1933

It was cold in Berlin

on Monday, January 30, 1933.

But the skies were clear.

About 10 that morning,

Adolph Hitler

made his way down Wilhelmstrasse

to the seat of government.

 

The hopes of some were high:

the next government

would provide stability.

 

The swearing-in ceremony began at 11.

President of the Weimar Republic,

Paul von Hindenburg,

expressed his pleasure

that all sides had come together.

He nodded in appreciation

as the new chancellor promised

to uphold the constitution

and govern for the good of all.

 

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Appropriated with edits by Jonathan Ned Katz from Charles Hawley, “Jan. 30, 1933: The Story behind Hitler's Rise to Power.” Spiegel Online, January 30, 2008  03:59 PM.  Accessed November 11, 2016 from: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/jan-30-1933-the-story-behind-hitler-s-rise-to-power-a-532032.html