How did Hitler use democracy to destroy democracy?

BEER HALL PUSHT: 1923

-[H] and the Brownshirts attempt to overthrow the government (coup dʼetat)
-treason; sentenced to five years in prison; the judge agreed with [H]
-[H] serves 9 months in jail and writes a book:
Mein Kampf
-Aryan race is superior and needs living space

Significance? [H] views are legitimated

NAZIS WIN 37% OF VOTE/LARGEST POLITICAL PARTY IN REICHSTAG: 1932

+individuals vote for Nazi because desperate times causes them to make extreme
choices
Political Parties
1. Pro-Weimar=Social Democrats
2. Communists
3. Nazi: ignore the treaty of Vesailles--soldiers, wealthy, middle

Significance? [H] is appointed chancellor (JANUARY 30, 1933); most powerful person in
the Reichstag

After Hitler is appointed chancellor...

-[H] puts Herman Goring in charge of police; replaces loyal police
officers with Nazis and Brownshirts
- [H] creates a new police force with 50,000 men; raid Communist headquarters and get
membership lists, adresses, leadership info, claims they found a plot to take over
the government

Significance? weakens Communists and causes fear

REICHSTAG FIRE: FEBUARY 27

-Lubbe was a 24 year old Communist, deranged arsonist who was tricked into setting
fire to the Reichstag
-After the fire, [H] and Goebbels rush to the fire and Goebbels sends out propaganda to
the newspapers that says the Communists are burning down the government; news
flashes and national emergency
-They rounded up the Communist leaders and sent them to prison camps--beginning of
the concentration camps

Significance? destroys the Communist party because it proved peoples fears; the first
time [H] used deception and violence to gain power

REICHSTAG PASSES THE ENABLING ACT: MARCH 24, 1933

-Reichstag voted to give [H] the power to pass laws by decree
Significance? [H] got dictatorial powers legally

PRESIDENT VON HINDENBURG DIES/ HITLER BECOMES FUHRER: August 2, 1934

- [H] Hitler combines the powers of president and chancellor
- “Ein volk, ein reich, ein Fuhrer”

Significance? [H] democracy destroyed--no choice--the state is supreme

(Fascist/Totalitarianism)

HITLER RECIEVES A 90% YES VOTE FROM GERMAN VOTERS APPROVING HIS
NEW POWERS