FRANKFURTER ZEITUNG, Friday, 24 March 1933,
No. 223-225, Page 1
The law of Empowering Passed.
Berlin, 23 March.
Today, about 1945 hours, the Reichstag at the end of its second session accepted with 441 votes against 94 social democratic votes the empowering law submitted by the government parties. President Goering stated amidst stormy applause from the right that the law was thus passed by the 2/3 majority required for the constitutional change.
The Speech of the Chancellor.
RK. Berlin, 23 March.
But before all this happened, Mr. Weis spoke for the social democratic party which does not agree with the empowering law.
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His veiled voice sounded very serious. Repressed pathos, moral justification, moral appeal. A speech in the most difficult situation imaginable—, decent, brave, at times even slightly aggressive. One felt the whole misfortune which has today come over this well-meaning but luckless party. The social democrats applauded, the remainder of the house was silent. The Reich chancellor made notes. The social democratic leader demanded justice and humaneness—, his motto was "defenseless is not to be without honor".
During the last word of Wei's speech the chancellor jumped up and hurried to the rostum. A thunderstorm burst over the social democratic party, the like of which we have never witnessed in all these years in the Reichstag. How Hitler can debate! Without trouble he found the arguments to talk down the opponent amidst the stormy applause of the brown shirts. We beat you with your own weapons,—and furthermore, what has been done to you so far? That was the tone of his reply. Sparks flew from each of his sentences. He who witnessed that knows, if he did not know already, Why Hitler is the victor of 1933. The final word of Hitler, however, was not implacable. Of course, Mr. Goering later took care that this should not be misunderstood by optimists.
It was not particularly noble of the national socialist press to create the impression that the parties should be forced by intimidation to pass the law. And why the massing in front of the Kroll-opera, why the declaiming chorus?
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The Reichstag Proceedings.
Berlin, 23 March
Before voting on the social democratic proposal to dismiss from arrest nine members of the social democratic faction, deputy Dr. Bell (Zentrum) declared that the center party had asked in the committee that the deputies in protective custody be dismissed, but not those in penal custody. This proposal was, unfortunately, supported only by the Bavarian People's Party [Bayr. Volkspartei], while all other parties, incl. the social democrats, had refused it. Under these conditions the center party now would have to refrain from voting during the vote on the main proposal. The proposal to dismiss the social democrat deputies from arrest was declined with the votes of the government block and there being no voting by the Catholic parties.
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Severing arrested.
Berlin, 23 March.
When the social democrat deputy Severing wanted to enter the Reichstag this afternoon before the beginning of the full session, he was arrested by employees of section I of the criminal police and, it is said, was taken at first to the Prussian ministry of the interior for questioning. As the "T.U." has heard, he is accused of having misused police money contributions for political propaganda purposes of the former Prussian government.
Also arrested was the social democrat Reichstag, deputy Dr. Leber from Luebeck, also just as he was about to enter the Reichstag.
Newspaper article on the enactment of the "law of empowering," including the Reichstag debate and the arrests of Social Democratic leaders
Authors
Date: 24 March 1933
Literal Title: Reichsausgabe der Frankfurter Zeitung . . . The law of Empowering Passed.
Defendant: Hermann Wilhelm Goering
Total Pages: 2
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: PS-2579
Citation: IMT (page 255)
HLSL Item No.: 450185
Notes:The "empowering" law gave legislative power to the Reich cabinet.