Enabling Act of 1933

E6714

The Enabling Act of 1933 was a pivotal German law that granted Adolf Hitler’s government the power to enact legislation without parliamentary consent, effectively establishing his dictatorial rule.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf German federal law
constitutional law
emergency powers law
allowed enactment of laws without Reichsrat consent
enactment of laws without Reichstag consent
laws deviating from the constitution
cameIntoForce 1933-03-24
containsProvision Article 1 – Reich laws may be enacted by the government
Article 2 – Government laws may deviate from the constitution
Article 4 – treaties with foreign states do not affect Reichstag and Reichsrat rights
Article 5 – law in force on the day of promulgation
country Germany
datePassed 1933-03-23
duration four years
effect eliminated parliamentary democracy in Germany
enabled one-party Nazi state
established Hitler’s dictatorial rule
facilitated Gleichschaltung
undermined Weimar Constitution
enables cabinet rule by decree
grantedPowerTo Hitler government
Reich government
hasEnglishName Law to Remedy the Distress of People and Reich
hasOfficialName Enabling Act of 1933
surface form: "Gesetz zur Behebung der Not von Volk und Reich"
headOfGovernmentAtPassage Adolf Hitler
historicalSignificance central to dismantling constitutional checks and balances in Germany
key step in Nazi consolidation of power
jurisdiction Weimar Republic
legalBasis Article 76 of the Weimar Constitution
legalStatusAfter1945 void
legislativeBody Reichstag of Nazi Germany
surface form: "Reichstag"
limitedJudicialReview yes
locationOfPassage Kroll Opera House, Berlin
opposedBy Social Democratic Party of Germany
politicalContext Nazi seizure of power
precededBy Reichstag Fire Decree
promulgatedIn Reichsgesetzblatt
proposedBy Reich government
surface form: "Hitler cabinet"
renewedOn 1937-01-30
1939-01-30
1943-01-30
requiredMajority two-thirds majority
sponsor Adolf Hitler
supportedBy Catholic Centre Party
surface form: "Centre Party"

German National People’s Party
Nazi Party
votedAgainstBy SPD Reichstag deputies
votingContext Communist deputies arrested or excluded

Referenced by (18)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Nazi Party cameToPowerBy Enabling Act of 1933
Third Reich cameToPowerBy Enabling Act of 1933
Reichstag of the Weimar Republic diminishedBy Enabling Act of 1933
Enabling Act of 1933 hasOfficialName Enabling Act of 1933
surface form: "Gesetz zur Behebung der Not von Volk und Reich"
Nazi seizure of power hasPart Enabling Act of 1933
Nazi seizure of power legalBasis Enabling Act of 1933
Reich government legalBasis Enabling Act of 1933
Reichstag of Nazi Germany legalBasis Enabling Act of 1933
Gleichschaltung legalInstrument Enabling Act of 1933
Adolf Hitler notableEvent Enabling Act of 1933
Third Reich notableEvent Enabling Act of 1933
Reichstag of Nazi Germany passed Enabling Act of 1933
Reichstag fire relatedEvent Enabling Act of 1933
Cabinet of Adolf Hitler significantEvent Enabling Act of 1933
Reich government significantEvent Enabling Act of 1933
Weimar Constitution underminedBy Enabling Act of 1933

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