Hindenburg beat Hitler as President, but was reluctant to appoint Hitler as chancellor, even though the NSDAP won the most seats. After some backroom negotiations, he appointed him as chancellor. After the Reichstag fire, Hindenburg passed a decree, which gave Hitler more power, which he used to eliminate his opponents, mainly in the KPD and SPD. After he did that, he could easily get the Enabling Act of 1933 passed, which allowed him to override constitutional rights and pass legislation without parliament. Finally, Hindenburg died next year, and Hitler merged the positions of Chancellor and President into the position of Fuhrer, giving himself absolute power.
Basically, he was never directly elected, but he used the existing systems to give himself absolute power. He did nothing illegal whatsoever.
Hindenburg beat Hitler as President, but was reluctant to appoint Hitler as chancellor, even though the NSDAP won the most seats. After some backroom negotiations, he appointed him as chancellor. After the Reichstag fire, Hindenburg passed a decree, which gave Hitler more power, which he used to eliminate his opponents, mainly in the KPD and SPD. After he did that, he could easily get the Enabling Act of 1933 passed, which allowed him to override constitutional rights and pass legislation without parliament. Finally, Hindenburg died next year, and Hitler merged the positions of Chancellor and President into the position of Fuhrer, giving himself absolute power.
Basically, he was never directly elected, but he used the existing systems to give himself absolute power. He did nothing illegal whatsoever.