23/52 - A slippery slope: 12 months in the life of the Nazi Party

The only thing I've learned that has stood the test of my too-many years is that the unintended consequences of our acts and decisions can be profound. In mid-1932, Germany stood on the brink of fundamental choices about its future.

Here’s a quick timeline for a critical 12 months laden with all sorts of unintended consequences, particularly for those who thought Hitler could be “managed.” And a lesson in how unbelievably quickly things can spin out of control.

July 31, 1932: In the Reichstag elections, the Nazi Party receives 37.3% of the vote, becoming the largest party in parliament with 230 seats out of 608. The Social Democratic Party receives 21.6%, the Communist Party 14.3%, the Centre Party 12.4%, the German National People's Party 5.6%, and other parties split the remaining 11%.
August 13, 1932: Hitler meets with President Paul von Hindenburg but refuses a position as Vice-Chancellor, demanding to be appointed Chancellor.
September 12, 1932: The Reichstag convenes and immediately dissolves after a no-confidence vote in the von Papen government.
November 6, 1932: In new Reichstag elections, the Nazi Party's vote drops to 33.1%, losing 34 seats. The Social Democratic Party receives 20.4%, the Communist Party 16.9%, the Centre Party 12.4%, the German National People's Party 5.9%, and other parties split the remaining 11%.
November 21, 1932: Hitler again refuses any position less than Chancellor in a petition to Hindenburg.
December 2, 1932: General Kurt von Schleicher is appointed Chancellor after the resignation of Franz von Papen.
January 4, 1933: In a secret meeting, Hitler and von Papen agree to form a coalition government.

Let's briefly pause the timeline to provide some background on this meeting and this critical inflection point.

The meeting took place at the Cologne home of banker Kurt von Schröder, a prominent figure in German industry and finance who had connections to both the Nazi Party and conservative elites. The choice of location was deliberate, providing a discreet setting away from Berlin's political spotlight.

At this point, Germany was in a state of political turmoil. Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher's government, appointed in December 1932, struggled to gain support in the Reichstag. Meanwhile, former Chancellor Franz von Papen, who had been ousted by von Schleicher, was eager to return to power and saw an alliance with Hitler as his path back to influence. The meeting was arranged by Wilhelm Keppler, Hitler's economic adviser, and Joachim von Ribbentrop, who later became Foreign Minister under the Nazi regime. They aimed to broker a deal between Hitler and von Papen to pave the way for a new government.

During the four-hour meeting, Hitler and von Papen reached a tentative agreement on forming a coalition government. The critical points of their discussion included:

Hitler would be appointed Chancellor, fulfilling his long-standing demand.
Von Papen would serve as Vice-Chancellor, believing he could act as a counterweight to Hitler's power.
The cabinet would include only two other Nazis: Wilhelm Frick as Minister of the Interior and Hermann Göring as Minister without Portfolio.
The remaining cabinet positions would be filled by conservatives, which von Papen believed would help restrain the Nazis.

Both men left the meeting confident. Hitler saw it as a crucial step toward seizing power, while von Papen, severely underestimating Hitler, famously remarked, "In two months, we will have pushed Hitler so far into the corner that he'll squeak." The consequences of this secret meeting were profound. Von Papen used his influence with President Hindenburg to advocate for Hitler's appointment as Chancellor. Hindenburg, who had previously been reluctant to give Hitler the chancellorship, was eventually persuaded, leading to Hitler's appointment on January 30, 1933.

And then events accelerated out of control.

January 30, 1933: President Hindenburg appoints Hitler as Chancellor, with von Papen as Vice-Chancellor, believing they can control Hitler.
February 1, 1933: Hitler's first radio address as Chancellor, calling for national unity and the restoration of national pride.
February 27, 1933: The Reichstag building is set on fire, which the Nazis use as a pretext to suspend civil liberties. The origins of the Reichstag fire are still unclear, but Marinus van der Lubbe, a 24-year-old Dutch communist and unemployed laborer, was arrested at the scene and accused of setting it. Van der Lubbe reportedly confessed to setting the fire to encourage a worker's uprising against the German state. However, some historians have found inconsistencies in this theory. The Nazi government, led by Adolf Hitler, used the fire as a pretext to blame communists for plotting against the German government. Hitler convinced President Paul von Hindenburg to declare a state of emergency and issue the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and allowed the police to ban political meetings and marches. The Nazis used the fire to deal with their political opponents, the communists and social democrats, and to increase their share of the vote in upcoming elections.
February 28, 1933: President Hindenburg issues the Reichstag Fire Decree, suspending most civil liberties in Germany.
March 5, 1933: In the last multi-party elections, the Nazi Party wins 43.9% of the vote but fails to secure an absolute majority.
March 21, 1933: "Day of Potsdam" - A carefully orchestrated ceremony linking Hitler's government to Prussia's old grandeur.
March 23, 1933: The Reichstag passes the Enabling Act, granting Hitler's cabinet the authority to enact laws without the consent of parliament. "The combined effect of the Enabling Act and the Reichstag Fire Decree transformed Hitler's government into a legal dictatorship and laid the groundwork for his totalitarian regime." (Enabling Act of 1933 - Wikipedia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enabling_Act_of_1933)
April 1, 1933: The Nazis organize a one-day boycott of Jewish-owned businesses throughout Germany.
April 7, 1933: The Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service passes, excluding Jews and political opponents from civil service.
May 2, 1933: Trade unions are dissolved, and their assets are confiscated. The German Labour Front is established as the only legal trade organization.
May 10, 1933: In several German cities, Nazis stage public book burnings of works deemed "un-German."
June 22, 1933: The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is banned, the first of many parties to be outlawed.
July 14, 1933: The Nazi Party is declared the only legal political party in Germany. All other parties are banned, marking the end of German democracy.