It is widely assumed that the Nazis set the fire themselves, and the assumption is entirely reasonable. As far as I can tell, however, the actual evidence is ambiguous, and there's no actual consensus in historical academia.
In the face of how the Nazis used the incident to consolidate their power, and the subsequent actions they took using that power, ultimately, the question of whether or not they set the damned thing is trivial.
no subject
In the face of how the Nazis used the incident to consolidate their power, and the subsequent actions they took using that power, ultimately, the question of whether or not they set the damned thing is trivial.