The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how the Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act allowed Hitler to establish a Nazi dictatorship.
Key learning points
- Hitler gained power legally but lacked full control and planned new elections to secure a majority.
- The Reichstag Fire was exploited by Nazis to justify emergency powers and crush political opposition.
- With communist members banned and others intimidated by the SA, the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act.
- The Act gave Hitler legal authority to rule by decree, marking his transformation of Germany into a dictatorship.
- Gleichschaltung made Germany a one-party state, bringing all areas of life under Nazi control.
Keywords
Dictatorship - a type of government where absolute power is concentrated in the hands of a single ruler or small group
Gleichschaltung - a Nazi term meaning 'coordination'; the process of bringing all aspects of German life under Nazi control - this meant synchronising all state and social institutions with Nazi ideology
Common misconception
The Enabling Act was passed fairly.
The vote was deeply manipulated: communist Reichstag members were banned, others intimidated.
Teacher tip
Read Otto Wels’s 1933 speech aloud. Former Chancellor Brüning said Wels was Germany's "bravest" man in the struggle against Hitler. Discuss with pupils why he held this opinion.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why was Chancellor Brüning removed from office in 1932?
Q2.Match the word with its correct definition
a type of rule where power is held by a single leader or small group
a temporary alliance between political parties to form a government
when no progress can be made due to disagreement or stalemate
Q3.Why did both Papen and Schleicher ultimately fail as chancellors?
Q4.What year was Adolf Hitler appointed Chancellor of Germany?
Q5.Why did Papen and Hindenburg agree to make Hitler chancellor?
Q6.Which of the following statements are true about Hitler’s rise to chancellor?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why did Hitler call for new elections in March 1933?
Q2.Who started the Reichstag Fire?
Q3.Hitler convinced the president to sign the for the Protection of the People and the State, emergency powers to deal with public disorder and defend the state against Communist acts of violence.
Q4.Starting with the earliest, sort these events into chronological order:
Q5.After the election, Hitler was able to pass the Enabling Act, which:
Q6.What was the main aim of Gleichschaltung?
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39 unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.