling the population through surveillance, fear, and brutal tactics.
Concentration Camps: Used for forced labour, imprisonment and extermination, these camps were part of the Nazi’s strategy to intimidate and control populations they considered a threat to the state - primarily Jews, but also political dissidents, homosexuals, and other non-Aryan or non-conforming groups.

These key points highlight Hitler’s rise and consolidation of power between 1933-34. Understanding these can provide a solid foundation for the broader study of life in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.