Ben Wilson

Hindenburg is like, what is going on?

Why have I been waiting in here?

But the whole thing does go off in the end, and Hindenburg invites them into his office to make Hitler chancellor.

Ludendorff, who had known Hitler longer than almost anyone, immediately wrote to Hindenburg.

He wrote, quote, "...you have delivered up our holy German fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all time.

I solemnly prophesy that this accursed man will cast our Reich into the abyss and bring our nation to inconceivable misery."

Future generations will damn you in your grave for what you have done.

Now, of course, others were not so worried.

Franz von Papen said, quote, we've hired him.

One of his associates, Alfred Hugenberg, said, we're boxing Hitler in.

They really believed this.

They believed that they had brought Hitler's electoral credibility and his popularity to support their government.

That is what they thought was happening.

And they were, of course, catastrophically, historically wrong about that.

Hitler was not boxed in.

Hitler was not their puppet.

Hitler was not their employee.

That afternoon, the members of the Hitler cabinet trooped into Hindenburg's room.

Hindenburg, who had been kept waiting, was piqued about it, gave a brief welcoming address.

Hitler solemnly swore to carry out his obligations without party interests and for the good of the whole nation.