The Death of Hindenburg
📅 Date: 2 August 1934
🧓 Who Was Hindenburg?
⚰️ What Happened When He Died?
⚡ What Did Hitler Do?🏛 Combined Positions:
📈 How Did This Help Hitler?
📅 Date: 2 August 1934
🧓 Who Was Hindenburg?
- Paul von Hindenburg was the President of Germany from 1925 to 1934.
- A respected WWI military hero, seen as a symbol of stability.
- Appointed Hitler as Chancellor in January 1933 but remained an important check on Hitler’s power.
- As long as Hindenburg was alive, Hitler could not claim full control.
⚰️ What Happened When He Died?
- Hindenburg died of old age on 2 August 1934.
- Hitler used his death to take total control of Germany.
⚡ What Did Hitler Do?🏛 Combined Positions:
- Merged the offices of Chancellor and President.
- Gave himself the new title of Führer und Reichskanzler (Leader and Chancellor).
- Hitler was now Head of State, Head of Government, and Commander of the Army.
- The German army (Reichswehr) swore a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler, not to Germany.
- This ensured military support for his regime and discouraged resistance.
📈 How Did This Help Hitler?
- Total power - No longer had to answer to the President — he became absolute leader.
- Control of the army - Oath gave him the loyalty of the military — essential for maintaining power.
- End of democracy - Final step in Hitler’s consolidation of power. The Weimar Republic was effectively over.
- Public approval - A public referendum in August 1934 showed around 90% support for combining the roles (though results were likely rigged and influenced by fear/propaganda).
