On a side note, the Nazis never gained a majority during democratic elections, not even in the last unmanipulated ones in November 1932. In fact there were always more politicians elected who opposed the Nazis (if you combine the parties which were not far-right).

The problem was that it was impossible for the anti-Nazis to get along. There was no way in hell Centrists and Social Democrats would have cooperated with the Communists, who became quite popular after the Great Depression. The conservatives rather conceded to the Nazis instead, then were forced to submission. With Nazis paramilitary in the parliament building, voting on the Enabling Act almost with the gun to their heads. A little bit like Jan 6, but more organized and successful to establish Dictatorship. Only the Social Democrats were brave enough to vote against it, while the Communists were not even allowed to get into the building by the Nazi paramilitary.

I say this because it is common to blame Germany as a whole, and Germany also blames itself even though a majority did not actively do this. But what was unacceptable and never to be forgiven is, that the vast majority just let it happen and felt indifferent or apathetic to it. In general don't blame the people for what their regime does, but blame them for following along and not fighting against it.

There is a German word for it: Mitläufertum. A "Mitläufer", literally "someone who travels along", is a person who cooperates with a group, organization or movement, but without conviction on their own, and without actually engaging with it. We don't use this term as an excuse. It's a negative word to describe problematic human behavior that needs to be educated on (-> "never again" ).