[watwut]

> So were the Nazis, though.

That is not an actual full truth there. First, there was considerable threat of violence and violence in an attempts to prevent wrong people from voting in those elections.

Second, the actual takeover of power after election did not respected German constitution at the time. And that vote was done with brownshirts lining up around the room, ready to physically attack.

[hef19898]

Well, the first election was as legit as any other election before when measured by Weimar Republic standards. As was the process of forming a coalition government. The second election so was a total power grab and the opposite of legitimate.

When you visit the Reichstag in Berlin you can see all the postboxes of past members of parliament, including people like Göring and Hitler. Because the first time they were elected legitimately. After that, and until the formation of the BRD, those boxes show a gap for obvious reasons.

We would all do ourselves a favor by acknowledging the fact that the Nazis were, at one point, a legitimate political party in a legitimate democracy. Because there are a lot of lessons to be drawn from that very fact.

[watwut]

They were legal political party that got to parlament. They got 30% votes roughly.

One of their tactics was considerable amount of street violence, both during elections to prevent wrong people from voting and to make them afraid of voting for wrong party. And also considerable violence to create chaose that would need order. People like to pretend those were normal elections to make a point about fragility of democracy. But, the real point is maybe that parties that are violent before getting power continue to be violent after.

And maybe that another point is that threats and violence around election day and toward voters matter - and makes those elections not really free.

Afaik, there was no similar violence and threats in Ukraine. Their elections and Nazi elections were not comparable. Weinmar with all its political violence for years (and not just from nazi) is not comparable to Ukraine before Russian invasion either.

[hef19898]

Sure, they used violence. As I said, the first time the elections wasn't any special compared to others in the Weimar republic. And sure, violent people and organizations only become more violent the power they have and the more shit they get away with.

The true violence campaign happened during the second election so. Which is the reason this election isn't considered legitimate anymore. And 30 % would make them a contender to form a coalition government in modern day Germany, just for perspective.

[watwut]

> As I said, the first time the elections wasn't any special compared to others in the Weimar republic.

I don't really think this is true. Nazi party itself behaved differently in different elections.