The German leadership sought to gain approval for Adolf Hitler's assumption of supreme power.

Hitler used the resultant large "yes" vote to claim public support to succeed Hindenburg as the de facto head of state of Germany, though he had assumed presidential powers in addition to his own powers as Chancellor immediately upon Hindenburg's death.

Weimar President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor on 30 January 1933.

[16] While there was undoubtedly considerable pressure to vote in the affirmative,[17][18] historians Hedwig Richter and Ralph Jessen argue that "fraud and manipulation were not so prevalent as to fundamentally distort the results".

[19] On 1 August, with Hindenburg's death imminent, the cabinet passed the Law Concerning the Head of State of the German Reich.

Three hours later, Hitler issued a decree announcing that he had assumed the president's powers in accordance with the new law.

In some places, polling booths were removed, or banners reading "only traitors enter here" hung over the entrances to discourage secret voting.

[25] The relative lack of support in Hamburg in 1933 prompted Hitler to declare a "virtual national holiday" on 17 August 1934 so that he could address the German people directly over the 4.3 million registered radio sets.

[28] Support for merging the offices of president and chancellor was greatest in East Prussia, where official figures show that 96% voted in favour.

[34] For instance, Joseph Goebbels's diary entry for 22 August speaks of the referendum as a failure: "Initial results: very bad.

"[35] Nevertheless, historian Ian Kershaw argues that even after accounting for the manipulation of the voting process, the results "reflected the fact that Hitler had the backing, much of it fervently enthusiastic, of the great majority of the German people.

[36] Historian Sidney Fay said that the increase in the opposition vote relative to the 1933 referendum was expected due to conflicts with the church, economic difficulties, and the then-recent Night of the Long Knives (a purge on 30 June 1934 that ensured the army would continue to support Hitler's regime).