Germany: party share of popular vote results in federal elections 1924-1933

The Nationalist Socialist German Workers' Party (the Nazi Party) was founded in Germany in 1920 as an extreme-right alternative to communism for working-class voters. Similarly to the Communist Party, early Nazi ideologies were largely opposed to capitalism, business elites, and the centrist political establishment, however their approach was much more nationalistic and militaristic. Throughout the 1920s, as Adolf Hitler consolidated his power and became party leader in 1925, party rhetoric shifted focus to become increasingly anti-communist and anti-Semitic, while the socialist element was gradually erased. With the onset of the Great Depression in 1930, the Party saw its popularity increase and it grew to become the largest political party in July 1932, before Hitler assumed power in January of the following year.

Early election performance

As a new party whose presence was largely concentrated in Bavaria, the Nazi Party performed reasonably well in their first federal election, taking around seven percent of the nationwide vote. This success was largely in response to the perceived failures of the German political class following defeat in the First World War and their adherence to the Treaty of Versailles, as well as the hyperinflation crisis in the postwar years. Despite this, they were still considered a fringe party by most, and received around half of the number of votes of their communist rivals. As the economy began recovering in mid-1924, the Nazi Party saw their popularity wane, and they received just three percent of the vote in the subsequent two elections.

Nazi ascension

After the 1928 election, Germany was ruled by a so-called "Grand Coalition" of four traditional political parties. When the Great Depression began, Germany was one of the hardest-hit economies in the world, and the Nazi Party used this as an opportunity to draw voters away from the Grand Coalition. Voters were drawn for a variety of reasons, such as voting for radical change in the face of economic disaster, support for increased militarism and police enforcement, or because they agreed with anti-Semitic and racist ideologies. A common misconception is that the Nazi Party's success was due to support from the urban working class, however evidence shows that rural or small-town populations and the middle class (particularly small business owners) made up the core of the Nazi voter base. As support for the Communist Party also grew, many business leaders threw their support behind the Nazi Party, and it became the largest party in the Reichstag in July 1932.

Becoming a dictatorship

The leader of the largest party was traditionally named Chancellor of Germany, but President Von Hindenburg withheld from appointing Hitler until January 31, 1933. On February 27, an arson attack on the Reichstag parliament building was (supposedly) carried out by a Dutch communist, which the Nazi Party then used as a basis to attack its political opponents and hold yet another election on March 6. The election saw the Nazi Party increase their presence in parliament (although they did not achieve a majority), while the Reichstag Fire Decree and the Enabling Act were implemented as a result of the attack, and gave sweeping powers to the Nazi Party. Communist gatherings were de facto banned, up to 10,000 political opponents were arrested within two weeks of the fire, and the first concentration camp was opened at Dachau to house these prisoners. These measures would become a large part of the legal foundation of Hitler's dictatorship, and inspire the concentration camp system used during the Holocaust. The election of 1933 would be the last multi-party election held in all of Germany until the 1990s, as all new and existing parties were outlawed in July 1934. The three federal elections held between 1933 and 1938 were sham elections, with the Nazi Party members (and some chosen "guests") being the only candidates on the ballot.