Political Developments in 1932

• In which month and year did Hindenburg stand for re-election against Hitler for the presidency?

  March 1932
• How many votes did Hindenburg receive in the March 1932 election?

  18 million votes
• What was the outcome of the March 1932 election regarding the majority?

  No one received over 50% of the votes
• How many votes did Hitler receive in the March 1932 election?

  11 million votes
• What was the result of the April 1932 election for Hindenburg?

  He received 19 million votes, just over 50%
• How many votes did Hitler receive in the April 1932 election?

  13 million votes
• Why did Chancellor Brüning resign on 30 May 1932?


  He lost support in the Reichstag and from the President
• What actions did Brüning take that led to his loss of support?

  He banned the SA and SS and planned to buy land for the unemployed
• Who influenced Hindenburg after Brüning's resignation?

  A high-ranking army general, von Schleicher
• What suggestion did von Schleicher make to Hindenburg regarding the Chancellorship?

  He suggested Franz von Papen as a good Chancellor
• Why was von Papen's appointment as Chancellor considered undemocratic?

  He did not have the support of those in the Reichstag
• When did von Papen become Chancellor?

  30 May 1932
• What condition did Hitler set for the Nazis to join von Papen in a coalition?

  The ban on the SA must be removed
• What was the outcome of the July 1932 election?

  The Nazis won 230 seats in the Reichstag
• What percentage of the vote did the Nazis achieve in the July 1932 election?

  30%
• How did Hindenburg feel about appointing Hitler as Chancellor?

  He hated Hitler and did not want to appoint him
• What did Hindenburg do instead of appointing Hitler after the July 1932 election?

  He called another election
• What was the result of the November 1932 election for the Nazis?

  Their votes fell to 196 seats
• Despite losing seats in November 1932, what position did the Nazis still hold in the Reichstag?

  They remained the largest party
• What action did Hindenburg take after the November 1932 election?

  He sacked von Papen and made von Schleicher Chancellor
• Why was von Schleicher's position as Chancellor unstable?

  He had no support in the Reichstag or from the public
• What suggestion did von Papen make to Hindenburg regarding Hitler?

  To make Hitler Chancellor and appoint von Papen as Vice Chancellor
• When was Hitler appointed Chancellor of Germany?

  30 January 1933
• March 1932: Hindenburg stood for re-election as President. Hitler stood against him. Hindenburg got 18 million votes and Hitler a respectable 11 million. No-one got over 50% so the election was held again.
• April 1932: Hindenburg stood for re-election again. This time he got 19 million (just over 50%) and Hitler got 13 million.
• 30 May 1932: Chancellor Brüning resigned because he lost support in the Reichstag and of the President by banning the SA and SS and planning to buy up land from large owners and use it to house the unemployed.
• Hindenburg was now under the influence of a high-ranking army general, von Schleicher. He suggested Hindenburg’s friend, the wealthy businessman Franz von Papen, would make a good Chancellor. However, he did not have the support of those in the Reichstag, so that was quite undemocratic.
• 30 May 1932: von Papen became Chancellor. Hitler agreed to the Nazis join von Papen in a coalition if the ban on the SA was removed.
• July 1932: another election led to a very violent election campaign in which 100 people were killed. The Nazis won 230 seats in the Reichstag, increasing their share of the vote to 30% and becoming the largest party in the Reichstag.
• Later July 1932: Hitler now had a good reason to demand that Hindenburg made him Chancellor, but Hindenburg hated Hitler and did not want to do so.
• November 1932: another election led to the Nazi votes falling to 196 seats, but they remained the largest party in the Reichstag.
• Later November 1932: Hindenburg still refused to appoint Hitler, so instead sacked von Papen and made von Schleicher Chancellor instead. However, von Schleicher had no support in the Reichstag or from the public; the government was falling apart. Von Papen made a suggestion to Hindenburg: make Hitler Chancellor, but appoint Von Papen as Vice Chancellor. Hindenburg and von Papen thought they would be able to control Hitler this way.
• 30th January 1933: Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany.