EYEWITNESS No. 8

Press, Volume C, Issue 29436, 11 February 1961, Page 10

EYEWITNESS No. 8

In the autumn of 1932, it was still doubtful whether Hitler and the Nazis would ever rule Germany. In the general election of November, Hitler’s party polled fewer votes than in the previous summer and although he was Chancellor, he. looked like having to govern by a coalition or by a minority government.

But the Nazis did not want this and knew how to avoid both.

New elections were to be held in March, 1933, but, before then, an event occurred which removed all element of risk of Hitler losing power. On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building, home of the German Parliament, was seen to be on fire.

Within four hours, the Hitler Government had managed to issue in printed form a special order “for the protection of the Reich against the Communist danger.” The Nazis were able to carry out this order with so little delay that, within a single day, all the Communist deputies of the Reichstag were under lock and key. In the March elections, the Nasis and Nationalists won a small majority—small, but enough to enable them to terrorise the Opposition into submission. At a later State trial, van der Lubbe, a feeble-minded Dutchman, known to have Communist links, "confessed" to having started the fire. Whether he did is still a mystery.