this isn't all that well thought out even in terms of evil mastermindery
I don't see it as a long-term plan; it's just plastering.
I have to write this out or it'll keep up for another sleepless night :(
It's off the top of my head. Historians will correct me.
In uncertain times for Germany, when the nation was feeling very anxious about their unstable economy and threats from neighbouring powers, one Adolf Hitler gained popularity on a well-being platform. Preaching a combination of national austerity and morale-boosting, he promoted impressive self-improvement brigades for children, adult education programs, health & fitness regimes, new parks and the idealised image of German life that struck the hearts of miserable citizens.
Despite his vote-pulling popularity, his numbers never added up. Because of this he couldn't reel in the weight of support he needed for victory, but managed to retain a place in a hung election. The vote was so uncertain it went to a second poll, which gave much the same result. The old prime minister - who was popular, but whose party was weakened by internal bickering - kept his post but now had to make major decisions (like changes in law) in collaboration with Hitler and the leader of the other opposition party.
The three parties could never agree. Hitler put forward an electoral reform proposal, which he knew would never be agreed, but the German constitution required that it be considered. When the other leaders turned up for the meeting, they were met by a rank of armed soldiers with guns, working for Hitler. He then insisted - with a gun literally at their heads - the other leaders sign his proposal. This proposal made his party the leaders and basically outlawed elections (he had this ratified, later, by lawyers working for him.)
The story of the armed bullies was never leaked. People who might risk shooting their mouths off were killed. Publicly, the three parties had agreed to adopt Hitler's policies - and, since money was now channelled into his wellbeing program without thought for future costs, it was a very popular move.
When the money started to run out, State campaigns against 'grasping parasites' began. Taxpayers were urged to dob in their neighbours for harbouring 'greedy' jews, 'shifty' gypsies and expensive 'cripples'. As communities were turned against one another, accusing anybody and everybody of stealing their money, it became evident that all the kids and people in the health/moral programmes had been learning the classic (Aryan) German was a different, superior species to the rest. As such, they felt no worse about condemning their shopkeepers, nurses, neighbours and secretaries to an unknown fate.
That's how the ghettoes began. Economic 'parasites' were forced to go live in restricted areas, which were overcrowded and much like a more picturesque version of today's Palestine. Incoming trade was not allowed. Over time, the guards on these ghettoes were given stricter rules and harsher punishments. In some of them, 75% of the residents had been shot by the time the deportations to concentration camps began.
Every student of politics learns how to acquire absolute power (it's identical to the mechanics of abuse, on a large scale.) This is supposedly taught as a warning but ... If a warning sounds and nobody listens, what then?