German election and referendum, 1936

German election
and referendum, 1936

29 March 1936

All 741 seats in the Reichstag 371 seats needed for a majority Turnout 99.00%   Majority party   Leader Adolf Hitler Party NSDAP Leader since 29 July 1921 Last election 661 seats, 92.11% Seats won 741 (Sole legal party) Seat change 80 Popular vote 44,462,458 Percentage 98.80% Swing 6.69%

Chancellor before election Adolf Hitler NSDAP Subsequent Chancellor Adolf Hitler NSDAP

Parliamentary elections were held in Germany on 29 March 1936.^[1] They took the form of a single-question referendum, asking voters whether they approved of the military occupation of the Rhineland and a single party list for the new Reichstag composed exclusively of Nazis and nominally independent "guests" of the party. Like previous elections in Nazi Germany, it was characterized by high turnout, voter intimidation and a massively lop-sided result, with an official 99.0% turnout. In a publicity stunt, a handful of voters were packed aboard the airships Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg, which flew above the Rhineland as those aboard cast their ballots.^[2]

The new Reichstag convened for formulary procedures on 30 January 1937 to re-elect its Presidium and Hermann Göring as President of the Reichstag.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
National Socialist German Workers Party (including blank votes)	44,462,458	98.80	741
Against	540,244	1.20	–
Invalid			–
Total	45,002,702	100	741
Registered voters/turnout	45,455,217	99.00	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p762 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. The Associated Press. "Germans for Hitler 99 Per Cent Strong: All Ballots Against Nazi Held Invalid", Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner. 30 March 1936. Page 1.

External links

• Electoral propaganda posters from the Nazi era, including from the 1936 election and referendum