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Major Events of February 1933: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from February 1933 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of February 1933: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Feb 1933 Hitler's Proclamation to the German People: Adolf Hitler delivers his 'Proclamation to the German People' in Berlin, a significant speech marking his early consolidation of power as Chancellor of Germany and signaling the beginning of the Nazi regime.
  • 02 Feb 1933 Hitler Dissolves German Parliament: Just two days after becoming Chancellor, Adolf Hitler takes a significant step towards consolidating power by dissolving the German Parliament (Reichstag), marking a critical moment in the Nazi Party's rise to absolute control.
  • 03 Feb 1933 Hitler's Expansionist Plans Revealed to German Generals: In a pivotal secret meeting, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler disclosed his strategic vision to top military commanders, emphasizing his determination to conquer territories to the east, laying groundwork for future Nazi expansionist policies.
  • 04 Feb 1933 Hitler's Press Suppression Ordinance: On February 4, 1933, with the approval of German President Paul von Hindenburg, Adolf Hitler decreed the 'Ordinance for the Protection of the German People'. This significant legal measure effectively curtailed press freedoms by empowering police to ban publications deemed a threat to public order. Under this ordinance, violators could be arrested and detained without a warrant for up to three months, marking a critical step in the Nazi regime's systematic suppression of free speech and media.
  • 05 Feb 1933 Dutch Navy Suppresses Naval Mutiny with Deadly Force: The Dutch Navy responded to a ship mutiny with extreme measures. After sending an ultimatum giving mutineers ten minutes to surrender, the navy ordered an airstrike when leaders refused. The bombing resulted in 22 fatalities on the ship's deck, demonstrating the harsh colonial military response to internal dissent.
  • 06 Feb 1933 20th Amendment Implementation: The 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution goes into effect, officially changing the presidential inauguration date from March to January, streamlining the transition of executive power.
  • 07 Feb 1933 Nazi Propaganda Against Marxism in Berlin: During a Social-Democratic meeting in Berlin, Germany, a public declaration was made proclaiming the supposed 'death' of Marxism, reflecting the rising political tensions and Nazi propaganda of the early 1930s.
  • 08 Feb 1933 Roosevelt Confirmed as President-elect: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was formally declared the President-elect of the United States during a joint session of Congress. Vice-President Charles Curtis announced the electoral college results, confirming Roosevelt's victory and John Nance Garner as Vice-President elect.
  • 09 Feb 1933 Oxford Union's Controversial 'King and Country' Debate: On February 9, 1933, the Oxford Union student debating society in England passed a historic resolution stating, 'That this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and country.' This controversial debate reflected the growing anti-war sentiment among young intellectuals in the interwar period, symbolizing the disillusionment with militarism following World War I.
  • 10 Feb 1933 Hitler Proclaims End of Marxism: Adolf Hitler, newly appointed as Chancellor of Germany, publicly declares his intention to end Marxist influence in German political and social life, signaling a dramatic shift in the country's political landscape.
  • 11 Feb 1933 Uneventful Day in 1933: While no specific major historical events were recorded for February 11, 1933, this period was part of the challenging early years of the Great Depression in the United States. During this time, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was preparing to implement his New Deal policies to address the economic crisis that had gripped the nation since the stock market crash of 1929.
  • 12 Feb 1933 Nazi Vice-Chancellor Seeks Catholic Support: German Vice-Chancellor Franz von Papen actively sought support from the Catholic Church for the Nazi Party, attempting to build political alliances during the critical early period of Nazi consolidation of power.
  • 13 Feb 1933 Warsaw Convention on International Air Carriage: The Warsaw Convention, a landmark international treaty formally titled 'Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to the International Carriage by Air', officially went into effect. This agreement standardized regulations for international air transportation, significantly impacting global aviation law and passenger rights.
  • 14 Feb 1933 Uneventful Day in 1933: While no major global events were recorded on February 14, 1933, this day was part of a tumultuous period in world history. Adolf Hitler had recently been appointed Chancellor of Germany in January, and the world was in the midst of the Great Depression. Local and regional events may have occurred that were not widely documented.
  • 15 Feb 1933 Assassination Attempt on FDR in Miami: In Miami, Florida, Giuseppe Zangara attempted to assassinate President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt. Instead, he shot and fatally wounded Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak, who died of his wounds on March 6, 1933. The assassination attempt occurred shortly after Roosevelt delivered a speech at Bayfront Park, with Zangara firing multiple shots and injuring four other people.
  • 16 Feb 1933 U.S. Senate Approves Repeal of 18th Amendment: The U.S. Senate voted 63-23 to approve an altered version of the proposed repeal of the 18th Amendment, signaling the end of nationwide alcohol prohibition and a significant shift in American social policy.
  • 17 Feb 1933 Blaine Act Ends Prohibition: The United States Senate accepted the Blaine Act on February 17, 1933, a pivotal legislative move that effectively began the process of ending nationwide alcohol prohibition. This act paved the way for the 21st Amendment, which would formally repeal the 18th Amendment and restore legal alcohol consumption.
  • 18 Feb 1933 Birth of Yoko Ono: Yoko Ono was born in Tokyo, Japan, on February 18, 1933. She would later become a renowned avant-garde artist, musician, peace activist, and the second wife of John Lennon, a member of the legendary Beatles rock band. Throughout her career, Ono made significant contributions to conceptual art, performance art, and the peace movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
  • 19 Feb 1933 Nazi Suppression of Catholic Press: Hermann Göring, as Prussian Minister, issued a decree banning all Catholic newspapers, marking an early step in the Nazi regime's systematic suppression of independent media and religious freedom.
  • 20 Feb 1933 Hitler's Secret Fundraising Meeting: Adolf Hitler secretly meets with German industrialists to arrange financing for the Nazi Party's upcoming election campaign, a pivotal moment in the party's rise to power.
  • 21 Feb 1933 Birth of Nina Simone: Nina Simone, born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, was a groundbreaking African American musician who profoundly influenced jazz, blues, folk, and R&B music. Her powerful voice and passionate commitment to civil rights made her not just a musical icon, but also a significant cultural figure of the 20th century. Known for transformative songs like 'Mississippi Goddam' and 'Young, Gifted and Black', Simone used her art as a platform for social justice and racial equality during the tumultuous Civil Rights Movement.
  • 22 Feb 1933 First Nazi Concentration Camps Established: Adolf Hitler authorizes the creation of the first Nazi concentration camps (Konzentrationslager), initiating a systematic process of political repression by imprisoning regime opponents. This marks a critical moment in the early stages of Nazi totalitarian control.
  • 23 Feb 1933 Japanese Invasion of Rehe Province: The Imperial Japanese Army launched a strategic invasion of Rehe province in northern China, marking another significant expansion of Japanese military aggression in the lead-up to the Second Sino-Japanese War. This invasion was part of Japan's broader imperial ambitions in East Asia during the 1930s.
  • 24 Feb 1933 German Communist Party's Final Public Demonstration: In a pivotal moment of political tension, the German Communist Party held its final public demonstration in Berlin. This event symbolized the increasing political suppression and the rising power of the Nazi regime, which was systematically eliminating opposition parties.
  • 25 Feb 1933 USS Ranger Aircraft Carrier Launch: The USS Ranger was launched at Newport News, Virginia, marking a significant milestone in US naval aviation history as the first purpose-built aircraft carrier commissioned by the US Navy.
  • 26 Feb 1933 Marinus van der Lubbe Detained: Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe was kept overnight in a police cell, a significant event connected to the political tensions in Germany during the rise of the Nazi regime. Van der Lubbe was later implicated in the Reichstag fire, a pivotal moment in Nazi Germany's consolidation of power.
  • 27 Feb 1933 Reichstag Fire: A Pivotal Moment in Nazi Germany: On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag (German parliament) building in Berlin was set ablaze in a dramatic and historically significant event. Marinus van der Lubbe, a young Dutch Communist, was arrested at the scene and claimed responsibility for the fire. However, historians widely believe the Nazi Party orchestrated the fire as a false flag operation to consolidate power and suppress political opposition.
  • 28 Feb 1933 Reichstag Fire Decree Implemented: The Nazi regime passes the Reichstag Fire Decree, a pivotal legal instrument that suspends constitutional civil liberties and enables widespread political repression.