1938 German parliamentary election and referendum

Parliamentary elections were held in Germany (including recently annexed Austria) on 10 April 1938.[1] They were the final elections to the Reichstag during Nazi rule and took the form of a single-question referendum asking whether voters approved of a single list of Nazi and pro-Nazi guest candidates for the 813-member Reichstag as well as the recent annexation of Austria. Turnout in the election was officially 99.5% with 98.9% voting 'yes'.[2] In Austria official figures claimed 99.73% voted in favour with a turnout of 99.71%.

1938 German parliamentary election

10 April 1938 4 December 1938
All 813 seats in the Reichstag 407 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	99.50% 0.5 pp
Majority party   Leader Adolf Hitler Party NSDAP Leader since 29 July 1921 Last election 741 seats, 98.80% Seats won 813 (Sole legal party) Seat change 72 Popular vote 48,751,587 Percentage 98.93% Swing 0.13%
Composition of the Reichstag, 1938
Chancellor before election Adolf Hitler NSDAP Subsequent Chancellor Adolf Hitler NSDAP

The elections were held largely to rally official support from the new Ostmark (Austrian) province, although further elections for 41 seats were held in the recently annexed Sudetenland on 4 December.[1] NSDAP candidates and "guests" officially received 97.32% of the votes.[3]

The recently completed Kraft durch Freude cruise ship MV Wilhelm Gustloff was anchored in international waters near the United Kingdom to serve as a floating polling station for German and Austrian citizens living in the UK. On 10 April 1938, 1,978 voters (including 806 Austrians) were ferried from Tilbury, east of London. Only ten voted against annexation.[4]