1933 Nazi Propaganda Map of the German Federal Elections that put Hitler in Power

When Germany chose Fascism.

A 1933 German propaganda map capturing one of the most pivotal moments in 20th-century history - the popular election of the Nazi Party into power in Germany and continental Europe's sharp turn towards fascism. Within months of the March 1933 election, the Nazi Party and its allies dismantled the Weimar Republic's federalist check-and-balance system and centralized political power into the hands of Adolf Hitler. From this moment, World War II (1939 - 1945) and the Holocaust were inevitable. This is the only known surviving example.

A Closer Look

Coverage embraces 1933 Weimar Germany with its constituent states labeled, though not delineated by internal borders. Election results across constituencies (Wahlkreise) are represented with flags indicating the share of the vote obtained by the Nazi Party, either independently or in coalition with conservative nationalist parties and, in some cases, the Catholic Zentrum Party and its Bavarian counterpart, the Bayerische Volkspartei. Red numerals denote the percentage of the total vote won by the Nazis, while the figures in parentheses below indicate the Nazis' share of the non-Communist vote. A note at right explains that in several Wahlkreise the Communists had been completely 'neutralized' (ausgeschaltet).

In southwestern Germany, Saarbrücken is under French occupation, a circumstance that the Nazis frequently exploited as a political rallying point. Reflecting the regime's distorted historical narrative, red lines mark the borders of territories said to have been 'ceded' (abgetreten) by Germany after World War I (1914 - 1918). These include not only former parts of the German Empire and disputed regions such as Alsace-Lorraine, but also previously occupied areas, such as Luxembourg.

Historical Context

The March 5, 1933, German Federal Election occurred against a backdrop of political intimidation and violence. Adolf Hitler had already been appointed Chancellor (January 30, 1933), and his Nazi regime used state resources to suppress opposition, especially the Communist Party (KPD). The Nazi Party's Sturmabteilung (SA, Brownshirts) disrupted rival political campaigns, arrested political opponents, and limited press freedom. Although the Nazi Party (NSDAP) did not win an outright majority, it secured 43.9% of the popular vote and 288 of 647 seats, making it the largest party in the Reichstag.

To consolidate power, the Nazis formed a coalition with the German National People's Party (DNVP), giving them a working majority. Shortly afterward, on March 23, 1933, the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act (Ermächtigungsgesetz), which allowed Hitler's government to enact laws without parliamentary approval, effectively dismantling Weimar Germany's checks and balances. Communist deputies had already been arrested or barred from taking their seats, and many Social Democrats faced intimidation, allowing the act to pass with the required two-thirds majority. This legislation marked the decisive step in transforming Germany from the democratic Weimar Republic into a dictatorship.

The consequences of the 1933 election were profound and immediate. Within months, the Nazis eliminated all remaining political opposition through a process known as Gleichschaltung (coordination), dissolving trade unions, banning other political parties, and centralizing power under the Nazi state. Germany became a one-party regime, with the NSDAP controlling government, society, and public life. These developments laid the foundation for the totalitarianism that governed Germany until 1945, enabling the regime to pursue aggressive expansionist policies, systematic persecution of political opponents and minorities, and ultimately the policies that led to the Second World War and the Holocaust.

Publication History and Census

This map was compiled shortly after the March 5, 1933, German Federal Election by Franz Stiessel in Hamborn, a suburb of Duisburg. At this time, Stiessel was an 'unofficial' Sturmfürer in the Sturmabteilung (SA, Brownshirts), a Nazi Party paramilitary organization. This is the only known surviving example.

Cartographer

Franz Stiessel (June 5, 1897 - c. 1947) was a Czech-born, ethnically German civil servant and Sturmführer (SA officer) active in the mid-20th century. Stiessel was born in Krupka (Graupen), Czech, then under the Austrian Empire. He served in the Austrian military during World War I (1914 - 1918), being decorated for service on the Italian front. He emigrated to Germany in 1925, settling in Duisburg. From 1932, he was a member of the Nazi Party and a unbe-Sturmfürer (an unpaid Storm Leader or officer). According to his own account, he was appointed to and acted in this position within the Sturmabteilung (SA, Brownshirts), a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party (NSDAP), but the posting was never confirmed, so he did not receive pay. Following the war, Stiessel went through the Denazification, an Allied program initiated after World War II (1939 - 1945) aimed at removing Nazi influence from German and Austrian society. Though the Denazification file reveals no damning details, it was not uncommon for former Nazi officers and political activists to diminish their role and position to avoid prosecution and stigmatization, so the Denazification records need to be read 'between the lines'. His cartographic contributions include a single known propaganda map issued to celebrate the 1933 German Federal Election.   Further Details...

Condition

Very good.