How and when did Hitler gain power and what was the Third Reich?

Adolf Hitler gained power in 1933 after trade unionist groups that had a significant influence on German politics were attempting to take over control of the government. The Nazis had been winning a series of elections in the run-up to Hitler's appointment in 1933, and most of them assumed they would be able to control Hitler once he was Chancellor.

Hitler proceeded to cement control of his power by amending German laws to allow the country to be a totalitarian state. The death of President von Hindenburg shortly after Hitler became Chancellor marked an intriguing point in German history. By a plebiscite that was approved by 9 out of every 10 German voters, the decision was made to merge the Chancellor's office with that of the President. This made Adolf Hitler assume total control of the country by 1934.

The Third Reich is the term used to define the nation-state that succeeded the Weimar Republic in Germany. The Nazis used the term to refer to Germany as a country, with the term directly referring to Germany as the third German empire. The First Reich was the medieval Holy Roman Empire and the Second Reich was the German Empire from 1871-1918.

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