Why it took just 18 months for Hitler to become supreme dictator of Germany

Following its defeat in World War I, Germany was engulfed in political and economic turmoil.

The Weimar Republic, which was established in 1919, struggled with hyperinflation, unemployment, and political extremism.

As a result, the public grew increasingly disillusioned with the government.

In the midst of this uncertainty, the National Socialist German Workers' Party, or Nazi Party, began to gain traction.

As the party's leader, Adolf Hitler promised to restore Germany's former glory and provide practical solutions to the pressing economic issues of the time.

By exploiting the widespread discontent, Hitler and the Nazi Party managed to secure significant electoral gains.

In the 1930 elections, the party won 107 seats in the Reichstag, the German parliament, making it the second-largest political group.

Then, by July 1932, the Nazis became the largest party in the Reichstag, though they still lacked an absolute majority.

Despite the Nazi Party's failure to secure an absolute majority in the November 1932 elections, political maneuvering and backroom deals led to Hitler's further ascent to power.

As the Weimar Republic faltered under economic strain and political instability, conservative elites believed they could exploit Hitler's popularity while containing his influence.

Franz von Papen, a former Chancellor, and other right-wing politicians convinced President Paul von Hindenburg that a government with Hitler at the helm, balanced by traditional conservatives, could restore stability.

Consequently, Hindenburg reluctantly agreed to appoint Hitler as Chancellor, with von Papen as Vice-Chancellor.

This decision was based on the assumption that Hitler could be controlled and used as a figurehead.

The new government, formed on January 30, 1933, was a coalition with the Nationalist Party, giving it a slight majority in the Reichstag. 

On the night of February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building, home to the German parliament, was suddenly engulfed in flames.

Hitler and the Nazis quickly moved to capitalized on this disaster by using against their political opponents.

A young Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was arrested at the scene, quickly found guilty of started the blaze, and later executed.

However, the true origins of the fire remain a subject of debate among historians.

The Nazi leadership wasted no time in using the Reichstag fire to their advantage.

The next day, President Hindenburg signed the Reichstag Fire Decree, officially known as the Decree for the Protection of the People and the State.

Initially intended as a temporary emergency measure, it quickly became a cornerstone of the Nazi regime's authoritarian rule.

At the heart of this declaration was the suspension of key civil liberties, including freedom of speech, assembly, and privacy.

It also allowed for the arrest and detention of political opponents without trial.

In the weeks following the decree, thousands of communists, socialists, and other political adversaries were arrested and imprisoned.

As a result, the decree effectively crippled the Communist Party and other opposition groups.

The next step in Hitler's seizure of dictatorial powers occurred on March 23, 1933.

It was at this time that the German Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, which was officially titled the "Law to Remedy the Distress of the People and the Reich."

This act granted Adolf Hitler the authority to enact laws without the requiring involvement of the Reichstag.

In practical terms, the Enabling Act would effectively transform Hitler's government into a legal dictatorship.

However, to secure the necessary two-thirds majority for the act's passage, the Nazi Party had to employ a combination of intimidation and negotiation.

The Reichstag Fire Decree had already weakened the opposition by leading to the arrest of numerous Communist deputies.

As a result, their seats were left empty during the vote. Additionally, the Social Democratic Party, which stood in opposition to the act, faced threats and harassment from SA and SS troops stationed inside and outside the Reichstag building.

Ultimately, the Nazis were able to get the act passed and, over the next four years, Hitler used this newfound power to dismantle the remaining democratic structures and establish a totalitarian regime. 

Next, Hitler had to deal with threats from within his own ranks. He feared that without the absolute loyalty of his followers, he could not exercise his new powers to the full.

So, from June 30 to July 2, 1934, Hitler undertook a brutal purge to eliminate perceived threats within the Nazi Party. 

The primary target was the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazi Party's paramilitary organization, led by Ernst Röhm.

Röhm and the SA leadership had become increasingly unpopular with the German military and conservative elites due to their radicalism and calls for a "second revolution."

Hitler, along with Heinrich Himmler and Hermann Göring, feared that Röhm's ambitions could pose a threat to their control.

On the night of June 30, SS and Gestapo units arrested and executed numerous SA leaders, including Röhm, without trial.

This purge became known as the 'Night of the Long Knives'. The purge also targeted other political opponents, particularly political conservatives who were perceived as dissidents from Hitler's agenda.

The Night of the Long Knives demonstrated Hitler's willingness to use violence to maintain power.

In the end, it appeased the military, which Hitler needed to keep onside in his preparations for another world war.

One of the last remaining positions of power that Hitler didn't possess was the role of president.

That was still held by Paul von Hindenburg. However, on August 2, 1934, he passed away.

Hindenburg had been a respected figure, serving as a stabilizing force.

With his passing, a crucial barrier to Hitler's total control was removed.

Immediately following Hindenburg's death, Hitler quickly moved to consolidate his position.

The cabinet had already passed a law on August 1, 1934, merging the roles of Chancellor and President, which would take effect upon Hindenburg's death.

As a result, Hitler assumed the title of "Führer and Reich Chancellor," granting him the powers of both head of state and head of government.

It is worth noting that the army played a critical role in this transition. On the day of Hindenburg's death, the military swore an oath of loyalty directly to Hitler.

This "Führer's Oath", taken on August 2, 1934, pledged unconditional obedience to Hitler, making him the supreme commander of the armed forces.

It ensured that the military, a powerful institution in Germany, would not challenge his rule.

At this point, not only was the Nazi Party became the sole legal political party in Germany, and all other parties were banned, but Hitler had absolute power.

He used it to dominate every facet of German life by intensifying Nazi control over the media, education, and culture, shaping a totalitarian state centered around the cult of personality surrounding himself.

By the end of 1934, Hitler had established a firm grip on Germany, with no checks on his authority and the nation firmly under the control of the Nazi Party.

Hitler was now the Führer.