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Germany marks 75 years since parliament ceded power to Hitler

Germany's justice minister solemnly noted the upcoming 75th anniversary of a key milestone in the Nazi seizure of power — a pressured vote in parliament that allowed Adolf Hitler to become dictator.

Brigitte Zypries said the so-called Enabling Act — passed by Germany's parliament on March 23, 1933 — signaled the legislative body's own demise.

"With the passage of the Enabling Act, the parliament disempowered itself — the abandonment of the division of power destroyed the foundations for our liberal democracy," Zypries said Thursday.

"Today we think of those parliamentarians who at that time — without consideration for themselves — fought for democracy and defended the people against the coming dictatorship," she added.
Read entire article at AP