Life Of Adolf Hitler

Summary: Details the life of Adolf Hitler. Examines his rise to power in post WWI Germany. Lists a number of the atrocities committed by Hitler and the Nazis during World War II.
"Whoever lights the torch of war in Europe can wish for nothing but chaos." That was said by the famous German dictator, known as Adolf Hitler. Would we say he kept his promise? Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889,in Braunau, Austria. Braunau is on the Inn River along the Bavarian-German boarder. Hitler lived in Linz, Austria for most of his childhood. When Adolf graduated from elementary school, he started to become rebellious. When he was 16 years old he gave up and left education entirely. Adolf Hitler dreamed of becoming a famous artist. In 1907, his mother died of unknown circumstances and shortlythereafter he moved to Vienna. He wanted to enroll in the Academy of Fine Arts to pursue his goal, but he was not accepted. His rejection by the Academy of Fine Arts is what many people think to be the start of his madness or insanity.
In May 1913, Hitler tried to avoid being drafted into the Austrian military. He escaped across the German border, into Munich, but was arrested and turned over to theAustrian police. He needed to get examined so he could be drafted. Due to certain abnormalities, Hitler failed the draft physical examination. Happy to have failed his exam and being released from the draft, Hitler returned to Munich. As he returned, World War I broke out. This changed Hitler's mind. He decided he was going to volunteer to be in the German army. (Byers, Paula k.)

Hitler foughton the Western Front. He had gained promotions to Corporal, but no further. He won several awards for bravery and was injured twice. He also got the very respected Iron Cross First Class. After the war, Hitler joined a German Worker's Party in 1919.As a member he was quoted as saying "[he] was the most popular and most impressive speaker"(Byers, Paula k.) and credited himself as helping increasethe membership to approximately 6000 members by 1921. In April of 1921 he became the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP), which became the official name of the Nazi Party.

In November of 1923, Hitler and his group of Nazi soldiers called "Storm Troopers" lead a "Putsch" (an attempt to seize power). They went into a Munich beer hall where high-leveled governmentofficials were meeting. Their attempt failed. Hitler was put in jail with a sentence of 5 years, but he got out on a "Granting of Freedom", less then a year later.(Howes, Kelly King) During his stay in a cell in Landsburg, Hitler wrote Mien Kamph, with the help of his follower Rudolf Hess. Mien Kamph explained his theory of racial superiority, later becoming the most important document of Nazism. Hitlerwas released from prison in 1925. Immediately he began to rebuild the Nazi party. There was a worldwide economic depression and that is why he succeeded. He encouraged people to blame Jews for the country's poor condition.

He used the Nazi's to terrorize his opponents. World depression broke out due to the war. Because of this, Hitler's movement rose rapidly.

In September of 1930, during theelections, the Nazis got almost 6.5 million votes and their representation increased from 12 to 107.In 1932, Hitler ran against German president Paul Von Hindenberg in an election, and lost. People began to get angry, so Hindenberg, afraid of violence erupting, made Hitler Chancellor of Germany. In February of 1933 a fire destroyed part of the Reichstag building, which Hitler used as an excuse tobegin using terrorist acts against politicians who were his enemies.(Howes, Kelly King) The next day he issued a decree that gave him the power to protect the nation against communist acts of violence. The Nazis began eliminating Civil Rights, and the legal system. Hitler gave the Gestapo (secret police) the right to arrest anyone for any reason. He made the Nazis the only legal political party...