On New Year's Day 1933, the consensus among German politicians and newspaper editors

was that Adolf Hitler and the strange phenomenon of national socialism had peaked,

and the movement was now losing steam.

Thirty days later, President Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler, the next German chancellor.

Welcome to the history of the 20th century.

Music Episode 269 Episode 269, Chancellor Hitler

We ended last week's episode in Germany on New Year's Day, 1933.

You'll recall from last week that 1932 had been a busy year in German politics,

what with four national elections that year, a first round presidential election, then the runoff,

and then two elections for the Reichstag. There was also a general election in Prussia,

which is like more than half of Germany, and other state elections.

It was an especially busy and exhausting year for Adolf Hitler and his party, the NSDAP, which went

all in on every one of these elections, and while they racked up vote totals that were impressive

and exceeded the

expectations of many, they kept falling short of a majority, while Hitler's steadfast refusal to

compromise with other political parties left them out of government, even when they were the largest

party. The election results of 1932 also broke down the awkward and uneasy political truce that began

in 1930 with a minority government ruling by a string of emergency presidential decrees.

Hindenburg won another term as president, defeating Hitler easily enough, but victory did not taste sweet to the old general.

It turned to ashes in his mouth with the realization that he owed his office to the politicians he most despised.

The Weimar coalition parties that, in his view, had undermined the war effort and cost Germany and

Hindenburg victory in 1918. The people he respected and whose support he wished for were on the

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