History Timeline 1933 – 1940 Ashlea Cross
1933
30 January - Hitler is appointed Chancellor of Germany with the NSDAP gaining three seats in the new cabinet: Hitler as Chancellor; Wilhelm Frick as Minister of the Interior; and Hermann Goring as Minister of the Interior for Prussia.
27 February - The Reichstag Fire breaks out which is blamed on the Communists by Hitler. The Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State is decreed by President Hindenburg which is used by the Nazis to suspend freedom of the press, speech, and association. Leading communists were also arrested and imprisoned.
5 March - In the Federal Elections the Nazis win 43.9% of the vote and 288 seats, continuing as the largest party in the Reichstag, yet falling short of the 324 seats needed for a majority.
24 March - The Enabling Act is passed, giving Hitler the power to pass laws without the consent of the Reichstag. The Act was voted by 2⁄3 majority, with Hitler gaining the support of the Centre Party and D NVP, and by preventing the communists from taking their seats. Hitler used the act to ban all political parties and trade unions, consolidating his power.
15 July - The Four-Power Pact (Quadripartite Pact) signed in Rome between Italy, France, Germany and Britain. Under Mussolini’s influence, the Pact was designed to increase the role of ‘Great Powers’ in international diplomacy at the expense of smaller powers and was heralded as a success for Mussolini.
23 October - Hitler withdraws Germany from the World Disarmament Conference at Geneva, blaming the French for refusing to allow Germany to have parity in arms. He also withdrawals from the League of Nations, calling it a French ‘conspiracy’ to keep Germany weak.
1934
26 January - A 10-Year Non-Aggression Pact between Germany and Poland signed. The Pact broke the French diplomatic encirclement of Germany by drawing Poland away from its 1921 alliance with France. The Pact also strengthened the British view of Hitler as a sensible international statesman.
25 July - The July Putsch occurs as Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss is assassinated by Nazi supporters. Italy sends 100,000 troops to its border with Austria at the Brenner Pass to prevent Hitler’s attempts at Anschluss. Hitler backed down. Dollfuss was replaced as Chancellor by the right-wing Kurt von Schuschnigg.
30 June - The Night of the Long Knives begins as Hitler purges the SA and other leaders, with over 200 people killed including Gregor Strasser, Ernst Rohm, and Kurt von Schleicher.
2 August - President Hindenburg dies - With the support of the army, Hitler merges the offices of Chancellor and President, becoming Fuhrer of Germany. Commander-in-chief Werner von Blomberg orders all members of the Wehrmacht to take an oath of loyalty to the Fuhrer.
19 August - Plebiscite held asking the German public whether they approved of Hitler merging the offices of President and Chancell...
