Collapse of the Weimar Republic - Hitler becomes chancellor

1. Hitler becomes
Chancellor

2. The huge growth in Nazi
support increased pressure
to make Hitler the
Chancellor of Germany, the
country’s political leader.
President Hindenburg – who
disliked Hitler – initially
resisted these demands, but
eventually he gave in to the
many urgings of elite and
powerful Germans.

3. On 30 January 1933,
Hindenburg officially
appointed Adolf Hitler as the
Chancellor of Germany.
The low profile ceremony took
place in Hindenburg’s office,
and also resulted in two other
Nazis being appointed as
ministers in the German
Cabinet (Wilhelm Frick and
Hermann Goering)

4. Franz von Papen was
appointed to be Germany’s
vice-Chancellor.
Papen believed that he would
use his position to control
Hitler, and he famously
claimed that “we’ve hired
him”, meaning that he
expected Hitler’s lack of
political experience to limit
his power.

5. Hitler was only head of a
coalition government so
could not act without the
support of other politicians.
However the Nazis still saw his
appointment as Chancellor as a
huge success. The SS and SA
held huge torchlight parades
through the streets of Berlin, to
remind people of their power.

6. General Erich Ludendorff –
once a Hitler supporter – sent
President Hindenburg a
telegram saying:
“I prophesy to you this evil
man will plunge our Reich into
the abyss and will inflict
immeasurable woe on our
nation. Future generations
will curse you in your grave
for this action”

7. Although Hitler was now in
power he was not happy being
part of a coalition, worrying it
would stop his plans.
As such he persuaded
President Hindenburg to
dissolve the Reichstag and call
new elections. Hitler believed
that the Nazis would win a
majority in this vote.