Western Civilization II / Unit 16 WC2 1517 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Reichstag Fire, the Enabling Act, and One Party by July 1933
Captions available
The idea
On February twenty-seventh the Reichstag burned; van der Lubbe, a Dutch communist, was caught inside; whether he acted alone is disputed. A decree suspended civil rights and crushed the Communists. March's election gave forty-four percent. The Enabling Act allowed laws by decree; by July one party remained.
In practice
Twenty thousand in new camps.
Where people slip
The anchor's "49 percent" and "unknown arsonist" are corrected.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it