The liberal SDP split with the communists, supporting “centrist” Hindenburg in the name of unity.
The communists campaigned on “A vote for Hindenburg is a vote for Hitler is a vote for war”
Hindenburg, the liberal candidate, won the election, then proceeded to make Hitler, chancellor and staff positions in government with nazis while purging the government of communists.
The nazis then barely had to do anything to assert complete control.
The nazis didn’t get in power because people voted fascist, they got into power because liberals prefer fascism to working with communists.
First off, the communists split from the SPD, not the other way around. Second, the communists completely refused to work with the (according to them) "social fascist" SPD. Third, the one alternative to Hindenburg in that election was literally Hitler and the other was Thälmann who, again, was as explicitly anti-democratic as Hitler. Fourth, Hindenburg did not immediately appoint Hitler, he did so only after Hitler had secured a majority in parliament (courtesy of the DNVP). Fifth, no, the alleged liberals (social democrats) did not cooperate with the communists because the communists were too busy trying to turn Germany into a second Soviet Union and were the only ones to vote against the enabling act (the communists having already been purged from parliament). The communists only made token efforts at reconciliation after Hitler had already succeeded.
First off, the communists split from the SPD, not the other way around. Second, the communists completely refused to work with the (according to them) “social fascist” SPD.
This is the correct response to the SPD endorsing Hindenburg in the name of unity (against the communists) after years of the SPD arming and approving the freikorps massacring the communists.
Thälmann who, again, was as explicitly anti-democratic as Hitler
The fact that you consider the alternative to Hitler and the guy who gave power to Hitler to be unfeasible shows that liberals haven't changed, you still prefer fascism to working with the left.
trying to turn Germany into a second Soviet Union
The USSR went from one of the poorest countries in the world to a space-faring superpower in a single lifetime. Imagine what it could do for an already industrialized country.