Aftermath of the Reichstag Fire on the German People
As previously mentioned, the Nazi party took advantage of this event. Their first address to the situation was quickly blaming the fire on the Communists. The Nazis claimed this to be a sort of uprising of the Communist party. The act of arson was specifically blamed on a Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe. However, this would not be the only communist put to blame for the fire. Thousands of other communist party members were not set free to walk on the streets, instead they were sentenced to imprisonment. Their houses were raided, and all publications of the Communist party were banned. This would shut down the threat of the Communists in Germany, getting rid one of the Nazi's greatest challenges for power.
Now the Nazi's needed to proceed with step two of taking advantage of an event like this, being to take away the peoples rights. This would be achieved through an act called The Reichstag Fire Decree, which Hitler urged President Hindenburg to sign. The act would do just this, take away peoples rights. The act itself repealed the rights granted by the Wiemar Constitution. This would be the equivalent of the United States constitution being taken away overnight. By doing this, the stage was set. The Nazi party would have free reign with being able to push through their Propaganda machine without any conflict. Peoples rights to a free press were gone, their free speech was gone, every right that we see as inhuman to deny was simply gone. In March of 1933 Hitler would also pass the Enabling act. This would allow him to pass any laws without parliamentary consent. Now all Hitler would need was for his wishes to come true, being for President Hindenburg, now an old man, to hurry up and die.
Hitlers wishes would eventually be granted. Hindenburg would eventually "hurry up and die" on August 2nd 1934. Just two hours after Hindenburg's death Hitler announced that due to a law that he had passed through the cabinet just a day before, the offices of Chancellor and President were merged. This left Hitler with all the power and the ability to push the Nazi party's agenda.
Now the Nazi's needed to proceed with step two of taking advantage of an event like this, being to take away the peoples rights. This would be achieved through an act called The Reichstag Fire Decree, which Hitler urged President Hindenburg to sign. The act would do just this, take away peoples rights. The act itself repealed the rights granted by the Wiemar Constitution. This would be the equivalent of the United States constitution being taken away overnight. By doing this, the stage was set. The Nazi party would have free reign with being able to push through their Propaganda machine without any conflict. Peoples rights to a free press were gone, their free speech was gone, every right that we see as inhuman to deny was simply gone. In March of 1933 Hitler would also pass the Enabling act. This would allow him to pass any laws without parliamentary consent. Now all Hitler would need was for his wishes to come true, being for President Hindenburg, now an old man, to hurry up and die.
Hitlers wishes would eventually be granted. Hindenburg would eventually "hurry up and die" on August 2nd 1934. Just two hours after Hindenburg's death Hitler announced that due to a law that he had passed through the cabinet just a day before, the offices of Chancellor and President were merged. This left Hitler with all the power and the ability to push the Nazi party's agenda.