German election, November 1933

The Reichstag election of November 12, 1933 took place simultaneously with the referendum on Germany's withdrawal from the League of Nations instead. This was preceded by the elimination of political opponents of the National Socialist system. Approved was only a Nazi- dominated unit list, as candidates on some designated as non-party guests. Election and voting services, as intended by the government, a clear approval.

Prehistory

Domestically, the period was marked by the elimination of political opponents of Nazism since the general election of March 1933. The last session of the Reichstag elected in March 1933 took place on May 17. Thereafter, the parliament was dissolved. The KPD was already smashed, the SPD was banned in June. The other parties had dissolved as the center more or less voluntarily. In July, a law against the formation of new parties was adopted to allow the NSDAP was the only legal political organization.

From a majority of the population, the elimination of the political parties and in particular the destructions of the social democratic SPD and the KPD Marxist was welcomed and credited to the regime as a success.

The Nazi Party had succeeded in this time to win all the propaganda influence for themselves. For the regime suggested a positive effect, especially the gradual end of the world economic crisis. The incipient decline in the unemployment rate was attributed to the government.

In terms of foreign policy, Hitler was against it until then have little success. His regime was largely isolated. This was shown at the Geneva Disarmament Conference. Stand 1932 Germany about to be equally military, which was now no more talk. Instead, hit the UK before a control system to control the German rearmament. Thereupon Hitler cancel the disarmament negotiations and prompted the withdrawal from the League of Nations. This step was popular in many circles. Even the theologian Martin Niemöller Hitler sent to an enthusiastic letter of congratulations. The withdrawal from the League of Nations should be legitimized by a referendum. Here, the timing was not accidental, but November 11th was the anniversary of the 1918 armistice was signed. This date was considered a day of national shame.

At the same time the general election should be held. Took effect in March 1933, various parties, only a Nazi- dominated unit list was approved at this time. The list was drawn up by the Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with the NSDAP. Of course, the Nazis made ​​up the largest group of applicants. But there were also former members of the DNVP, DVP, center or BVP set up to simulate a certain pluralism.

Electioneering

The regime promoted by all means of propaganda for approval. The party campaigned with the slogan "With Hitler against the armaments madness ". The Government was supported by leading public figures. On November 11, urged President Paul von Hindenburg in one of his rare radio speeches for approval. Support also came from the surgeon Ferdinand Sauerbruch, the philosopher Martin Heidegger and the writer Gerhart Hauptmann. Also, the tips of the economy and the churches called for the vote. In the case of the Catholic Church of the completion of the Reich Concordat helped that the bishops to " joyful voice indication for the leader " calling. Even opponents of the regime were in at least the referendum for approval because they would thus support a national foreign policy.

Election and Results

The unit list of the NSDAP occupied as dictated all 661 seats in the Reichstag, but among them were 22 seats for guests.

Formally, the choice essentially ran out correctly, and the secrecy of the ballot was officially preserved. At the local level is often looked different. In the polling stations pictures of Hitler or Nazi flags were hung. The SA was allowed to see and organized a " choice towing service " that brought voters to the polls on election lists. But even where no pressure was exerted on the voters, this often had no confidence in the secrecy of the ballot. Many were intimidated or saw no alternative to a vote in favor. But it was in this vote possible total still without greater risk to vote No, leave an invalid vote or stay away from the election.

The historian Hans -Ulrich Wehler, however, assumes that the absence of a systematic selection influencing the results actually reflect the consent of a large part of the population to the regime in the core. The turnout was very high at 95.2%. The referendum yielded a consent of 95.1 % for the withdrawal from the League of Nations. This represented 89.9 % of the electorate. Was slightly lower with 92.1 % the result for the unit list.

Not without reason, the regime was able to see it as a confirmation of the policy stance. Of course, the propaganda and the political terror have contributed theirs to the result. But next to it also showed that there was still a considerable number of opponents of the regime. Especially in the strongholds of the battered labor parties and in neighborhoods with a high Jewish population, the percentage of votes against was not uncommon in the double digits. A stronghold of rejection was Lübeck with about 22 % against. In Altona, the agreement was 77.4 %, in Hamburg at 78.1 %, 78.6 % in Berlin, Bremen 79.6 % and 79.8 % in Leipzig. The social control in large cities was less pronounced than in small towns and in the countryside. Nevertheless denied a fifth to a third of voters the regime its approval at the ballot box.

The figures were published in the statistics of the German Empire, Volume 449, and include the results broken down to the level of larger communities.