Caroline RothsteinVerified account

but managed to have 13.5 million votes versus Hindenburg’s 19.5 million, proving his increasing popularity. By July 1932, the Nazi’s had 230 of 603 seats in the Reichstag. Hitler’s aim was to be Chancellor, but at first Hindenburg refused.

On January 13, 1933, Hindenburg could no longer afford to ignore the strength of the Nazi party. To avoid civil war and communist uprising, Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor. This appeared to be a solution in calming the Nazi party and appeasing Hitler’s political wishes.

No one knew that this move would destroy Germany.

Now, Hitler had a position, but in order to consolidate his power, the Nazi party needed the majority vote in the Reichstag. On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building was damaged by fire and a communist Dutchman was blamed for the crime.

The Nazis used this to coerce Hindenburg into banning communists. Still, the final multi-party election of the Weimar Republic failed to give the NSDAP the majority vote. On March 24, 1933, Hitler passed the Enabling Law which froze the Weimar constitution for four years,

basically ending the republic. The law was passed as 81 communists had been banned from the Reichstag and the NSDAP allied with the Catholic Centre party giving the bill a 441 to 94 lead by the Nazi party.

On July 14, 1933, a law was passed that prohibited the formation of any new political parties, making the NSDAP the only legal party. Hitler’s crystallized his position when Hindenburg died in August 1934 by combining the offices of President and Chancellor.

Hitler named himself Fuhrer and issued that the army make allegiance to the Fuhrer rather than Germany. Soon after, a plebiscite granted Hitler with 90% approval as he remained in office until his suicide on April 30, 1945.