In early June, he withdrew from Berlin to his country estate in Neudeck, East Prussia (today Ogrodzieniec, in Poland).

[2][3] Hitler, who had been appointed Reich Chancellor on 30 January 1933, now saw this arrangement as a potential threat, since the new president would have the authority to dismiss him.

[4] Accordingly, as early as in April 1934, Hitler began to lay plans for altering the rules of succession yet again, after he had learned that Hindenburg would likely die before the year was out.

The full text is available below in German and in English: The law was signed by Hitler in his position as Reichskanzler, Deputy Chancellor Franz von Papen, and 13 other members of the Reich cabinet.

Hitler immediately assumed the powers and duties of the presidency in accordance with the law and was styled "Führer und Reichskanzler" (Leader and Reich Chancellor).

According to historian William L. Shirer, Hindenburg, anticipating his death, had prepared a document advocating a restoration of the House of Hohenzollern in a constitutional monarchy.

Also noteworthy was the promotion of Oskar von Hindenburg, a career army officer in the Reichswehr, from Oberst to Generalmajor shortly following the referendum.

By becoming Supreme Commander of the Reichswehr, he ensured the loyalty of the military, particularly after his Minister of Defense, Generaloberst Werner von Blomberg, altered the military oath so that all members of the armed forces swore unconditional allegiance, not to the Republic or to the constitution, but to Hitler personally.

In his final political testament, he named Großadmiral Karl Dönitz as Reich President, thereby resurrecting the office he had effectively usurped nearly 11 years earlier.