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July 1932 German federal election

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July 1932 German federal election

← 1930 31 July 1932 (1932-07-31) November 1932 →

All 608 seats in the Reichstag
305 seats needed for a majority
Registered44,211,216 (Increase 2.9%)
Turnout84.1% (Increase 2.1pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Adolf Hitler 1932 (cropped).jpg
SPD 1932 leadership.jpg
Ernst Thälmann 1932.jpg
Leader Adolf Hitler Otto Wels
Arthur Crispien
Hans Vogel
Ernst Thälmann
Party NSDAP SPD KPD
Last election 18.3%, 107 seats 24.5%, 143 seats 13.1%, 77 seats
Seats won 230 133 89
Seat change Increase 123 Decrease 10 Increase 12
Popular vote 13,745,680 7,959,712 5,282,636
Percentage 37.3% 21.6% 14.3%
Swing Increase 19.0 pp Decrease 2.9 pp Increase 1.2 pp

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Ludwig Kaas, by Erich Salomon, 1930.jpg
AlfredHugenberg1933 (cropped).jpeg
Heinrich Held, 1933 (cropped).jpg
Leader Ludwig Kaas Alfred Hugenberg Heinrich Held
Party Centre DNVP BVP
Last election 11.8%, 68 seats 7.0%, 41 seats 3.0%, 19 seats
Seats won 75 37 22
Seat change Increase 7 Decrease 4 Increase 3
Popular vote 4,589,430 2,178,024 1,192,684
Percentage 12.4% 5.9% 3.2%
Swing Increase 0.6 pp Decrease 1.1 pp Increase 0.2 pp


Government before election

Papen cabinet
Ind.DNVP

Government after election

Papen cabinet
Ind.DNVP

Federal elections were held in Germany on 31 July 1932, following the premature dissolution of the Reichstag.[1] The Nazi Party made significant gains and became the largest party in the Reichstag for the first time, although they failed to win a majority. The Communist Party increased their vote share as well. All other parties combined held less than half the seats in the Reichstag, meaning no majority coalition government could be formed without including at least one of these two parties.

Background

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Since 1929, Germany had been suffering from the Great Depression; unemployment had risen from 8.5% to nearly 30% between 1929 and 1932,[2] while industrial production dropped by around 42%.[2] Over 6 million people were unemployed in 1932, and 40% of organized labour was unemployed or working reduced hours in summer 1932.[3]

In March 1930, the governing grand coalition of the pro-republican parties—the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Centre Party and both liberal parties—collapsed. President Paul von Hindenburg appointed a minority government, headed by the Centre Party's Heinrich Brüning, which could only govern by using Hindenburg's emergency powers. The September 1930 elections produced a highly fragmented Reichstag, making the formation of a stable government impossible. The elections also saw the Nazi Party rise to national prominence,[2] gaining 95 seats.

Brüning's policies, implemented via presidential decree and tolerated by parliament, failed to solve the economic crisis and weakened the parliamentary system. In March 1932, the presidential elections began as a three-way race between the incumbent Hindenburg, supported by pro-democratic parties, against Hitler on the one hand and the Communist Ernst Thälmann on the other. Hitler received around a third of the vote and was defeated in the second round in April by Hindenburg, who won a narrow majority.[2] However, at the end of May 1932, Hindenburg was persuaded to dismiss Brüning as chancellor and replaced him with Franz von Papen, a renegade from the Centre Party, and a non-partisan "Cabinet of Barons". Papen's cabinet had almost no support in the Reichstag. Only three days after his appointment, he was faced with such opposition that he had Hindenburg dissolve the Reichstag and call new elections for 31 July so that the Reichstag could not dismiss him immediately.[4]

Campaign

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Nazi membership rose from 293,000 in September 1930, to almost 1.5 million by the end of 1932. The amount of papers controlled by the party rose from 49 in 1930, to 127 by 1932. Völkischer Beobachter's circulation rose from 26,000 in 1929, to over 100,000 in 1931.[5]

Joseph Goebbels was placed in charge of the Nazis' propaganda and campaign in 1930.[6] Goebbels' staff was expanded and his role formalized by the Reich Propaganda Directorate (RPL) in 1931.[5] In prior elections the Nazis relied on membership dues, but started receiving financial support from businesses in 1932.[7] The ban on the Sturmabteilung and Schutzstaffel was lifted by Papen, against the pleas of state governments, in exchange for Nazi tolerance of his cabinet.[8]

The German State Party (DSP) saw its membership in the Landtag of Prussia fall from 28 to 2 after the 1932 state election. The DSP unsuccessfully attempted to form an alliance with the SPD and Centre or the German People's Party (DVP). The DSP was able to form an alliance with the German National People's Party (DNVP).[9]

Alfred Hugenberg attempted to make the DNVP a mass movement party following poor results in the 1930 election. The party's paramilitary groups were consolidated into the Bismarck League in the hope that it could combat the SA. The DNVP supported Papen's government.[10]

Papen hoped that the election would weaken the left and centre. On 20 July, he dissolved the Social Democratic government of Prussia and instituted martial law after clashes between Nazis and leftists in Altona. The DNVP and DVP supported the decision. Goebbels told regional leaders to not discuss Papen on 4 June, but the RPL later stated that the Nazis "refuse most strenuously to be associated with this cabinet".[11] The Communist Party (KPD) criticized Papen's actions as a "naked fascist coup", but also criticized the SPD for not retaliating.[12]

The Centre accused the Nazis of being a pagan movement while the Nazis accused the Centre of working with anti-religious organizations that were equal to organizations persecuting Christians in the Soviet Union and Spain.[13]

Results

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The elections resulted in significant gains by the Nazi Party and it became the largest party in parliament for the first time, though it lacked an overall majority.[4] The party's 230 of the 608 seats was the largest seat total for a party in Weimar history.[1] The Nazi vote in Berlin, which was 1.5% in 1928, doubled from 15% to 29%, becoming the most voted-for party in the city.[14]

The Nazis and KPD held over half of the seats in the Reichstag, making it impossible to form a government composed of moderates. Papen could only rely on the support of the DNVP and DVP, who only held a total of 44 seats. A vote of no confidence was put forward by the KPD and supported by 84% of the deputies. A new election was scheduled for November 1932.[3]

Gregor Strasser attempted to form a coalition between the Nazis and Centre. The Nazis did not obstruct parliamentary procedure and in return the Centre voted to make Hermann Göring president of the Reichstag. Strasser opposed calling for a new election, fearing that support for the Nazis would decline.[15]

PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Nazi Party13,745,68037.27+19.02230+123
Social Democratic Party7,959,71221.58−2.95133−10
Communist Party of Germany5,282,63614.32+1.1989+12
Centre Party4,589,43012.44+0.6375+7
German National People's Party2,178,0245.91−1.1237−4
Bavarian People's Party1,192,6843.23+0.2022+3
German People's Party436,0021.18−3.337−23
German State Party371,8001.01−2.774−16
Christian Social People's Service364,5430.99−1.493−11
Reich Party of the German Middle Class146,8760.40−3.502−21
German Farmers' Party137,1330.37−0.602−4
Agricultural League96,8510.26−0.292−1
German Country People90,5540.25−2.921−18
Socialist Workers' Party of Germany72,6300.20New0New
German-Hanoverian Party46,9270.13−0.280−3
People's Justice Party40,8250.11–0.671+1
Poland List33,4360.09New0New
Kleinrentner, Inflationsgeschädigte und Vorkriegsgeldbesitzer14,8160.04New0New
Worker and Farmer Party of Germany/Christian Radical People's Front13,9500.04New0New
Free Economy Party of Germany12,2470.03New0New
Farmers, House and Property Owners9,4650.03New0New
Radical Middle Class8,6370.02New0New
Workers' and Farmers' Struggle Community4,5510.01New0New
Interessengemeinschaft der Kleinrentner und Inflationsgeschädigten2,9320.01New0New
National Socialist People's Alliance for Truth and Justice2,4360.01New0New
Handwerker, Handels- und Gewerbetreibende2,2210.01New0New
Kriegsteilnehmer, Kriegsbeschädigte und Kriegshinterbliebene2,2130.01New0New
Enteigneter Mittelstand2,1860.01New0New
Gerechtigkeitsbewegung für Parteienverbot – gegen Lohn-, Gehalts- und Rentenkürzungen – für Arbeitsbeschaffung2,0350.01New0New
German Free Economy Party1,9160.01New0New
Deutsche Einheitspartei für wahre Volkswirtschaft, Unterstützungsempfänger- Partei Deutschlands1,7090.00New0New
Schleswig Home1,5110.00New0New
Partei der Unzufriedenen1,3410.00New0New
Höchstgehalt der Beamten 5000 M. Für die Arbeitslosen und bis jetzt abgewiesenen Kriegsbeschädigten1,1410.00New0New
German Socialist Struggle Movement9470.00New0New
Liste gegen Kürzung der Invaliden-, Sozial- und Kriegsbeschädigtenrenten8870.00New0New
Unemployed Front8530.00New0New
Kampfbund gegen Hauszinssteuer7900.00New0New
German People's Community6180.00New0New
Schmalix Greater German List6100.00–0.0800
Schlesiens Handwerk und Gewerbe5980.00New0New
Der ernste evangelisch-lutherische Christ (Gerechtigkeits-Bewegung)5870.00New0New
Bund Bayerisches Handwerk und Gewerbe, Haus- und Grundbesitz und Landwirtschaft5770.00New0New
Schicksalsgemeinschaft deutscher Erwerbslosen5550.00New0New
Kampfgemeinschaft der Rentner, Sparer und Inflationsgeschädigten5320.00New0New
Nationale Rentner, Sparer und Inflationsgeschädigte5220.00New0New
Party of the Unemployed for Work and Bread4920.00New0New
Freiheitliche National-Soziale Deutsche Mittelstandsbewegung4800.00New0New
National Freedom Party of Germany3920.00New0New
National-soziale Partei gegen die Hauszinssteuer3760.00New0New
Kampfgemeinschaft für Handwerk, Gewerbe, Hausbesitz und Landwirtschaft3340.00New0New
General Social-National Unity Worker Party of Germany2770.00New0New
Freiwirtschaftsbewegung für Freiland, Freigeld, Festwährung2700.00New0New
German Workers' Party2570.00New0New
Nationaler Bürger- und Wirtschaftsblock2260.00New0New
Kampfbund der Lohn- und Gehaltsabgebauten und Auslandsgeschädigten1770.00New0New
Radical Party1540.00New0New
Kampfgemeinschaft der Lohn- und Gehaltsabgebauten1280.00New0New
Unitarianist Union of Germany810.00New0New
Mieter- und Volks-Reichspartei690.00New0New
German Social Monarchist Party660.00New0New
German Reform Party590.00New0New
Total36,882,964100.00608+31
Valid votes36,882,96499.25
Invalid/blank votes279,7270.75
Total votes37,162,691100.00
Registered voters/turnout44,211,21684.06
Source: Gonschior.de

Nazi Party vote share by constituency

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Constituency %
East Prussia 47.1%
Berlin 24.6%
Potsdam II 33.0%
Potsdam I 38.1%
Frankfurt on the Oder 48.1%
Pomerania 47.9%
Breslau 43.5%
Liegnitz 48.0%
Oppeln 29.3%
Magdeburg 43.8%
Merseburg 42.6%
Thuringen 43.4%
Schleswig-Holstein 51.0%
Weser-Ems 38.4%
East Hanover 49.5%
South Hanover-Brunswick 46.1%
North Westphalia 25.7%
South Westphalia 27.2%
Hessen-Nassau 43.6%
Cologne-Aachen 20.2%
Koblenz-Trier 28.8%
East Düsseldorf 31.6%
West Düsseldorf 27.0%
Upper Bavaria-Swabia 27.1%
Lower Bavaria 20.4%
Franconia 39.8%
Pfalz 43.7%
Dresden-Bautzen 39.3%
Leipzig 36.1%
Chemnitz-Zwickau 47.0%
Wurttemberg 30.3%
Baden 36.9%
Hessen-Darmstadt 43.1%
Hamburg 33.7%
Mecklenburg 44.8%
Total 37.3%
Source: Digi Zeit

Aftermath

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Since it was now impossible to rule without the support of either the NSDAP or the KPD, an unofficial confidence and supply agreement was struck between Papen and the Nazis, allowing the Chancellor to remain in power and continue his rule by decree.[16] In exchange, Papen lifted the ban on the Nazi Sturmabteilung (SA) militia.[17]

Papen's austerity measures were deeply unpopular with the general population, but were generally supported by Germany's elites.[18] The government started to implement openly authoritarian measures: on 20 July 1932, the SPD-led coalition government in Prussia was overthrown in an illegal coup that placed the region under the direct control of the cabinet through a presidential decree, further weakening Weimar democracy.[19] On 9 August, another presidential decree drastically streamlined the judicial process in death penalty cases while limiting the right of appeal.[20][21] New special courts were also created.[20]

On 11 August, Papen and his Interior Minister Baron Wilhelm von Gayl called a press conference to announce plans for a new constitution that would, in effect, turn Germany into a dictatorship.[22] On 12 September, the Reichstag overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence against the cabinet in a 512–42 vote and a snap election was called by Hindenburg.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Kerwin 1932, p. 921.
  2. ^ a b c d The Holocaust Chronicle – Prologue: Roots of the Holocaust. 2002.
  3. ^ a b Childers 1983, p. 209.
  4. ^ a b Hornberger, Jacob G. How Hitler became a Dictator Archived 18 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine. 2004.
  5. ^ a b Childers 1983, p. 194.
  6. ^ Childers 1983, p. 138.
  7. ^ Childers 1983, p. 196.
  8. ^ Childers 1983, pp. 202–203.
  9. ^ Childers 1983, pp. 204–206.
  10. ^ Childers 1983, pp. 206–207.
  11. ^ Childers 1983, p. 203.
  12. ^ Childers 1983, pp. 248–249.
  13. ^ Childers 1983, p. 258.
  14. ^ Hamilton 1982, pp. 74–76.
  15. ^ Orlow 1969, pp. 278–286.
  16. ^ Henry Ashby Turner (1996). Hitler's thirty days to power. Internet Archive. Addison-Wesley. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-201-40714-3.
  17. ^ Longerich, Peter (2019). Hitler: A Life. Oxford University Press. p. 248. ISBN 978-0-19-879609-1.
  18. ^ Longerich, Peter (2019). Hitler: A Life. Oxford University Press. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-19-879609-1.
  19. ^ Schulze, Hagen (1998). Germany: A New History. Harvard University Press. pp. 241–243. ISBN 978-0-674-80688-7.
  20. ^ a b Longerich, Peter (2019). Hitler: A Life. Oxford University Press. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-19-879609-1.
  21. ^ Kershaw, Ian (1999). Hitler, 1889–1936: Hubris. W. W. Norton & Co. p. 381. ISBN 978-0-393-32035-0.
  22. ^ Kershaw, Ian (1999). Hitler, 1889–1936: Hubris. W.W. Norton & Co. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-393-32035-0.
  23. ^ Evans, Richard J. (2012). The Coming of the Third Reich: How the Nazis Destroyed Democracy and Seized Power in Germany. Penguin Books Ltd. pp. 297–298. ISBN 978-0-7181-9680-6.

Works cited

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