Reply #69: Nazi's had 33% of the vote

[pschoeb]

And the combined left, KDP and SPD had less than 37%. The rest was held by other right wing parties like NDVP, who were actual foes of democracy.

Hitler wasn't elected, he recieved the overly powerfull position of Chancellor as part of a coalition government, and then was given emergency powers by President Hindenburg, because of the crappy way the sham Weimar constitution was written. The KDP and SDP could have never formed a majority govt., and none of the other parties would join in a coalition, if the KDP was involved. So you had a three way split

33% Nazi

30% Right Wing Military Dictatorship parties

37% SPD and KPD

The SPD was about 15% of the above, even if they had formed a coalition with the 30% right wing non-nazi, they were short a majority and these groups would never form a coalition that involved the KPD, and really weren't that keen on the SPD anyway.