August 19, 1934
German Referendum Approves Hitler as Führer
Historical context
On this day, August 19, 1934, a German referendum approved Adolf Hitler’s combination of the offices of president and chancellor under the title Führer.
Archive record
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- Date
- August 19, 1934
- Verified sources
- 1
- Archive threads
- 4
On this day, German voters were asked to approve the law that combined the offices of president and chancellor in Adolf Hitler’s person under the title Führer. President Paul von Hindenburg had died on 2 August. A law of 1 August, effective on Hindenburg’s death, had already merged the two offices. The 19 August ballot was a confirmation, not the first assumption of the title.
The official result was a large majority in favor. After Hindenburg’s death, soldiers and civil servants swore a personal oath to Hitler. The earlier appointment as chancellor on 30 January 1933 is a separate story.
Research trail
Sources and further reading
- Hitler Comes to Power · United States Holocaust Memorial Museum · Holocaust Encyclopedia View source
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