Hitler, socialists & conservatives - and his mc supporters
Hitler conned some early wc supporters by adding the "socialist"
but he had his left-leaning comrades slaughtered by the Gestapo in 1934 in the "night of the Long Knives"
Many middle class conservatives favoured Hitler as a bulwark against socialism & communism and were the bedrock of his support.
Many of the military supported him too, for his nationalism.
Some large private businesses supported him and later benefited from slave labour provided by the Nazis.
Some very wealthy fascist businessmen funded him,
e.g Fritz Thyssen who after the war was tried for his Nazi collaboration,
but only convicted of minor charges, not the use of slave labour or mass murder
His family enjoy their wealth today.
Before Hitler came to power, the SPD (Social Democrats) and the Nazis had frequent street battles.
After the voters made the evil decision to choose fascism and make the Nazis the largest party,
Hitler was appointed Chancellor in 1933
The conservatives continued to support him
The SPD was the only party in the Reichstag (the German Parliament) to vote against the Enabling Laws,
which created a one-party state and allowed Hitler to do anything he wanted.
The conservatives again supported / tolerated Hitler
The communist MPs had been arrested or fled arrest before the vote.
The SPD was then banned.
Many members were subsequently imprisoned and killed by the Nazi government, while others fled the country.
After the war, the SPD survivors resumed politics.
Due to the continual collaboration of the old conservatives with Hitler,
the allies encouraged their replacement by a new moderate right of centre party, the CDU,
formed from the pre-war Catholic centre party and assorted liberals and moderate conservatives,
some of whom had been imprisoned under the Nazis.
Merkel now leads the CDU - which is the party I voted for, btw,
on the grounds of policy, competence and leadership