Hitler becomes chancellor (1933)

How Did Hitler become Chancellor?

Between 1929 and 1932, support for the Communist and Nazi parties increased. The less extreme parties were blamed for causing Germany's problems. As these parties had been unable to work together to solve country's problems, people became more afraid that the Communists may take over. The moderate parties turned to the Nazis to keep the Communists out.

In the election of late 1932 the Nazis won 37 per cent of the vote, and became the largest single party in theReichstag. Hitler demanded the right to become Chancellor, but President Hindenburg appointed Franz von Papen instead.

As he did not command Reichstag support, von Papen was soon replaced by General Kurt von Schleicher. However, Schleicher’s government was also unable to control the Reichstag.

Anxious to regain power, von Papen struck a deal to make Hitler Chancellor, with himself as Vice-Chancellor. The moderate parties would hold all but three of the government posts, which would go to the Nazis; one of these would be Hitler as Chancellor.

In the hope of creating a stable government, the elderly President Hindenburg agreed to the plan. So on 30 January 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany.

On this day in 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg names Adolf Hitler, leader orfÜhrer of the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party), as chancellor of Germany.

The year 1932 had seen Hitler’s meteoric rise to prominence in Germany, spurred…