How to Write an A-Star Essay Explaining How Hitler Became Chancellor in 1933

This is it. The single most fateful moment in the history of the Weimar Republic. On 30th January 1933, President Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. But how did it happen?

There is a common and dangerous myth that Hitler was “voted into power” by a majority of the German people. This is completely false. The Nazi Party never won a majority in a free election. Hitler did not seize power in a revolution. He was handed it, legally, through a sordid political deal.

To write a top-grade essay on this topic, you must become a political insider, uncovering the secret meetings, the personal rivalries, and the catastrophic miscalculations of a small group of powerful men who believed they could use Hitler for their own ends.

This guide will show you how to explain this complex story of political intrigue, revealing how Hitler was let in through the “back door” by men who despised him but thought they could control him.

Step 1: Understand the AQA Question

The question is about a very specific sequence of events in late 1932 and early 1933. It is not about the long-term reasons for the rise of the Nazis. It is about the political maneuvering that led to the appointment.

Potential AQA-style questions include:

• Explain how Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933. (12 marks)
• The main reason Hitler was appointed Chancellor was the scheming of Franz von Papen. How far do you agree with this statement? (16 marks + 4 SPaG)
• Which of the following was the more important reason for Hitler becoming Chancellor: President Hindenburg’s decision or the failure of Kurt von Schleicher? Explain your answer. (12 marks)

Your task is to tell the story of the political crisis that left President Hindenburg feeling he had no other choice but to make a deal with the man he called the “little Bohemian corporal.”

Step 2: The Core Knowledge You Must Discuss

The story of how Hitler became Chancellor is a political drama in four acts.

Act 1: The Nazis Weaken (July – November 1932)

This is a crucial point that many students miss. Just before Hitler took power, the Nazis’ support was actually falling.

• Supporting Knowledge:
  • July 1922 Election: The Nazis achieve their best-ever result, winning 230 seats and becoming the largest party. Hindenburg offers Hitler the post of Vice-Chancellor. Hitler, arrogant, refuses anything less than the top job.
  • November 1932 Election: Hindenburg calls another election, hoping to weaken the Nazis. It works. The Nazi vote falls, and they win only 196 seats. The party is running out of money and losing momentum. Goebbels wrote in his diary of his “deep depression.” The Nazis were on the decline.

Act 2: The Failure of the Old Elites (May 1932 – January 1933)

By this point, German democracy was already dead. The Reichstag was deadlocked, and a series of Chancellors tried and failed to rule by decree using Article 48.

• Supporting Knowledge:
  • Franz von Papen (May – Nov 1932): A conservative aristocrat known as the “Cabinet of Barons” who had no support in the Reichstag and was forced to resign.
  • Kurt von Schleicher (Dec 1932 – Jan 1933): A powerful army general. He tried to build support by talking to trade unions and even tried to split the Nazi party by offering a senior job to Gregor Strasser, a leading Nazi. This failed, and having made enemies of everyone, von Schleicher was forced to resign after just two months.

Act 3: The Backroom Deal (January 1933)

This is the absolute heart of the story. The final decision was not made in public, but in secret meetings.

• Supporting Knowledge:
  • The Schemers: Von Papen, angry and wanting revenge on von Schleicher for replacing him, started scheming. He met with Hitler in secret in early January 1933.
  • The Deal: Von Papen came up with a plan to give Hitler what he wanted, but to control him. He persuaded a group of influential industrialists and landowners to support the plan, and together they persuaded President Hindenburg.
  • The ‘Taming’ Strategy: The plan was to appoint Hitler as Chancellor, but to surround him with conservatives. Von Papen would be Vice-Chancellor. There would only be two other Nazis in a cabinet of twelve. Von Papen and the old elites were convinced they could use Hitler’s popular support to achieve their own aims (like crushing communism) and then easily control him. Von Papen famously boasted, “In two months, we will have pushed Hitler into a corner so hard he’ll be squeaking.”

Act 4: The Appointment (30th January 1933)

• Supporting Knowledge: President Hindenburg, an old monarchist who personally hated Hitler, had run out of options. Von Schleicher had failed. The only alternative seemed to be an army dictatorship, which could cause a civil war. Reluctantly, he agreed to von Papen’s plan. On 30th January 1933, Adolf Hitler was legally appointed Chancellor of Germany.

Step 3: How to Structure Your A-Star Essay

Organise your points into a clear, chronological narrative that explains the intrigue.

The Introduction

Your opening paragraph must state your argument clearly and bust the “voted in” myth.

1. State clearly that Hitler was appointed, not elected by a majority.
2. Set the scene: the political crisis of late 1932 and the declining Nazi vote.
3. State your main argument (your thesis): that Hitler came to power due to a political deal made by conservative elites who underestimated him.
4. Outline the key players and events you will discuss.

Example Introduction:

On 30th January 1933, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany not because of an unstoppable wave of popular support, but because he was handed the position through a sordid political deal. Contrary to the popular myth, the Nazi Party never won a majority and its support was actually declining in late 1932. This essay will argue that Hitler came to power through the “back door,” as a result of a catastrophic miscalculation by a small group of conservative elites. The scheming of Franz von Papen, the failure of Kurt von Schleicher, and the reluctant agreement of President Hindenburg all combined to place Hitler in a position of power these men foolishly believed they could control.

The Main Body Paragraphs (PEEL Structure)

Use the PEEL structure to analyse each stage of the political drama.

• Point: Start with a sentence stating the factor you are discussing.
• Evidence: Provide specific knowledge (e.g., Nov 1932 election results, von Papen’s deal, the cabinet numbers).
• Explain: Explain how this event or action contributed to the final outcome.
• Link: Link your point back to the main question of how Hitler became Chancellor.

Example PEEL Paragraph:

(Point) The crucial turning point in Hitler’s path to the Chancellorship was the secret ‘backroom deal’ initiated by a vengeful Franz von Papen. (Evidence) Having been ousted by von Schleicher, von Papen met with Hitler in January 1933 and devised a plan to make Hitler Chancellor while surrounding him with a conservative cabinet. Von Papen would be Vice-Chancellor, and only two other Nazis would be included in the government. (Explanation) This deal was born of arrogance and a fatal underestimation of Hitler. Von Papen and his conservative allies believed they could use the Nazis’ mass support as a tool, with von Papen boasting he would have Hitler “in a corner squeaking.” They thought they were hiring a puppet, but in reality, they were opening the door to a master manipulator who would quickly outmaneuver them. (Link) Therefore, it was this political intrigue, driven by personal rivalry and conservative arrogance, that provided the final, decisive step in making Hitler Chancellor.

The Conclusion

Your conclusion should summarise your argument and offer a final, powerful thought.

1. Recap the main stages of the intrigue.
2. Reiterate your main thesis about the “back door” deal.
3. Finish with a “big picture” statement about this catastrophic miscalculation.

Example Conclusion:

In conclusion, Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor was the result of a political vacuum and a disastrous conspiracy. With the democratic system already dead and the traditional conservatives like von Papen and von Schleicher unable to command a majority, President Hindenburg felt his options were exhausted. He was persuaded by von Papen’s foolish plan to ‘tame’ the Nazis by bringing them into government. Hitler did not seize power; he was invited in. The story of January 1933 is the ultimate political lesson: the death of German democracy was not a grand public execution, but a quiet assassination in the back rooms of power, carried out by men who thought they were masters of the game, only to be consumed by the player they had just invited to the table.

Step 4: Common Mistakes to Avoid

• The “Voted In” Myth: This is the number one error. Stress that the Nazis’ vote had fallen and they never had a majority.
• Stopping in July 1932: The story is not about the Nazis becoming the biggest party. It’s about the intrigue that happened after that.
• Forgetting the Key Players: You must name Hindenburg, von Papen, and von Schleicher. Explain their individual roles and motivations (Hindenburg’s reluctance, Papen’s revenge, Schleicher’s failure).

By focusing on the sordid details of the political deal-making, you can write a sophisticated and historically accurate essay that is sure to achieve a top grade.

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