Key facts and dates

The March 1933 election was a pivotal moment in Nazi Germany's history, marking the last multi-party election before the establishment of a dictatorship. Held under emergency conditions with significant intimidation, it set the stage for Hitler's legal consolidation of power despite not achieving an outright majority.

Timeline of key events

• 27 February 1933 – Reichstag Fire provides a pretext for emergency decrees, curbing civil liberties.
• 5 March 1933 – Last multi-party election held under emergency conditions with Nazi intimidation.
• March 1933 – KPD deputies barred from taking seats, altering parliamentary balance.
• Post-election 1933 – Hitler forms coalition with DNVP to secure a mathematical majority.
• 23 March 1933 – Enabling Act passed, marking a legal step towards dictatorship.

The context and conditions of the March 1933 election

The election of 5 March 1933 took place in an atmosphere of crisis and coercion, following the Reichstag Fire just days earlier on 27 February. This event allowed the Nazi regime to justify emergency measures that severely restricted political freedoms, creating an environment far from a fair democratic process.

Conditions under which the election was held

• Emergency decrees - Following the Reichstag Fire, Hitler persuaded President Hindenburg to issue the Reichstag Fire Decree, suspending civil liberties such as freedom of speech, press, and assembly, giving the Nazis legal cover to suppress opposition.
• SA violence and intimidation - The Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazi paramilitary wing, was unleashed to terrorise political opponents through street violence, breaking up rallies, and attacking individuals.
• Suppression of communists - Members of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) were arrested, intimidated, or driven underground, severely hampering their ability to campaign or mobilise support.
• Nazi propaganda dominance - The Nazis exploited state resources and media control to flood the country with propaganda, portraying themselves as the only solution to Germany's economic and political crises, while demonising other parties.

Results and significance of the election for the Nazi Party

Despite the coercive environment, the election results did not deliver the overwhelming mandate Hitler had hoped for. The outcome revealed both the extent and the limits of Nazi influence at this critical juncture.

Election results

• Nazi Party (NSDAP) - Secured 43.9% of the vote, a significant increase but still short of the outright majority Hitler desired.
• Social Democratic Party (SPD) - Achieved 18.3%, demonstrating resilience despite facing harassment and restrictions on their campaigning.
• Communist Party (KPD) - Gained 12.3%, a notable result given the intense persecution they endured.
• Centre Party - Obtained 11.2%, maintaining a significant voter base among Catholic Germans despite the hostile political climate.
• German National People's Party (DNVP) - Won 8%, representing conservative nationalist support and later becoming a key coalition partner for Hitler.

Significance of the results

Even with intimidation, many Germans did not fully support the Nazis. The failure to win a majority meant the Nazis still needed allies to govern effectively, exposing a gap between their propaganda claims of total support and the reality of lingering opposition.

Political manoeuvring and coalition-building after the election

Unable to govern alone, Hitler engaged in strategic political moves to secure control of the Reichstag. These actions artificially bolstered the Nazi position and paved the way for legislative dominance.

Key manoeuvres to secure power

• Exclusion of KPD deputies - The 81 elected Communist deputies were immediately barred from taking their seats, often due to arrests or forced absence under emergency laws. This reduced opposition numbers in the Reichstag, improving the Nazi parliamentary position without a true electoral mandate.
• Coalition with DNVP - Hitler formed an alliance with the DNVP, whose conservative base complemented Nazi goals of national revival. This partnership provided a mathematical majority in the Reichstag, allowing the government to pass legislation.
• Impact on governance - With a combined majority, the Nazis could push through key measures, most notably the Enabling Act on 23 March 1933, which granted Hitler the power to enact laws without parliamentary approval, marking a legal step towards dictatorship.

Continuing opposition and the impact of intimidation

Even under severe repression, opposition parties retained significant support, highlighting the limits of Nazi control during the election. This resilience, however, was undermined by ongoing terror tactics.

Persistence of opposition despite coercion

• SPD and Centre Party strength - Both parties maintained considerable voter support, with the SPD representing much of the working class and the Centre Party drawing on Catholic communities. Their results showed that intimidation did not fully suppress dissent.
• Unfair election conditions - The violence, arrests, and propaganda meant the election could not be considered free or fair. Without such coercion, it is likely the Nazi vote share would have been even lower, and opposition parties might have performed stronger.
• Continued Nazi terror - Post-election, the Nazis intensified their campaign of violence against opponents, using the SA to target SPD and KPD activists, while portraying the election result as a popular mandate to justify further crackdowns.

The transformation towards dictatorship

The March 1933 election was a turning point in Nazi Germany's trajectory, marking the moment when the legal framework for dictatorship began to take shape. Although full consolidation of power would take additional time, the election set an irreversible course.

Significance for Nazi consolidation of power

• Legal path to dictatorship - Despite lacking a true majority, the election results, combined with political manoeuvring like the exclusion of KPD deputies and the DNVP coalition, provided a veneer of legitimacy for Hitler's subsequent actions, such as the Enabling Act.
• End of multi-party democracy - This election was the last to feature multiple parties in Germany until after World War II, as the Nazis moved swiftly to ban or absorb other political groups, ending democratic competition.
• Long-term implications - While the election itself did not immediately deliver total control, it was a critical step in the Nazis' gradual erosion of democratic institutions, revealing how legal and extralegal methods could be combined to dismantle opposition and centralise power.