the last "free" election in weimar germany was in march 1933. the nazi party won 44% of the vote. this was not a majority. after the reichstag fire, they managed to get the two-thirds majority they needed to pass the "ermächtigungsgesetz" (enabling act). with this new law, they dissolved parliament; gave hitler the power to do anything he wanted; and made all political parties (except the nazi party ) illegal.