Little-Acorn
01-30-2008, 10:55 AM
75 years ago today, on Jan. 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg.
Hindenburg, 85 and in poor health, had run for re-election as President the previous year, expressly because he was the only person the Germans could stop Hitler from winning that office. Hindenburg succeeded, but Hitler's strong minority showing, coupled with Hitler's tendency to pull his Nazi members of government out before key votes, thus destroying electoral quorums and invalidating the entire government, eventually forced Hindenburg to appoint Hitler to the Chancellory (2nd highest post in Germany, next to the Presidency). Hitler immediately started putting in place draconian laws restricting the freedom and property rights of Jews throughout Germany.
The year after the appointment, the ailing Hindenburg died in office. German law required that the country elect a new President in such an event. But Hitler announced that he was simply assuming the Presidency along with his elected title of Chancellor, and no one stopped him. He started using a new term for his dictatorial office: Der Fuhrer (Leader).
And the rest is history.
Hindenburg, 85 and in poor health, had run for re-election as President the previous year, expressly because he was the only person the Germans could stop Hitler from winning that office. Hindenburg succeeded, but Hitler's strong minority showing, coupled with Hitler's tendency to pull his Nazi members of government out before key votes, thus destroying electoral quorums and invalidating the entire government, eventually forced Hindenburg to appoint Hitler to the Chancellory (2nd highest post in Germany, next to the Presidency). Hitler immediately started putting in place draconian laws restricting the freedom and property rights of Jews throughout Germany.
The year after the appointment, the ailing Hindenburg died in office. German law required that the country elect a new President in such an event. But Hitler announced that he was simply assuming the Presidency along with his elected title of Chancellor, and no one stopped him. He started using a new term for his dictatorial office: Der Fuhrer (Leader).
And the rest is history.