Lesson 8

To deepen your understanding of the ideas in this lesson, read Chapter Four in Facing
History and Ourselves: Holocaust and Human Behavior.

The Fragility of Democracy: Hitler’s Rise to Power

? WHY teach this material?

Rationale
In the previous lesson, students learned that the Nazis won
more votes than any other political party in Germany during
the elections held in July and November of 1932. The pur-
pose of this lesson is twofold: 1) to help students understand
how Hitler was able to use the Nazis’ victory in these elec-
tions to suppress opposition, control the spread of informa-
tion, use fear to establish authority, and, ultimately, to make
himself Führer, the supreme leader of Germany, and 2) to
help students recognize how the choices made by German
citizens, members of parliament, and other leaders con-
tributed to Hitler’s rise to power. Focusing on the choices
made by ordinary people helps students appreciate how his-
tory is shaped by the everyday actions of individuals and
counters the popular narrative that only leaders have the
power to influence society. An awareness of how people like
them have impacted the past encourages adolescents to see
themselves as potential change-makers as well. The materials
and activities suggested in this lesson also help students
understand how democracy can be undermined without an
independent judiciary, civil liberties, and citizens who are
encouraged to think critically.

This 1930 postcard depicts Hitler and a stormtrooper

watching over a Nazi Party rally.

LEARNING GOALS:
The purpose of this lesson is to help students:
• Reflect on these guiding questions about history and human behavior:
• What is a dictator? What is a dictatorship?
• What happened to allow Hitler to become dictator of Germany?
• What makes a democracy fragile? What can be done to protect and strengthen democracy?
• Practice these interdisciplinary skills:
• Paraphrasing
• Understanding the chronology of events on a timeline
• Presenting information to others

Lesson 8 • 114
 • Using historical evidence to answer questions about the past
•Deepen understanding of these key terms:
• Dictator/dictatorship
• Democracy
• Article 48
• President Hindenburg
• Reichstag (parliament)
• Veto
• Chancellor
• Citizen
• Gestapo
(See the main glossary in the unit’s “Introduction” for definitions of these key
terms.)

?WHAT is this lesson about?

In the previous lesson, students learned that the Nazis won more votes than any other
political party in Germany during the July 1932 elections. Even though they only won
37% of the votes, signifying that more than half of the German electorate did not vote for
the Nazi Party, this was during an election that included over thirty political parties.
Some of these parties endorsed ideas similar to those of the Nazis. While the results of
the July 1932 elections demonstrated substantial support for the Nazis, they still did not
have the support of the entire populace. Less than two years later, with the support of
90% of the electorate, Hitler declared himself Fuhrer (dictator) and announced the
beginning of Germany’s Third Reich (empire). How did this happen?

One way of answering this question is through the lens of what Hitler did to make him-
self dictator. A more sophisticated understanding of this history requires us to look not
only at Hitler’s actions, but also to recognize how the choices made by German citizens,
members of parliament, and other leaders contributed to Hitler’s rise to power. For exam-
ple, the election of 1932 put Hitler in the position to become Chancellor, and from that
position of power he was able to manipulate Germany’s democratic system. Hitler had
spent years trying to obtain a leadership position in German government. Twice he had
run for president and twice the German citizens had decided to elect someone else. In
1932, however, with the Nazi Party obtaining more votes than any other political party
(although still not a majority), Hitler could now pressure Germany’s aged president, Paul
von Hindenburg, to appoint him as Chancellor, head of Germany’s Reichstag (parlia-
ment). President Hindenburg and his advisers knew that in order to pass the laws needed
to improve the economy, they would need the support of the Nazi Party. Even though
they were wary of Hitler’s ultimate intentions (after all, he had spoken against having a
democratic Germany on multiple occasions), President Hindenburg and his advisers still
had several reasons for appointing Hitler to the position of Chancellor. Some of
Hindenburg’s advisers believed that Hitler’s ambitions could be tempered once he had
real leadership. And other advisers believed that Hitler and the Nazis would lose credibil-
ity as soon as they showed that they could not right Germany’s economy. Imagine how
history might have been different if President Hindenburg had decided that, based on
Hitler’s earlier rhetoric, he could not be trusted in this powerful position.

Lesson 8 • 115
Wielding his new authority, one of the first moves Hitler made was to begin arresting and
intimidating members of the Communist Party, one of the Nazis’ most powerful political
rivals. Still, Hitler could not eliminate the communists entirely because the Weimar
Constitution protected citizens’ rights to form political parties. When the Reichstag was
set on fire on February 27, 1933, Hitler seized an opportunity for increasing his power.
Immediately after the fire, Hitler blamed the communists. To this day, historians have
not proven who started the fire, but regardless of who actually committed the crime,
many Germans believed Hitler’s claim that the communists were responsible for this
crime. The nation was in a state of crisis, and amidst crisis people generally seek the com-
fort of certitude rather than begin investigations that may lead to further questions and
uncertainty. In this context, Hitler’s request for President Hindenburg to invoke Article
48 for the purpose of protecting public safety might not have seemed strange or suspi-
cious to the German people. After all, they had just witnessed one of the major symbols
of government, the parliament building, go up in flames.

Excerpt of Article 48 from the Weimar Constitution1

In case public safety is seriously threatened or disturbed, the Reich

President may take the measures necessary to reestablish law and order, if
necessary using armed force. In the pursuit of this aim, he may suspend
the civil rights described in articles 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124 and
153, partially or entirely.

Article 48 was written into the Weimar Constitution to help the government cope during
times of crisis. This clause allowed the president to issue edicts which had the force of law
during a crisis, even those that suspended civil liberties normally protected by the consti-
tution. Article 48 was viewed by many as a safety valve to protect Germany during state
emergencies. When the constitution was being drafted in the aftermath of World War I,
Germany endured considerable economic and political challenges. At this time, it was not
uncommon for political parties to fight against each other both verbally and physically.
The drafters were concerned that there might be occasions when competing political par-
ties would not be able to reach any agreement, and this could be a serious problem if
Germany were faced with a crisis, such as the hyperinflation that plagued Germany in
1923. Indeed, Germany’s first elected president invoked Article 48 over one hundred
times during his six years in office.2 Thus, it was not without precedent when President
Hindenburg invoked Article 48 and suspended parliament after the Reich fire.

Article 48 allowed Hitler to use the emergency power of the president to issue two laws
that suspended civil liberties, especially for those who opposed Hitler and the Nazis.
Hitler’s main targets were communists and anyone suspected of being a communist.
Hitler knew that even with Article 48, the members of the Reichstag still had some
power. Hitler could pass laws, but those laws could be vetoed with a majority of votes in
the parliament. Thus, Hitler’s first priority was silencing those who might oppose his laws.
He did this in several ways: Hitler created his own secret-service agents, the Gestapo, who
did not work under the supervision of the judiciary. He also established a concentration
camp at Dachau for anyone suspected of treason, which according to Hitler meant any-
one associated with the communists. So, even though after new elections were held in
March the communists were entitled to 81 deputies in the Reichstag, most of these

Lesson 8 • 116
representatives never claimed their seats; they were either already jailed or in hiding. Not
only did communists have reason to fear the Gestapo; anyone suspected of speaking
against the Nazis could be physically threatened or jailed.

Without sufficient opposition to veto his proposals, Hitler was now able to push many
laws through the Reichstag. Hitler established a new government department, the
Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, under the leadership of his top aide,
Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels helped organize book burnings to eliminate information con-
trary to Nazi ideology. He also used newspapers, political posters, and artists to spread
lies about Jews, communists, and other groups deemed undesirable, and to publicize how
the Nazi Party would improve the fate of the German people. Less than five months after
Hitler was appointed Chancellor, the Reichstag approved the Enabling Act, a law which
suspended the constitution indefinitely, and the Law Against the Establishment of Parties,
which outlawed all political parties except for the Nazi Party. By establishing these laws
(which will be explored in Lesson 10), Hitler manipulated the tools of democracy to
remove opposition and consolidate his power.

While it may appear that due to Hitler’s support in parliament he could not be stopped,
in truth, at any point, President Hindenburg could have removed Hitler from the posi-
tion of Chancellor—it was within his authority to do so. Yet, he believed that Hitler
could be controlled better from within the ranks of government, and, in a few instances,
Hitler demonstrated a capacity for compromise with the President. For example, letters
exchanged between Hitler and Hindenburg in 1933 suggest that the President had some
reservations about the “Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service,” namely
that the law would have fired Jews who had loyally served in the German army during
World War I. To appease Hindenburg, Hitler amended the law to allow Jewish war veter-
ans to keep their civil service positions. While the President could have used the power
given to him by the Constitution to dismiss Hitler as Chancellor, other circumstances
made it difficult for Hindenburg to take this dramatic action (e.g., his party was second
in popularity to the Nazi party, he was 85 years old, and he was in poor health).

On August 2, 1934, President Hindenburg died. After President Hindenburg’s death,

Hitler suggested that he should hold the positions of both President and Chancellor; he
called this new position Führer. Hitler put his suggestion to a national vote. On August
20, 90% of the German electorate agreed that Hitler should have complete control of all
aspects of government. Ironically, it took an election to finally dismantle democracy in
Germany. Hitler himself asserted that he became dictator through the will of the people.
The German people would not vote again until after World War II.

In what ways were German citizens responsible for Hitler’s rise to power? What could
have happened to prevent Hitler from becoming a dictator? Why did the majority of
German citizens stand by while their power as citizens was undermined by Hitler’s poli-
cies? One way to begin answering these questions is to examine how fear, conformity,
self-preservation, obedience, prejudice, and opportunism shaped the actions and attitudes
of German citizens at this time. Because these factors exist in any society, studying the
Weimar Republic and Hitler’s path to dictatorship can help us understand threats to our
own democratic way of life. Studying this history illuminates the fragility of democracy
and warns us that, as citizens, it is our responsibility to protect the ingredients that are
vital to maintaining a healthy democracy, ingredients such as an independent judiciary,
state-protected dissent, freedom of speech, and an active, mindful citizenry.

Lesson 8 • 117
 Related readings in
Facing History and Ourselves: Holocaust and Human Behavior
“Hitler in Power,” pp. 151–52
“The Democrat and the Dictator,” pp. 155–60
“Threats to Democracy,” pp. 160–62
“Targeting the Communists,” pp. 162–65
“Targeting the Jews,” pp. 165–67
“Dismantling Democracy,” pp. 169–70
“Turning Neighbor Against Neighbor,” pp. 171–72
“Taking Over the Universities,” pp. 172–73
“Killing Ideas,” pp. 179–82
“Whenever Two or Three Are Gathered,” pp. 182–83
“Breeding the New German ‘Race,’” pp. 183–86
“One Nation! One God! One Reich! One Church!” pp. 186–89
“Pledging Allegiance,” pp. 197–98

?HOW can we help students engage with this material?

Duration: one class period

Materials
Handout 1: Timeline: Hitler’s rise to power
Handout 2: Timeline presentation: Hitler’s rise to power

Opener
To appreciate the significance of Hitler’s rise to power, students need to understand the
concepts “dictator” and “dictatorship,” especially in relation to living in a democracy.
One way to help students develop an understanding of these concepts is to ask them to
respond to the following prompts:

• What is a dictator?
• What is the difference between a democratic leader and a dictator?
• How might your life be different if you lived in a dictatorship instead of a democracy?

Or, you might ask students to respond to this scenario: Imagine waking up in the morn-
ing to learn that the president of the United States shut down Congress, closed all of the
courts, and cancelled elections. How might you react to such news? How might your life
be different as a result of this change in government? If you have time, this prompt can
be used as a creative writing activity, with students writing and sharing stories about how
life could change under a dictatorship.

Students’ sharing of responses to any of these prompts provides an opportunity to create

a working definition of the words “dictator” and “dictatorship.” Students can record their
definitions in their journals and you can add them to a word wall. Explain to students
that in this lesson they will be learning about how Germany went from being a democ-
racy to becoming a dictatorship. At this point in the unit, it is appropriate for students to
have only a basic understanding of these concepts. The material in this lesson, and in the

Lesson 8 • 118
remaining lessons in this section, will help students develop a more sophisticated under-
standing of the distinction between a dictatorship and a democracy.

Main Activities
To understand Germany’s transformation from a democracy to a dictatorship, it is impor-
tant for students to be familiar with the small steps made by Hitler and the Nazis to carve
away at political and civil liberties between 1933, when Hitler became Chancellor, and
August of 1934, when Hitler became dictator of Germany. One way to teach students
this history is through a human timeline activity. This strategy enables teachers to use
physical activity to help students understand the chronology of events, and improves the
retention of material by having students present historical information to their peers.
Alternatively, you could use the ideas in the timeline as the basis of a lecture.

Step One: Pre-class set up

Handout 1 presents a sample timeline you can use to help students identify the steps that
allowed the Nazis and Hitler to establish a dictatorship. The timeline of Hitler’s rise to
power includes 16 items. Adapt this list to best meet the needs of your students; you
might combine items, delete items, or add additional items. Some teachers assign each
student their own timeline item to present and other teachers have found that this activ-
ity works best if timeline items are presented by pairs. In preparation for this activity, we
suggest placing each of the events on an index card or an 8 1/2 x 11” sheet of paper,
along with the date when it occurred.

[Note: Rather than distributing the timeline slips randomly, you might want to give cer-
tain students easier or more challenging items. Some of the events on the timeline are
more challenging to understand and interpret than other items. For example, the first
item on the timeline explains the Weimar Constitution. Because this material was covered
in the previous lessons, this information should already be familiar to many students. The
next item on the timeline goes into detail about Article 48. This is new material and may
be challenging to understand without reading the text several times.]

Next, because students are able to see and hear each other better in a U-shaped line than
in a straight line formation, identify a location in or near your classroom that will allow
for students to form a U-shape. You can have students stand for this activity, or you can
arrange chairs in a U-shape.

Step Two: Establishing context for the timeline activity

• Before students begin the human timeline activity, establish a context for the
chronology students will be focusing on. The suggested opener activity meets this
goal. If you skipped the opener, we suggest taking a few minutes to review the
material from the previous lesson. Then, explain to students that through this time-
line they will learn about how the success of the Nazi Party in the 1932 elections
put Germany on the path from democracy to becoming a dictatorship. To remind
students of the purpose of the timeline activity, you can write this lesson’s guiding
question on the board: What happened to allow Hitler to become dictator of
Germany?

Lesson 8 • 119
The following terms are used throughout the timeline. If you think your students may be
unfamiliar with these items, you might want to review them before they begin their
work.
• Reichstag/Parliament — the government institution where laws were made, like the
U.S. Congress.
• Chancellor — the leader of the Reichstag. The Chancellor decided which laws get
voted on.
• President — the head of state. The President controlled the military, appointed the
Chancellor, and decided when elections would be held.
• Constitution/Article — The Weimar Constitution, like the U.S. Constitution, is
divided into articles. The articles explain how the government should be organized
and the rights citizens should have.
• Veto — To disapprove of a law.

Step Three: Individuals or pairs prepare timeline presentations

Whether students work individually or in pairs, here is an example of instructions you
can provide:
1. Read over your timeline item once or twice.
2. Rewrite the timeline item in your own words. You should not read from your time-
line slip when you present this event to the class; you should explain this event in
your own words. If you are having trouble writing the statement in your own words,
ask for help.
3. How does knowing about this event help you answer the question, “What happened
to allow Hitler to become dictator of Germany?” You will share at least one connec-
tion between this event and Germany’s path to a dictatorship with the class.

Handout 2 has been designed to help students prepare for their timeline presentations.

Step Four: Building your human timeline

Invite students to line up in the order of their events. Once everyone is lined up, they
present the event on the timeline and how they think that event contributed to Hitler’s
path to dictatorship. Be sure to provide an opportunity for students to ask questions if
they are confused about an event’s impact on the health of democracy in Germany. As
students present, record answers to the question, “What happened to allow Hitler to
become dictator of Germany?” on the board. The first item on this list might be having a
clause in the constitution giving power to one person or branch of government. Other
items that will likely be added to the list include: silencing the opposition through fear or
imprisonment, using the media to control information, and citizens who follow a leader
without questioning him or her.

Follow-Through
Once students have a basic understanding of the many steps involved in Germany’s path
from democracy to dictatorship, you can ask students to discuss who they think was
responsible for the death of democracy in Germany. Another way to get at this question
is to ask each student to record three steps or events that contributed to the decline of
democracy and the rise of dictatorship in Germany. Then ask students to share what they

Lesson 8 • 120
wrote, noting how many of the steps place Hitler as the main actor and how many focus
on the decisions made by other Germans, such as voters, Reichstag members, or
President Hindenburg. To stimulate students’ ideas about the powers that shape their
world, you can use the following prompt: To what extent do you believe that leaders are
responsible for what happens versus the general public? Applied to the classroom, is suc-
cessful learning a product of what the teacher does or what the students do?

Another way to end this class is to ask students to review the journal they wrote during
the opening activity about dictatorship. Students can expand on their ideas based on the
information they learned during the timeline activity. You might also ask students to pre-
dict what might happen next in Germany now that Hitler is in complete control of the
country and all of the democratic institutions (the constitution, independent courts, elec-
tions, civil liberties, etc.) are gone.

Assessment(s)
To evaluate students’ understanding of how Germany grew into a dictatorship, you can
ask students to list at least five events or factors that contributed to the death of democ-
racy and the rise of dictatorship in Germany. This can be done during class (e.g., as part
of the follow-through activity) or for homework. Students’ response to the following
journal prompt will also reveal their understanding of the material from this lesson: Who
was responsible for the death of democracy and the rise of dictatorship in Germany?
Refer to evidence from the timeline activity in your answer. Think about an event that
has happened to you or taken place during your historical context. To what extent do you
believe that leaders are responsible for what happened? To what extent do you believe that
individuals or groups were responsible for what happened?

Extensions

• Some teachers have found it useful to use a metaphor to represent Germany’s grad-
ual transformation from democracy to dictatorship. One way to represent
Germany’s path to dictatorship is by using a large picture of water. A full picture
represents a healthy democracy. In January 1933, Germany was a functioning
democracy, although there are several reasons why you might pour out some water
to represent some weaknesses in the German system. For example, as students
learned in the previous lesson, the courts are not consistently upholding the consti-
tution. You can pour out more water when students report that the president has
invoked Article 48. More water can be poured out as students read of how Hitler is
limiting opposition and controlling the spread of information. By the end of the
timeline activity, students should see that there is no water left in the pitcher, sym-
bolizing the end of democracy in Germany. Teachers have also used a salami or loaf
of bread to illustrate this point—cutting off a slice each time something happens in
Germany to weaken democracy. The main learning point is that Germany did not
go from being a democracy to a dictatorship overnight, but through a series of small
steps.

• After learning about Germany’s transformation from democracy to dictatorship, stu-

dents often wonder if what happened in Germany could ever happen in the United
States. Thus, the material in this lesson provides an excellent opportunity to talk
about the differences and similarities between the Weimar Republic and the United

Lesson 8 • 121
 States today. You might begin this discussion by evaluating the health of democracy
in Germany at different points in time. Assuming it would receive an “F” by August
of 1934, what grade would it receive in January 1933? What about July 1933? As a
homework assignment or group project, you could have students respond to the
prompt, “What grade would students give to the health of democracy in the United
States today? Explain your answer. Identify one thing that could be done to
improve the health of democracy in the United States.”

• You might end this lesson by having students reflect on the phrase “fragility of
democracy.” What does it mean for something to be fragile? In what ways is democ-
racy fragile? What ingredients make democracies strong (or less prone to becoming
a dictatorship)? You can ask students, individually or in groups, to visually represent
(through drawing or collage) the phrase “fragility of democracy,” referring to ideas
from this lesson.

Lesson 8 • 122
 Lesson 8: Handout 1
Timeline: Hitler’s rise to power

1. 1919 — Weimar Constitution is adopted. The constitution creates separate executive,

judicial, and legislative branches of government so that one group or person cannot
hold all of the power. It also includes articles protecting civil liberties (freedoms) such
as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly (freedom to meet in public), and freedom
of religion. The constitution also protects privacy so that individuals cannot be
searched without the court’s permission.

2. 1919 — The constitution includes Article 48. This article suspends the constitution in
times of emergency, allowing the president to make rules without the consent of the
parliament and to suspend (put on hold) civil rights, like freedom of speech, in order to
protect public safety. Many people thought this article was a good idea because there
were so many political parties in Germany that sometimes it was difficult for them to
agree enough to pass any laws. At times of crisis, like the inflation Germany suffered in
1923 or the depression in 1929, it was important for government to respond quickly and
not be held from action by politicians who can not agree. Thus, many Germans thought
it would be wise to have a clause in the constitution that would allow the president to
take over and make quick decisions in times of emergency.

3. July 1932 — The Nazi Party wins 37% of the votes. For the first time, the Nazis are the
largest and most powerful political party in Germany. Still, over half of the German citi-
zens do not vote for the Nazis and they still do not have enough seats in the Reichstag
(parliament) to be able to pass laws without getting additional votes from representa-
tives from other political parties.

4. November 1932 — The Nazi Party wins 33% of the votes, but they still have more seats
in the Reichstag than any other political party.

5. January 1933 — German President Paul von Hindenburg understands that he will need
the support of the Nazi Party to get any laws passed. As a result of the success of the
Nazi Party in the elections, President Hindenburg appoints Hitler to the position of
Chancellor—the head of parliament.

6. February 1, 1933 — Hitler proclaims the new government of Germany by speaking

directly to the German people on the radio, not by speaking to members of parliament.
He declares, “[The] new national government will consider it its first and supreme duty
to restore our nation’s unity of will and spirit. . . . In place of turbulent instincts, the
government will once again make national discipline our guide.” A parade is held in
Hitler’s honor.

7. February 27, 1933 — The Reichstag (parliament) building is set on fire. Hitler quickly
blames the communists, a rival political party.

Purpose: To deepen understanding of the factors that protext and nurture democracy by studying Germany’s
transition from democracy to dictatorship. • 123
 Lesson 8: Handout 1
Timeline: Hitler’s rise to power

8. February 28, 1933 — Using the fire as a justification, Hitler convinces President
Hindenburg to invoke Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution in order to protect public
safety.

9. February 28, 1933 — Hitler uses the emergency power of the president to issue two
laws. He says the purpose of these laws was to protect public safety. The first law
allows the government to search and confiscate private property. Government officials
are now permitted to read mail and to take belongings from people’s homes. The other
law allows him to arrest anyone belonging to rival political parties, especially commu-
nists. Because of Article 48 these laws do not need to be approved by the Reichstag. If
a majority of the members of the Reichstag do not approve of a law, they still have the
power to veto it. But, with many of his opposition jailed or scared to speak out, none of
Hitler’s laws get vetoed.

10. March 11, 1933 — Hitler creates a new government department, the Ministry of Public
Enlightenment and Propaganda. The purpose of this department is to spread Hitler’s
ideas among the German public.

11. March 23, 1933 — Hitler opens a jail for people he thinks are plotting to overthrow the
government, especially members of the Communist Party. These jails were called “con-
centration camps” because they concentrated a targeted or undesirable group of people
in one place where they can be monitored.

12. March 23, 1933 — Hitler announces the Enabling Act, which is then approved by the
Reichstag. The Enabling Act gives Hitler dictatorial powers for four years. It allows (or
“enables”) Hitler to punish anyone he considers an enemy of the state. This law also
says that Hitler can pass laws that are against the ideas in the constitution. Some mem-
bers of parliament do not agree with this law. While some opponents of the Enabling
Act vote against it, many opponents of the law are in jail or in hiding. So there are not
enough votes in parliament to veto the Enabling Act.

1 3. April 26, 1933 — Hitler organizes a secret state police called the Gestapo to “protect
public safety and order.” Gestapo police can arrest people and place them in jail with-
out any oversight by a court or judge.

14. May 6, 1933 — Nazis begin holding public book burnings. Germans are asked to burn
any books considered offensive to Germany, including books by Jewish authors.

15. August 2, 1934 — President Hindenburg dies. Hitler proposes a new law that would
combine the role of president and chancellor in a new position called the Führer (which
means “leader” in German). He calls for a vote of the German people.

16. August 19, 1934 — 95% of registered voters in Germany go to the polls. 90% of these
voters approve of Hitler’s law making himself Führer. Now Hitler can say that he
became the supreme leader, or dictator, of Germany through the direct will of the
people.

Purpose: To deepen understanding of the factors that protext and nurture democracy by studying Germany’s
transition from democracy to dictatorship. • 124
 Lesson 8: Handout 2
Timeline Presentation: Hitler’s rise to power

1. Read over your timeline item once or twice.

2. You cannot read directly from this paper when you give your presentation. You must
explain this specific event in your own words. If you are having trouble writing the
statement in your own words, ask for help.

Explain this event in your own words:

3. How does knowing about this event help you answer the question, “What happened to
allow Hitler to become dictator of Germany?” You will share at least one connection
between this event and Germany’s path to a dictatorship with the class.

Purpose: To deepen understanding of the factors that protext and nurture democracy by studying Germany’s
transition from democracy to dictatorship. • 125
Notes
1
“Weimar Constitution,” PSM-Data History website,
http://www.zum.de/psm/weimar/weimar_vve.php#Third%20Chapter (accessed January 7, 2009).
2
“Hindenburg into Dictator,” Time, July 28, 1930, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article
/0,9171,739930-1,00.html?iid=perma_share (accessed January 7, 2009).

126