Fact Check: hitler was democratically elected

Fact Check: "Hitler was democratically elected"

What We Know

The claim that Adolf Hitler was democratically elected is partially true, but it requires context to fully understand the circumstances under which he came to power.

In the March 1933 German federal election, the Nazi Party (NSDAP) received 43.9% of the vote, which was insufficient for an outright majority. However, by forming a coalition with the German National People's Party (DNVP), they secured a majority in the Reichstag. This election was marked by significant violence and intimidation against political opponents, including the Communist Party (KPD) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), orchestrated by Nazi stormtroopers (source-1).

Prior to this election, Hitler had been appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg on January 30, 1933. This appointment was not the result of a direct electoral victory but rather a political maneuver within the existing Weimar Republic framework (source-5).

The November 1933 German parliamentary election was the first after the Nazi Party had consolidated power through the Enabling Act, which allowed Hitler to enact laws without parliamentary consent. By this time, all opposition parties had been banned, and the election presented voters with a single list of Nazi candidates and pro-Nazi "guests" (source-2).

Analysis

The claim that Hitler was democratically elected is partially supported by the fact that the Nazi Party participated in elections and gained significant electoral support. However, the context of these elections is crucial. The March 1933 election was conducted under conditions of extreme political violence and suppression of opposition parties, which undermines the democratic nature of the process (source-4).

Furthermore, Hitler's appointment as Chancellor was not a direct result of an electoral mandate but rather a political decision by President Hindenburg, influenced by backroom deals and the political instability of the Weimar Republic (source-6). The subsequent consolidation of power through the Enabling Act and the banning of opposition parties further eroded any democratic legitimacy (source-7).

The reliability of sources such as Wikipedia and educational sites like BBC Bitesize and Spartacus Educational is generally high for historical facts, though they may not always capture the full complexity of historical events. The consensus among historians is that while Hitler's rise involved electoral processes, it was heavily tainted by coercion and manipulation, which challenges the notion of it being a purely democratic ascent (source-8).

Conclusion

Verdict: Partially True

The claim that Hitler was democratically elected is partially true but misleading without context. While he did participate in elections and the Nazi Party gained significant electoral support, his rise to power was facilitated by political appointments, coercion, and the suppression of opposition, which compromised the democratic integrity of the electoral process.