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The following events saw Hitler and the Nazis strengthen their grip on power, ending in Hitler taking complete dictatorial powers and the title of ��ü������.

February 1933

• The Nazis take control of the German police system.

5 March 1933 - General election

• The Nazis win 288 seats in the Reichstag.
• Although this does not give the Nazis a majority, it does give them enough seats to get the Enabling Act passed.

20 March 1933

• The first concentration camps are established for political prisoners.

23 March 1933 - The Enabling Act

• The SA intimidates all the remaining non-Nazi Reichstag members.
• As a result, the Reichstag votes to give Hitler the powers to make his own laws.

26 April 1933

• The Nazis reorganise and take control of local government.
• Hitler sets up the Gestapo, the secret police of Nazi Germany.

2 May 1933

• Trade unions are abolished and their leaders arrested, which eliminates another group that opposed the Nazis.
• The German Labour Front is established in their place, which gives the Nazis control over German workers.

20 June 1933 - Concordat

• Hitler reaches an agreement with the Pope, which stated that the Catholic Church will be protected, but will stay out of political matters.
• This allows Hitler to ban the Catholic Zentrum (Centre) Party without opposition from the Catholic Church.

14 July 1933

• All political parties, except the Nazi Party, are banned.
• This destroys democracy by removing the need for elections, creating a one-party state.

24 April 1934 - People's courts

• Hitler sets up the courts where judges have to swear an oath of loyalty to the Nazis.
• This gives the Nazis greater power over the sentencing of political enemies and those deemed to be criminals.

30 June 1934 - 'Night of the Long Knives'

• The SA cause problems by demanding to take over the army.
• Hitler cannot afford to lose the support of the army or of businessmen, who are opposed to the socialist reforms that the SA want.
• The SS assassinate many of the SA’s leadership, including its leader Ernst Röhm. Officially just under 100 members die.
• This wipes out opposition to Hitler within the Nazi Party. It also gives more power to the SS.

19 August 1934 - The ��ü������

• President Hindenburg dies of old age.
• Hitler unifies the offices of President and Chancellor and became head of the German army.
• He takes the title of ��ü������ and has complete dictatorial powers. Within hours of Hindenburg’s death, all members of the armed forces had to swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler.