Understanding Hitler's Rise to Power Through Election Results

The emergence of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) as the dominant force in Germany was not a unanimous decision, but rather one that came under the circumstances of a fragmented political landscape and the high expectations of a party that often felt it had more support.

The Nazi Party's Primacy in the Reichstag

Germany, much like Britain, operates under a parliamentary system. In the multi-party Reichstag of the Weimar Republic, the NSDAP held the largest share of seats, securing 43% of the seats in the 1932 election. The regular practice was for the President, in this case, Paul von Hindenburg, to ask the leader of the largest party to form a government. Yet, with Hindenburg's resistance, Hitler was finally appointed Chancellor in January 1933, a position he used to consolidate his power.

The 1933 Election and Voter Turnout

The 1933 election for the Reichstag saw the NSDAP receive 17,277,180 votes, with a total of 65,362,115 people in Germany at the time, out of which 799,700 were non-Germans. This means that approximately 26.7% of the German population voted for the Nazis, excluding non-Germans. However, official turnout statistics indicate a rate of 88.74%, and a total of 39,655,029 votes cast. This suggests that 38.7% of the legally eligible voters supported the NSDAP.

Hitler's Appointment as Chancellor

It is important to note that Hitler was not elected into power but appointed by President Hindenburg. The March 1933 parliamentary election did not result in a free election, as many communists and social democrats were in prison, and the streets were controlled by the SA (Sturmabteilung), a Nazi paramilitary organization.

The 1932 Presidential Race and Hitler's Struggles

In the 1932 presidential election, Hitler narrowly missed capturing the presidency, obtaining only 37% of the total votes. Instead, Paul von Hindenburg was elected. The Reichstag elections of that year showed that the NSDAP had 33.1% of the vote, a significant portion, but not enough to form a majority government. This led to the infamous Enabling Act, which granted Hitler the power to pass laws without the Reichstag's consent, effectively making him dictator.

Consolidation of Power and Suppression of Dissent

With the Enabling Act, Hitler's government began to systematically suppress opposition, banning other political parties and trade unions. This consolidation of power occurred without gaining a majority of the German population to explicitly vote for him or his party. The lack of an outright majority in subsequent votes, such as the March 1933 election, illustrates the complex political environment and the critical role of legislation and intimidation in establishing power.

The events leading up to and during Hitler's rise to power were marked by a blend of political maneuvering, legal manipulation, and suppression of the opposition, creating a system where the Nazis' influence grew despite not achieving a majority in democratic terms.