80 Years Ago: Hitler's Critical Appointment as Chancellor of Germany3 photos

Adolf Hitler's path to power began with a series of events: his life as a freelance artist; his fascination with the concept of pan-Germanism; his involvement in right-wing political movements. His political career truly took off after he joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) in 1919. By 1921, he had become the party's leader. In 1923, he attempted a armed coup, but after its failure, he spent nine months in prison. By 1932, his party had gained a majority in Parliament, and he rapidly rose to power. On January 30, 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Just a year later, after the death of Paul von Hindenburg, he also became President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief, thereby accumulating legislative, executive, and judicial powers. From that moment on, Germany descended into a fascist dictatorship.