Why did the Nazis best exploit Germany's political situation in early 1933?

Answer 1

1933 was an election year in Germany and the then-current government (Weimar Republic) was under criticism by many opposition groups, from communists to fascists to anarchists, you name it. The republican and career military man Paul von Hindenburg was running for re-election as president, and Adolph Hitler ran against him under the comfort and support of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP), with much support from the party membership via advertising and "man on the street" handshaking, and also more than a little outright strong-arming and threats, by activists in hopes of getting Hitler voted into the office, so as to do away with the "hated" Weimar Republic. Hitler lost the election (and not by a very wide margin) but still garnered enough public support to prompt President Hindenburg and his administration to appoint Hitler as Chancellor, in effect "tossing him a bone" so as to "keep a rein on him" since they considered Hitler to be dangerous if left to his own ambitious devices. Thus, Hindenburg would "rule" Germany while Hitler would "run" it... but not for long. In 1934 the elderly and infirm Hindenburg died, Hitler succeeded Hindenburg as President after combining the offices of the Presidency and the Chancellory into a single office, "Fuhrer" and the rest is history.