Adolf Hitler
...s come to mind when we hear the name Adolf Hitler. He has been called a tyrant, murderer, maniac and some have even gone as far as to call him the anti-Christ. There are no doubts that he was an evil man, but many people know little about his life when really there is much more to the mind that drove this sadistic killer. How did he become such a crazy man? An idea such as killing millions of people to create a more prefect world or sameness throughout the human race is absolutely psychotic and unrealistic. This vision was a fantasy world that no one on the earth would ever live in. Yet there was one man that truly believed in this fantasy. He had a plan, a scheme, sketched out in his head, of how this world would work. Yet the strange thing was that he did not fit in his own perfect world. Many ask how would someone come across this image? How is it possible? This image was created with constant negative influences throughout his life. The only way to understand who he was is to examine his past. All the bad things that effected Adolf Hitler Caused him to do the horrible things that he did. Adolf Hitler was born on 20th April, 1889, in the small Austrian town of Braunau near the German border. Both of Hitler’s parents came from poor peasant families. His father Alois Hitler, which was the illegitimate son of a housemaid, was an intelligent and ambitious man he later on became a senior custom official. Adolf Hitler’s mother Klara Hitler was Alois’ third wife. Alois was twenty three years older than Klara, Alois already had two children from his previous marriages. Hitler Did not know for sure who his paternal grandfather was, but it could have been either Johann Georg Hiedler or his brother Johann von Nepomuk Hiedler. There many rumors that Hitler was on quarter Jewish and that his grandmother Maria Schicklgruber had become pregnant after working as a servant in a Jewish household in Graz. During the (1920’s,) the implications of this along with his known family history were politically explosive, especially for the proponent of a racist ideology. People tried to prove that Hitler the leader of the (anti-Semitic) and (Jingoistic) Nazi Party, had Jewish or Czech ancestors. Although these rumors were never confirmed, although for Hitler they were reason enough to conceal his origins. Soviet Propaganda kept insisting that he was a Jew, Though newer research tends to diminish the probability that Hitler had Jewish or Czech ancestors. Klara and Alois (Hitler’s Parents) had five children but only Adolf and his younger sister Paula survived. Alois Hitler was born out of wedlock, and until he was 40 used his mother’s surname Schicklgruber. In 1876, He began using the name of his stepfather Johann Georg Hielder, after visiting a priest responsible for birth registries and declaring that Georg was his father ( Alois gave the impression that Georg was still alive but he was long dead.) Hitler’s father Alois was fifty one- when his son Adolf was born, his father wanted him to do well in life, Even though Alois did have another son by an earlier marriage but that son had been a big disappointment to him and eventually ended up in prison for theft. Alois was a very strict father who would savagely beat his son if he did not do as he was told. In Mein Kampf his autobiography, Adolf Hitler describes his father as an "irascible tyrant"; however, there is little indication that Alois Hitler treated his son more strictly than was usual for that time and place. Adolf Was an extremely bright and did very well in primary school, he appeared to be popular with his pupil and was much admired for his leadership qualities. He was also a deeply religious child and there for a while he considered the possibility of becoming a monk. The competition was much tougher in the larger secondary school and his reaction to not being top of the class was to stop trying. His father was furious as he had high hopes that Hitler would follow his example and join the Austrian civil service when he left school. However, Hitler was a stubborn child and the attempts by his parents and teachers to change his attitude towards his studies were unsuccessful. Hitler’s other interest at school was art. Adolf’s father was infuriated when Hitler told him that instead of joining the civil service he was going to become an artist. The relationship between Hitler and his father deteriorated and the conflict only ended with the death of his father (Alois Hitler) in January 1903 at the age of 65, Hitler was only Thirteen Adolf Hitler's schoolwork did not improve. At the age of 16, Hitler left school without graduating. From 1905 on, Hitler was able to live off of his father’s pension and support from his mother. After Adolf Hitler was rejected twice from the Academy of arts in Vienna (1907-1908) For his Lack of talent” Which Adolf Hitler resented deeply he did not try to find a different job or learn a profession. On December 21,1907 Adolf’s mother died a painful death from Brest cancer the death of Adolf’s mother affected him far more deeply than the death of his father. He had very fond memories of his mother, he carried her photograph wherever he went and, it is claimed that Adolf had his mothers picture in his hand when he died in (1945). Adolf worked as a struggling painter in Vienna, he was coping scenes from postcard and selling his paintings to merchants and also to tourist (there is evidence he produced over 2000 paintings and drawings before World War 1.) It’s when he was in Vienna that Hitler began to turn into an active anti-Semite, which was a common stance among Austrians at the time and deeply ingrained in the catholic culture that Hitler grew up in. Vienna had a very large Jewish community including many Orthodox Jews from Eastern Europe. Hitler Volunteered for the German Army, Hitler liked being in the army. For the first time he was part of a group that was fighting for a common goal. Hitler also liked the excitement of fighting in a war. Although fairly cautious in his actions, he did not mind risking his life and impressed his commanding officers for volunteering for dangerous missions. Hitler only reached the rank of corporal. This was probably due to his eccentric behavior and the fear that the other soldiers might not obey him since they considered him strange. In October 1918, Hitler was blinded in a British chlorine gas attack hew was sent to a military hospital and gradually recovered his sight. While Adolf was in the hospital Germany surrendered. Hitler then went in to a stated of deep depression, and had periods when he could not stop crying. He spent most of his time turned to the walls refusing to speak to anyone. Once again Hitler’s efforts had ended in failure. After the war Hitler was stationed in Munich, the capital of Bavaria. While Hitler was in Munich, (Kurt Eisner,) the leader of the ‘Independent Socialist Party,’ declared Bavaria a Socialist Republic. Hitler was appalled by the revolution. As a German Nationalist he disagreed with the socialist belief in equality. In November (1932, )Fritz Thyssen, Hjalmar Schacht and other leading German businessmen appealed to Hindenburg in a letter to appoint Hitler as leader of a non-democratic government "independent from parliamentary parties" which could turn into a movement that would "enrapture millions of people." Finally, Papen and Alfred Hugenberg (Chairman of the German National People’s Party the (DNVP,) which before the Nazis were Germany's principal right-wing party) conspired to persuade Hindenburg to appoint Hitler Chancellor in a coalition with the DNVP, promising they would be able to control him. When Schleicher was forced to admit failure in his efforts to form a coalition and asked Hindenburg for yet another Reichstag dissolution, Hindenburg fired him and appointed Hitler Chancellor, Papen Vice Chancellor and Hugenberg Minister of Economics in a cabinet which included only three Nazis, Hitler, Göring and Wilhelm Frick On (January 30,1933) Adolf Hitler was officially sworn in as Chancellor in the Reichstag chamber with thousands of Nazi supporters looking on and cheering. Subsequently, in the March (1933) elections the Nazis received 43.9% of the vote. The party gained control of a majority of seats in the Peichstag through a formal coalition with the (DNVP.) The Enabling Act that was passed after the Nazis expelled the Communist deputies, gave Hitler dictatorial authority. Under the (Enabling Act) the Nazi cabinet had the power to pass legislation just as the Reichstag did. The act further specified that the cabinet could only approve measures submitted by the chancellor (Hitler) and that it would lapse after a four year time upon the installation of a new government. The enabling act was renewed every four years even during the war. For the un-persuaded the storm troopers and the Gestapo (Secret State Police) were given a free hand. Thousands disappeared into concentration camps, Plus many more emigrated, including about half of Germany’s Jews. (1934) Ernst Pohm’s had become unpopular with many of the other influential political and military groups. Hitler ordered his lieutenant Himmler to kill Rohm’s. Along with about a dozen of other enemies Hitler wanted them killed on the night of June 29, (1934) (the night of the long knives.) Then from 1941 Jews were required to wear a yellow star in public. Between November (1938) and September (1939) more than 180,000 Jews fled Germany and the nazis seized whatever property that left behind. All the things that effected Adolf Hitler In his past and childhood led him to produce mass destruction between (1939)and (1945) when the Storm troopers assisted by collaborationist governments and recruits from occupied countries, They systematically killed approximately 11 million people (6 Million of whom were Jews) in the concentration camps, massive executions or even through less systematic methods elsewhere. Besides being gassed to death, many also died of starvation and disease while working as slave laborers. There were many others besides Jews, homosexuals, Roman Catholics, Protestants, Roma, physically handicapped, mentally retarded, Soviet prisoners of war, Jehovah’s Witnesses, trade unionist, psychiatric patients, that were killed. The massacres that led to the coining of the word “genocide” (The Endlosung or “Final Solution”) were planned and ordered by leading Nazis, with Himmler playing a key role. As the Soviet troops battled their way toward his Reich Chancellery in the center of the city, Hitler committed suicide in his (fuhrerbunker) on (April 30,1945) in Berlin by a self delivered shot to the head (some disputed accounts add that bit into a cyanide) Hitler’s body and Eva Braun, his long term mistress whom he had married the day before, were partially burned with gasoline and buried shortly thereafter in the Chancellery garden. LEGACY Paula Hitler (his younger sister)(1945)stated, “I would have preferred it if he’d followed his original ambition and become an architect.” The U.S intelligence operative After visiting these two places (Hitler’s mountain home and the lair) you can easily see how that within a few years Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived. John F. Kennedy, quoted, “He had boundless ambition for his country, which rendered him a menace to the peace of the world, but he had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him. He had in him the stuff of which legends are made.” The Post-War Diary of, Prelude to Leadership (pages 73-74, ) Adolf Hitler Many things come to mind when we hear the name Adolf Hitler. He has been called a tyrant, murderer, maniac and some have even gone as far as to call him the anti-Christ. There are no doubts that he was an evil man, but many people know little about his life when really there is much more to the mind that drove this sadistic killer. How did he become such a crazy man? An idea such as killing millions of people to create a more prefect world or sameness throughout the human race is absolutely psychotic and unrealistic. This vision was a fantasy world that no one on the earth would ever live in. Yet there was one man that truly believed in this fantasy. He had a plan, a scheme, sketched out in his head, of how this world would work. Yet the strange thing was that he did not fit in his own perfect world. Many ask how would someone come across this image? How is it possible? This image was created with constant negative influences throughout his life. The only way to understand who he was is to examine his past. All the bad things that effected Adolf Hitler Caused him to do the horrible things that he did. Adolf Hitler was born on 20th April, 1889, in the small Austrian town of Braunau near the German border. Both of Hitler’s parents came from poor peasant families. His father Alois Hitler, which was the illegitimate son of a housemaid, was an intelligent and ambitious man he later on became a senior custom official. Adolf Hitler’s mother Klara Hitler was Alois’ third wife. Alois was twenty three years older than Klara, Alois already had two children from his previous marriages. Hitler Did not know for sure who his paternal grandfather was, but it could have been either Johann Georg Hiedler or his brother Johann von Nepomuk Hiedler. There many rumors that Hitler was on quarter Jewish and that his grandmother Maria Schicklgruber had become pregnant after working as a servant in a Jewish household in Graz. During the (1920’s,) the implications of this along with his known family history were politically explosive, especially for the proponent of a racist ideology. People tried to prove that Hitler the leader of the (anti-Semitic) and (Jingoistic) Nazi Party, had Jewish or Czech ancestors. Although these rumors were never confirmed, although for Hitler they were reason enough to conceal his origins. Soviet Propaganda kept insisting that he was a Jew, Though newer research tends to diminish the probability that Hitler had Jewish or Czech ancestors. Klara and Alois (Hitler’s Parents) had five children but only Adolf and his younger sister Paula survived. Alois Hitler was born out of wedlock, and until he was 40 used his mother’s surname Schicklgruber. In 1876, He began using the name of his stepfather Johann Georg Hielder, after visiting a priest responsible for birth registries and declaring that Georg was his father ( Alois gave the impression that Georg was still alive but he was long dead.) Hitler’s father Alois was fifty one- when his son Adolf was born, his father wanted him to do well in life, Even though Alois did have another son by an earlier marriage but that son had been a big disappointment to him and eventually ended up in prison for theft. Alois was a very strict father who would savagely beat his son if he did not do as he was told. In Mein Kampf his autobiography, Adolf Hitler describes his father as an "irascible tyrant"; however, there is little indication that Alois Hitler treated his son more strictly than was usual for that time and place. Adolf Was an extremely bright and did very well in primary school, he appeared to be popular with his pupil and was much admired for his leadership qualities. He was also a deeply religious child and there for a while he considered the possibility of becoming a monk. The competition was much tougher in the larger secondary school and his reaction to not being top of the class was to stop trying. His father was furious as he had high hopes that Hitler would follow his example and join the Austrian civil service when he left school. However, Hitler was a stubborn child and the attempts by his parents and teachers to change his attitude towards his studies were unsuccessful. Hitler’s other interest at school was art. Adolf’s father was infuriated when Hitler told him that instead of joining the civil service he was going to become an artist. The relationship between Hitler and his father deteriorated and the conflict only ended with the death of his father (Alois Hitler) in January 1903 at the age of 65, Hitler was only Thirteen Adolf Hitler's schoolwork did not improve. At the age of 16, Hitler left school without graduating. From 1905 on, Hitler was able to live off of his father’s pension and support from his mother. After Adolf Hitler was rejected twice from the Academy of arts in Vienna (1907-1908) For his Lack of talent” Which Adolf Hitler resented deeply he did not try to find a different job or learn a profession. On December 21,1907 Adolf’s mother died a painful death from Brest cancer the death of Adolf’s mother affected him far more deeply than the death of his father. He had very fond memories of his mother, he carried her photograph wherever he went and, it is claimed that Adolf had his mothers picture in his hand when he died in (1945). Adolf worked as a struggling painter in Vienna, he was coping scenes from postcard and selling his paintings to merchants and also to tourist (there is evidence he produced over 2000 paintings and drawings before World War 1.) It’s when he was in Vienna that Hitler began to turn into an active anti-Semite, which was a common stance among Austrians at the time and deeply ingrained in the catholic culture that Hitler grew up in. Vienna had a very large Jewish community including many Orthodox Jews from Eastern Europe. Hitler Volunteered for the German Army, Hitler liked being in the army. For the first time he was part of a group that was fighting for a common goal. Hitler also liked the excitement of fighting in a war. Although fairly cautious in his actions, he did not mind risking his life and impressed his commanding officers for volunteering for dangerous missions. Hitler only reached the rank of corporal. This was probably due to his eccentric behavior and the fear that the other soldiers might not obey him since they considered him strange. In October 1918, Hitler was blinded in a British chlorine gas attack hew was sent to a military hospital and gradually recovered his sight. While Adolf was in the hospital Germany surrendered. Hitler then went in to a stated of deep depression, and had periods when he could not stop crying. He spent most of his time turned to the walls refusing to speak to anyone. Once again Hitler’s efforts had ended in failure. After the war Hitler was stationed in Munich, the capital of Bavaria. While Hitler was in Munich, (Kurt Eisner,) the leader of the ‘Independent Socialist Party,’ declared Bavaria a Socialist Republic. Hitler was appalled by the revolution. As a German Nationalist he disagreed with the socialist belief in equality. In November (1932, )Fritz Thyssen, Hjalmar Schacht and other leading German businessmen appealed to Hindenburg in a letter to appoint Hitler as leader of a non-democratic government "independent from parliamentary parties" which could turn into a movement that would "enrapture millions of people." Finally, Papen and Alfred Hugenberg (Chairman of the German National People’s Party the (DNVP,) which before the Nazis were Germany's principal right-wing party) conspired to persuade Hindenburg to appoint Hitler Chancellor in a coalition with the DNVP, promising they would be able to control him. When Schleicher was forced to admit failure in his efforts to form a coalition and asked Hindenburg for yet another Reichstag dissolution, Hindenburg fired him and appointed Hitler Chancellor, Papen Vice Chancellor and Hugenberg Minister of Economics in a cabinet which included only three Nazis, Hitler, Göring and Wilhelm Frick On (January 30,1933) Adolf Hitler was officially sworn in as Chancellor in the Reichstag chamber with thousands of Nazi supporters looking on and cheering. Subsequently, in the March (1933) elections the Nazis received 43.9% of the vote. The party gained control of a majority of seats in the Peichstag through a formal coalition with the (DNVP.) The Enabling Act that was passed after the Nazis expelled the Communist deputies, gave Hitler dictatorial authority. Under the (Enabling Act) the Nazi cabinet had the power to pass legislation just as the Reichstag did. The act further specified that the cabinet could only approve measures submitted by the chancellor (Hitler) and that it would lapse after a four year time upon the installation of a new government. The enabling act was renewed every four years even during the war. For the un-persuaded the storm troopers and the Gestapo (Secret State Police) were given a free hand. Thousands disappeared into concentration camps, Plus many more emigrated, including about half of Germany’s Jews. (1934) Ernst Pohm’s had become unpopular with many of the other influential political and military groups. Hitler ordered his lieutenant Himmler to kill Rohm’s. Along with about a dozen of other enemies Hitler wanted them killed on the night of June 29, (1934) (the night of the long knives.) Then from 1941 Jews were required to wear a yellow star in public. Between November (1938) and September (1939) more than 180,000 Jews fled Germany and the nazis seized whatever property that left behind. All the things that effected Adolf Hitler In his past and childhood led him to produce mass destruction between (1939)and (1945) when the Storm troopers assisted by collaborationist governments and recruits from occupied countries, They systematically killed approximately 11 million people (6 Million of whom were Jews) in the concentration camps, massive executions or even through less systematic methods elsewhere. Besides being gassed to death, many also died of starvation and disease while working as slave laborers. There were many others besides Jews, homosexuals, Roman Catholics, Protestants, Roma, physically handicapped, mentally retarded, Soviet prisoners of war, Jehovah’s Witnesses, trade unionist, psychiatric patients, that were killed. The massacres that led to the coining of the word “genocide” (The Endlosung or “Final Solution”) were planned and ordered by leading Nazis, with Himmler playing a key role. As the Soviet troops battled their way toward his Reich Chancellery in the center of the city, Hitler committed suicide in his (fuhrerbunker) on (April 30,1945) in Berlin by a self delivered shot to the head (some disputed accounts add that bit into a cyanide) Hitler’s body and Eva Braun, his long term mistress whom he had married the day before, were partially burned with gasoline and buried shortly thereafter in the Chancellery garden. LEGACY Paula Hitler (his younger sister)(1945)stated, “I would have preferred it if he’d followed his original ambition and become an architect.” The U.S intelligence operative After visiting these two places (Hitler’s mountain home and the lair) you can easily see how that within a few years Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived. John F. Kennedy, quoted, “He had boundless ambition for his country, which rendered him a menace to the peace of the world, but he had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him. He had in him the stuff of which legends are made.” The Post-War Diary of, Prelude to Leadership (pages 73-74, ) Adolf Hitler Many things come to mind when ...