Weimar and Nazi Germany (1918-1939): Removing Opposition

The Enabling Act had allowed Hitler to rule without the consent of the Reichstag. This Hitler was free to do what he wished. Hitler was swift in his removal of external opposition to the Nazis.

First among these were the Trade Unions. It was the opinion of Hitler that the Trade Unions were influenced by the Communists and this was dangerous, especially as the Communists had been banned after the Reichstag Fire. To prevent this, Hitler prohibited trade unions from operating. To complement this, trade union officials were arrested by Nazi security forces and sent to concentration camps.

The second wing of opposition to Hitler were other political parties. Hitler dealt with these quickly and issued a decree banning all political parties except for the Nazis.