DoRevision
Log in Sign up free

Building the Nazi Dictatorship

How Hitler turned the office of Chancellor into a dictatorship in 1933-34: the Reichstag Fire, the Enabling Act, the one-party state, the Night of the Long Knives, and becoming Fuhrer.

⏱️ 16 min 🎯 14 activities Teachers Not yet rated Students Not yet rated
Best used for
Homework Intervention Mock preparation

Revise this, the fun way

Play it interactively, earn XP and build a streak, free.

Start revising free

What you'll cover

Building the Nazi dictatorship 🔒

Between 1933 and 1934 Hitler turned the office of Chancellor into a dictatorship. He used the Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act to gain power, banned other parties, purged the SA on the Night of the Long Knives, and became Fuhrer when Hindenburg died.

Words for the takeover 🔑

Learn these four terms before you judge the takeover.

Chancellor and Fuhrer 🆚

In under two years Hitler went from Chancellor to absolute leader.

Grade 9 thinking 💡

To reach the top grades, assess how Hitler built the dictatorship, and weigh the use of the law against the use of terror and violence.

Match the event to what it did 🔗

  • the Reichstag Fire
  • the Enabling Act
  • the Night of the Long Knives
  • the death of Hindenburg
  • gave an excuse to arrest opponents
  • let Hitler make laws without the Reichstag
  • purged the SA to keep the army onside
  • let Hitler become sole leader as Fuhrer

Match the term to its meaning 🧩

  • dictatorship
  • purge
  • one-party state
  • Fuhrer
  • rule by one person with total power
  • a violent removal of rivals
  • a country where only one party is allowed
  • the title Hitler took as sole leader

What did the Enabling Act do? ❓

What did the Enabling Act do?

  • It let Hitler make laws without the Reichstag.
  • It gave more people the vote.
  • It disbanded the army.

Steps to dictatorship ✅

Select the TWO steps that helped build the dictatorship.

  • Passing the Enabling Act.
  • The Night of the Long Knives.
  • Holding free and fair elections.
  • Joining the League of Nations.

Order the takeover 🪜

An interactive activity.

Summarise the takeover 📝

The Reichstag _____ of 1933 let Hitler arrest opponents. The Enabling _____ let him make laws alone. He banned other _____, purged the SA on the Night of the Long _____, and became _____ when Hindenburg died.

Fire Act parties Knives Fuhrer Reichstag army Hindenburg unions communists

Count the years 🔢

An interactive activity.

Spot the two power grabs 🖍️

An interactive activity.

Law or terror? 🧭

An interactive activity.

Assess the dictatorship ✍️

An interactive activity.