German presidential election, 1932

The presidential election (Reichspräsidentenwahl) of 1932 was the second and final direct election to the office of Reichspräsident ("Reich President"), Germany's head of state during the 1919-1933 Weimar Republic. The incumbent Reich President, Paul von Hindenburg, had been elected in 1925 but his seven year term expired in May. After two rounds of voting, on the 13th March and the 10th April, Hindenburg was re-elected to a second term of office. His major opponent in the election was Adolf Hitler of the Nazi Party (NSDAP).

Results

During the Weimar Republic the law provided that a candidate needed to receive an absolute majority of votes (i.e. more that half) in the first round of a presidential election in order to win. If no candidate achieved such a majority then a second ballot would occur in which the candidate supported by a plurality of votes would be deemed elected. It was permitted for a group to nominate an alternative candidate in the second round but, unlike in 1925, in 1932 this did not occur.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

First round

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Candidate

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Votes

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Paul von Hindenburg49.6%

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Adolf Hitler30%

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ernst Thälmann13.2%

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Theodor Duesterberg6.8%

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Second round

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Candidate

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Party membership

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Votes

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Paul von HindenburgNone53.0%

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Adolf HitlerNazi Party (NSDAP)36.8%

Related Topics:
Adolf Hitler - Nazi Party

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ernst ThaelmannCommunist Party (KPD)10.2%

Related Topics:
Ernst Thaelmann - Communist Party

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~