How did Hitler become a dictator if Germany was a democracy?

Hitler was appointed as Chancellor by President Hindenburg. Under the Weimar constitution the Chancellor was not directly elected, the President had the power to appoint him. Hindenburg was initially reluctant to give the Chancellorship to Hitler but eventually relented.

In 1933 the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act which allowed Hitler to rule by decree. The Nazis did not have a majority in the Reichstag, they had just over a third of the seats, but they got the Enabling Act passed with the support of the centrist and right-wing parties, who probably just wanted strong leadership and didn't realise how dangerous Hitler's programme would be for Germany. The SDP voted against it, the Communist deputies were all barred from attending.

I admit I do not know a lot about the circumstances leading up to Hitler's appointment as Chancellor, but I understand that democracy was very fragile in Germany anyway. The Weimar Republic was Germany's first attempt at a true parliamentary democracy, but many people saw it as a regime that was imposed on them by the victors after WW1, and therefore did not defend it as enthusiastically as they might have done.

Hitler was appointed Chancellor in early 1933. This position is sort of analogous to a prime minister. The Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag, the German legislature, at the time and so Hitler was the natural choice to lead the new government.

About a month after Hitler was sworn in, a big fire tore through the Reichstag building, damaging extensive portions of it. A mentally ill Dutch communist was arrested for starting the fire (at the time many critics of the Nazis thought the Nazis had actually set it, but historians now believe that the Nazis actually arrested the real culprit). In response to the fire, Hitler got the government to issue an emergency decree, known as the Reichstag Fire Decree, that suspended a number of civil liberties and gave him as Chancellor extraordinary powers. This was justified as necessary to combat the supposed Communist menace in Germany and the decree was supported by many German people. With this decree in place, the Nazis were able to eliminat many of their rivals and consolidate their power. Further roll backs of civil liberties and democratic government followed until Germany was effectively no longer a democracy.

simple there was a president of Germany ie Hindenburg a very old but respected leader he was the kind of king now Germany had a king in WW1 Wilhelm but they due to the world war starting and his poor leadership qualities they made him abdicate and the military took over running the country Hindenburg included. this is the structure of most democracies a government but a failsafe that can stop dictation as Chancellor Hitler had a opposition powerful enough to stop him the president sadly he died shortly after and Hitler used his position to use a flaw in the new system with no king now he took the Presidency unto his self he was now unstoppable no failsafe

He got in through an election, then banned all other political parties, trade unions,and censored the press, this made him leader for life.

The Reichstag Fire Decree.
Which removed many civil liberties and resulted in the removal of the Communists in the German parliament and restrictions on the Social Democrats.

And

The Enabling Act.
Which allowed Hitler and the Nazi party to pass laws without reference to the German parliament (Reichstag). Because a large proportion of the Reichstag members had been neutralised or intimidated this act was passed – and instantly Hitler was de facto dictator.

The short answer is, he was ELECTED. He was a populist that the German people chose as their leader.

Democracies, like any other system of government, are not perfect. It really doesn't take much to either hijack one or prevent one from working.

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Because the German people voted in a dictator of course. That's how you take advantage of democracy.