How did Hitler get into power without being elected in? Hitler and the Nazis lost several elections by more than sixty five percent to Hindenburg (other candidate) and still found a way to become president. Between the elections Hitler gained more voters through clever propaganda and extensive violence, but it still wasn’t enough to lead him to victory. After Hitler’s losses, he insisted that president Hindenburg appoint him chancellor of Germany. Hindenburg didn’t, he believed that Nazis wouldn’t be well suited because they didn’t get the majority of the vote and because the Nazis where intolerant, undisciplined and violent. Hindenburg then decides to appoint a man named Kurt von Schleicher. To get back at Hindenburg Hitler was offered a deal to over through Schleicher and to become co-chancellors, but Hitler wants that title all for himself and declines the offer. And fifty seven days of miserably failing to attempt to form a coalition government, President Hindenburg forced Schleicher resignation. Hindenburg’s next choice for chancellor is Adolf Hitler. Even though Hitler and the Nazis never secured no more than 37 percent of the vote he becomes chancellor and sets out to consolidate their power. After an attack on the Reichstag (legislative assembly), which it was burned down, was blamed on the communist: it was said that this was the beginning of a communist revolt, Hitler requests the Reichstag to temporarily delegate its power to him so that he could deal with the crisis. To become dictator, Hitler needed to secure the vote to suspend the German constitution. Hitler, getting the two-thirds majority became dictator of Germany, this is known as the “Enabling Act”. Shortly after Hindenburg died, and Hitler’s title became Fuehrer and Reich chancellor. However, the Enabling act allowed Hitler to pass any law that he wanted. With this special ability, he banned all opposing parties so that the Nazis where the only political party In Germany. Using the temporary grant of emergency powers, from the Enabling act, Hitler took control of the entire country.
One theory of how Hitler eventually became dictator is that Hitler and the National Socialist (Nazis) started the fire on the Reichstag, this ended up becoming true. The only logical reason for Hitler and the Nazis to attack the Reichstag was because they knew that during extreme national emergencies, people are more willing to surrender their power for security because they are more scared in time of emergencies. And to make people believe it wasn’t the Nazis, they blame it on the communist for trying to take over Germany. This leads some to believe that this has been Hitler’s Idea from day one. He knew that he would never be elected in, so he had to form some kind of scheme to become dictator. It was the result of the great depression to turn Nazism into a genuine solid movement, but that still wasn’t enough to take control. Almost two thirds of Germany was opposed to Hitler, he was more appealing towards the lower classes. But somehow Adolf Hitler and the Nazis eventually rose to power!
Word count: 511
http://www2.dsu.nodak.edu/users/dmeier/Holocaust/hitler.html
http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0403a.asp
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-hitlerdemo.htm