Quote Originally Posted by AdrianII
The point is that the Communists were immediately forced to go 'underground' after the Reichstag fire because their leaders and activists were persecuted. They were blamed for the fire by the Hitler government. Its propaganda machine frightened the population with the prospect of an imminent Communist uprising and it made Hitler look like the only real bulwark against it. The Social Democrats could no longer campaign either, their party publications were confiscated and their public manifestations forbidden. Hence these elections were not free, fair or representative. They were, in one word, null.

EDIT
I have reread the whole thread, including your contributions, and frankly I fail to see what your point is. You claim that those 44% of the electorate who voted for the NSDAP in March 1933 knew exactly what Hitler was all about.

I believe that many historians have rightly stated that even Adolf Hitler did not know what Hitler was all about in March of 1933, and in many other instances as well. Ian Kershaw for instance makes a very convincing case that Goebbels had to make a real effort to convince Hitler to adopt some of the more gruesome anti-Jewish measures.

"...and frankly I fail to see what your point is ."

Post no. 6 - "Hitler was not responsible for the death of (20 , 30 , 40 , 50 or 60) millions , it was he , his party , his army , a big part of his nation , and so many collaborators ."
Post no. 46 - "Imho , the German people (let say , a big part of it) in the 30' was the best audience that Hitler could have ."
Post no. 54 - "Yes , you (AdrianII)are saying that the Germans did not vote for Hitler because of his Mambo Jumbo but because of his economical program . Correct ? If so , Tribesman is right , they did not know anything about his militarism , imperialism , racism , hatred etc' ? I say , give them the credit , they knew exactly what Hitler stands for ."
Post no. 74 - (quoting tribesman) "Ceasar :But the economical program was inexorably linked to the racist program , everything from finance to education , health , agriculture and......
(me) "Yes , that is exactly what I meant ."
Post no. 76 - "Hitler came to power by the German people , that is the point , he did not took the power as a representative of some kind of junta . I am sure that we(me and you AdrianII) are looking at it the same way . And the conclusion is that the responsibility for the victims of WWII is on a big part of the German nation 33-45 ."

I can't make my self more clear than that .
Now I admit , I was wrong by saying that we are in agreement on the subject , you , apparently , clear the German nation from its responsibility of rising Hitler to power by saying that they did not know what he was , that they voted for him just because he promised them jobs and cars . More than that , you are saying that the 56% in 3/1933 were a lie (although I have showed that they achieved 49% in 11/1932) .
My point is very clear - Hitler was a man of the people and the German aristocracy , and my (and many others) conclusion is - the German nation was responsible for the crimes and the victims of WWII .