▁those ▁who ▁supported ▁H inden burg ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁elections . ▁Some ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁were ▁still ▁lu ke w arm ▁towards ▁H inden burg ; ▁the ▁Commun ists ▁explo ited ▁this ▁by ▁running ▁Th äl mann ▁and ▁prom oting ▁him ▁as ▁" the ▁only ▁left ▁candidate ". ▁H inden burg ▁failed ▁to ▁receive ▁the ▁requ is ite ▁majority ▁of ▁votes ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round , ▁but ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁win ▁re e lection ▁in ▁the ▁run off . ▁ ▁H inden burg ' s ▁re e lection ▁failed ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁NS D AP ▁from ▁assuming ▁power . ▁Two ▁success ive ▁federal ▁elections ▁later ▁that ▁year ▁left ▁it ▁as ▁the ▁largest ▁party ▁in ▁the ▁Reich stag ▁and ▁anti ▁We imar ▁ ▁parties ▁in ▁the ▁majority . ▁Under ▁this ▁political ▁climate , ▁H inden burg ▁appointed ▁Hitler ▁as ▁Chan cell or ▁of ▁Germany ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁Upon ▁H inden burg ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁Hitler ▁de ▁fact o ▁assumed ▁the ▁presiden cy , ▁which ▁he ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁ch an cell or ship ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁F ühr er ▁und ▁Reich sk anz ler . ▁This ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁last ▁president ial ▁election ▁in ▁what ▁would ▁become ▁West ▁Germany ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁It ▁remains ▁ ▁the ▁last ▁direct ▁election ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁President . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁had ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁collapse ▁of ▁the ▁monarch ical ▁German ▁Empire . ▁In ▁its ▁place ▁arose ▁the ▁We imar