Unused ballot with 5 candidates, including Hindenburg and Hitler, for the first 1932 German presidential election

Identifier
irn522531
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2004.659.5
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • German
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

overall: Height: 5.625 inches (14.288 cm) | Width: 4.000 inches (10.16 cm)

Archival History

The ballot was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2004.

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, The Abraham and Ruth Goldfarb Family Acquisition Fund

Funding Note: The acquisition of this collection was made possible by The Abraham and Ruth Goldfarb Family Acquisition Fund.

Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Scope and Content

Unused ballot distributed for the first round of the 1932 Presidential election in Germany held March 12. The last election had been held in 1925. By the 1930s, the skilled propaganda campaigns of the Nazi Party had transformed Adolf Hitler from a little known extremist to a leading candidate for President. The first ballot had five candidates with the incumbent President, Paul von Hindenburg, receiving 49.6% of the vote - just short of the majority. A second run-off election between Hindenburg, Hitler, and Thalmann, the Communist candidate, was held on April 10. Hindenburg obtained the largest vote percentage, 53%, and was re-elected to a second seven-year term of office. Hitler received 37% of the vote. On January 30, 1933, Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor of Germany.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Small, rectangular, offwhite paper ballot with German text in Fraktur typeface printed in black ink. The election title is at the top in large, bold font. Below is a chart with 6 horizontal rectangular divisions with 2 columns. The left column is a wide, rectangular section with no vertical line closing the left side. This column contains the candidate’s name in bold font with their position title. There are 5 candidates, so the final, 6th row is blank. The right column is a series of square boxes with an empty circle outline to use to mark one's vote. The ballot is unused and printed slightly off-center. The reverse is blank.

Subjects

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.