Adolf Hitler30 January 1933
Hindenburg asks Hitler to form a Government
Germany · Government / NSDAP Government. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
Hindenburg asks Hitler to form a Government
The "National Revolution" is followed by a "Lawful Revolution". The Government rules by Presidential decree as a coalition of "National accord"
Constitutional rights are suspended by decree, "to protect the German people"
Less than a month after Adolf Hitler's appointment as Chancellor the Reichstag Fire Decree invokes Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution, suspending several constitutional protections on civil rights. Individual liberty under the Weimer constitution is suspended
Constitutional rights are suspended by Presidential decree. After the Reichstag fire constitutional rights are suspended by Presidential decree
On the orders of Hitler and Wilhelm Frick abolishes the Government of Bavaria and sets up a Nazi regime
"The day of Potsdam", Parliament is deprived of its powers
The Centre Party votes for the Enabling Law, the "legal" basis of dictatorship. Legislative power is transferred to the executive. All political parties other than the NSDAP are banned. A dictatorship in all but name is established
441 in the Reichstag vote for the Enabling Bill, only 94 against
The title of Fuhrer and Chancellor is soon understood to mean Head of State & Head of Government & given by propaganda the title of Fuhrer des deutschen Reiches und Volkes (Leader of the German Reich and People), the name the soldiers had to swear
The title of Reichspresident however was not taken by Hitler; instead, he wanted to let his title remain Fuhrer und Reichskanzler, for respect of Hindenburgs achievements as a WWI hero who became Germany's President.
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Appoints Nazi Reich Governors to run all German states subjecting them to the Reich
The National Socialist German Workers Party becomes the only political party
The NSDAP becomes the party of the state
"as long as the police carries out the will of the leadership it is acting legally"
Less than a month after Adolf Hitler's appointment as Chancellor the Reichstag Fire Decree invokes Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution, suspending several constitutional protections on civil rights
Abolishes state assemblies & transfers all sovereign power to the Reich
A law is passed combining the offices of "Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor" with President
After Reichspresident Paul von Hindenburg dies, personally orders all soldiers in the army to pledge the Reichswehreid Oath of allegiance not to Volk and Fatherland, but to the new Reichspresident and Fuhrer Adolf Hitler
Broadcasts to the nation announcing the merger of the offices of Fuhrer & President
Goebbels makes a broadcast announcing the merger of the offices of Fuhrer & President
Appoints himself as President of Germany after the death of President von Hindenburg
The "Peoples Court" was set up outside the operations of the constitutional frame of law, the court had jurisdiction over a rather broad array of "political offenses," which included crimes like black marketeering, work slowdowns, defeatism and treason
Abolishes the title & office of the President
Creates Reichsburger of "pure German blood"
Jews lose legal equality as Germany is divided into "subjects"& "citizens"
When conscription is reintroduced Hitler had himself promoted to the new title Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht (Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces)
Legally, the Commander in Chief of the Wehrmacht was Adolf Hitler in his capacity as Germany's head of state, a position he gained after the death of President Paul von Hindenburg in August 1934
All political police forces throughout Germany are united with Himmler as the chief
With Hitler's approval the CAbinet can promulgate decrees which have the status of law. The last Cabinet meeting of the 3rd Reich
The SD, the Gestapo, and the Criminal Police are unified under one office, the Reich Central Security Office RSHA, which is placed under Heydrichs control
The style of the Head of State was changed to Fuhrer des Groadeutschen Reiches (Leader of the Greater German Reich)
Hitler commits suicide and is briefly succeeded as Chancellor by Joseph Goebbels, as dictated in Hitler's Last Will and Testament
In Hitler's 1945 political testament he appoints Admiral Karl Doenitz to succeed him, but he names Doenitz as President, not Fuhrer, thereby re-establishing a constitutional office which had lain dormant since Hindenburgs death in 1934. Hitler commits suicide and is briefly succeeded as Chancellor by Joseph Goebbels, as dictated in Hitler's Last Will and Testament
This factsheet is generated from stored World History Database records matching the country, broad category, detailed category and exact Event value shown above. Duplicate display records are collapsed; database wording is otherwise preserved. Source provenance varies by record, so formal academic citation should be checked against the relevant primary source, archive or specialist historical reference.