[wideawake]

it was Hitler’s original intention (as I recall reading history) to win the Presidency in order to dismantle the Weimar Republic from the top down

The Presidency was not the key to this process: the Chancellorship was.

The President was not permitted dictatorial power, but he was permitted to give the Chancellor dictatorial power.

Hitler did not want to grant someone else dictatorial power - he wanted to have dictatorial power.

[mkjessup]

The Presidency was not the key to this process: the Chancellorship was.
The President was not permitted dictatorial power, but he was permitted to give the Chancellor dictatorial power.
Hitler did not want to grant someone else dictatorial power - he wanted to have dictatorial power.

OK, I get that. But maybe you can help me out here: if an elected official can 'grant' another elected official 'dictatorial power', does that not mean that the first official already HAS such power?

How can one grant such powers unless they first possess said powers themselves?