THE ROAD TO DICTATORSHIP

THE REICHSTAG FIRE……

THE REICHSTAG FIRE

A young Dutch COMMUNIST, Marinus van der Lubbe, was accused of starting the fire.

(Some people thought that the Nazis had set it on fire then blamed this young man.)

February 1933- 1 week before the national election

Hitler moved very quickly to exploit the opportunity-

• Smash the Communist party

• Use the situation to take power

Hitler now said that there was a Communist plot to destroy Germany and asked the President for SPECIAL POWERS to stop them.

These powers allowed him to TAKE CONTROL of Germany.

Hitler was on his way to becoming DICTATOR of Germany

GENERAL KUSource A is what Hitler is reported to have said when he heard about the Reichstag fire:

There will be no mercy now. Anyone who stands in our way will be cut down. Every communist official should be shot where he is found. Everybody supporting the Communists must be arrested. The Communist party should have no rights in Germany.1. What did Hitler want to happen to the communists after the Reichstag fire?

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