Communist Party of Germany

:This article deals with the original KPD. For information on later groups using the same name, see Communist Party of Germany (disambiguation).

The Nazi era

Soon after the appointment of Hitler as Chancellor, the Reichstag was set on fire. The Nazis publicly blamed the fire on Communist agitators (though many historians believe that the Nazis themselves set the fire). They used the fire as a pretext to introduce laws enabling suppression of political parties. The Enabling Act, which legally gave Hitler dictatorial control of Germany, was passed by a Reichstag session held after the Communist deputies had been arrested and jailed.

Related Topics:
Reichstag was set on fire - Enabling Act

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The KPD was brutally suppressed by the Nazis – known Communists were sent to concentration camps and systematically killed during the Holocaust. Many German Communists ended up dead (Ernst Thälmann, Werner Seelenbinder), in exile (Walter Ulbricht), or were imprisoned (Erich Honecker).

Related Topics:
Nazi - Concentration camp - Holocaust - Ernst Thälmann - Werner Seelenbinder - Walter Ulbricht - Erich Honecker

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