Banner with the campaign message "Yes to the Führer!" on a school building in Fürth. Credit:
91 years ago, on August 19, 1934, Germany held a national plebiscite that consolidated Adolf Hitler’s rise to absolute power. After the death of President Paul von Hindenburg, Hitler merged the offices of chancellor and president, assuming the title of Führer und Reichskanzler.
The referendum, marked by heavy Nazi propaganda, persecution of opponents, and an atmosphere of intimidation, resulted in an official approval of about 90% of the votes. With this, Hitler came to control both the State and the government without constitutional limits, paving the way for the consolidation of the Third Reich and the Nazi dictatorship.
