The Abolition of Democracy

Immediately after the Nazis took power in Berlin on January 30, 1933, Hamburg's senate made efforts to implement the persecutions ordered by the Nazis, so as not to give the new government any pretext to intervene in the running of the city. As early as March 1, 75 Communist Party functionaries were arrested, to be followed by Social Democrats, trade unionists and other opponents of National Socialism. Their organizations, publications and meetings were banned. In the Reichstag elections on March 5, 1933, the National Socialist poll in Hamburg rose by 100,000, giving them 38.8 percent of the vote. The NSDAP called for the election of a new senate, in which they now held the majority and appointed Carl Vincent
Krogmann lord mayor. But the senate was no longer empowered to make its own decisions. Like all other regional governments, it was obliged to implement orders from the Reich authorities in Berlin.

The key posts in the Hamburg administration were filled with Nazis who cooperated closely with the Gauleiter and Reich Governor Karl Kaufmann. Communists, Social Democrats and other potential opponents of National Socialism were removed from public authorities, schools and trade organizations. The remaining state employees obeyed orders from above out of conviction, indifference or fear. Hamburg's parliament, the City Council, was dissolved on October 14, 1933.

The National Socialists swiftly established control by means of police and storm trooper (SA) terror, intimidation, informers and loyal supporters. On January 1, 1935, the NSDAP had around 46,500 members in Hamburg, representing 3.8 percent of the population, which was more than the national average. Many more Hamburgers were members of the party's sub-organizations. With their help, the National Socialist regime survived until 1945.


Hamburg in the 20th.century (1)
-    Imperial Germany and the Struggle for Voting Rights
-    Life in Wilhelmine Germany
-    The Mobile City
-    International Port and Economic Center
-    Revolution in Hamburg
-    Democracy and its Enemies
-    A Decade of Economic Crisis
-    Greater Hamburg
-    Life Under the Swastika
-    The Abolition of Democracy
-    Towards a War Economy
-    Verfolgung und Widerstand im NS-Staat
-    Hamburg at war
-    Destruction by Fire Storm

Hamburg in the 20th.century (2)