February+1933+Reichstag+Fire

February 1933 Reichstag Fire: A fire (an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933) used as evidence by the Nazis that the communists were plotting against the German government that resulted in the arrest of Van der Lubbe and the other communist leaders after Hitler became the chancellor of Germany.

Role in aiding Hitler's consolidation of power: Hitler used the fire to pass an emergency decree to counter the communist party through President Paul von Hindenburg to secure his position and kill the communist opposition.