Adolf Hitler
| Famous as | Nazi Leader, German Dictator and Chancellor of Germany |
| Born on | 20 April 1889 |
| Born in | Braunau am Inn, Austria-Hungry |
| Died on | 30 April 1945 |
| Nationality | Germany |
Childhood and Early Life
Hitler was born on 20 April 1889 in Braunau am Inn, Austria-Hungry
to Alois Hitler and Klara Polzl. Of their six children, only Hitler and
his younger sister, Paula could survive into adulthood. His father
Alois, a custom official by profession, was tremendously violent to his
wife and son, and used to beat them often. According to Hitler’s book,
“he had a terrible childhood”. The regular whipping and violence
committed by his father made him extremely sympathetic to his mother,
while having an unfathomable bitterness towards his father. In spite of
his father’s constant pressure to pursue a career like his, Hitler
dropped out of high school without a diploma, as a revolt against his
father. Even after his father’s death on 3 January 1903, he did not show
any liking for studies and rather tried to be a painter.
During 1900’s, Hitler lived in Vienna with financial support from
an orphan’s house; his mother died of breast cancer on 21 December 1907,
at the age of 47. While living in Vienna, Hitler struggled as a painter
after having been rejected twice by the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
during 1907-1908. According to Hitler, his anti-Semitism came from
having seen an orthodox Jew community in Vienna, a breeding ground of
racial and religious prejudice at that time. Hitler held the Jew
community responsible for Germany’s collapse and economic problems
thereafter. In May 1913, Hitler came into possession of the final part
of his father’s estate and moved to Munich. With Germany entering World
War I in August 1914, Hitler enlisted in the Bavarian army.
Entry Into Politics
After World War I, Hitler was appointed as a police spy of an
Intelligence Commando of the Reichswehr as a mean to infiltrate the
German Worker’s Party. Here he came into the contact of its founder
Anton Drexler and got impressed with his anti-Jewish socialism and
anti-capitalist ideas; Hitler became a member of the party. He was
discharged from the Army in 1920 and became an active party member with
his highly effective oratory skills and delivered speeches against
Marxists, Jews and anti-socialists. After a trust vote in 1921, Hitler
was made the chairman of the German Worker’s Part who had changed its
name to National Socialists German Worker’s Party. Hitler was arrested
and charged with high treason after his attempt to instigate a coup
against the government and start a march on Berlin in 1923.
A trial ensued, and he was sentenced to five year’s imprisonment at
Landsberg Prison on 1 April 1924 but was released from jail in 1924
after receiving a general amnesty. While in the prison, Hitler wrote his
autobiography Mein Kampf (literally 'My struggle'), which is an
elucidation of his ideology. The book was published in two volumes in
1925 and 1926. On 25 February 1932, Hitler was granted the citizenship
of Germany; thus making him eligible for contesting presidential
election against Hindenburg. Even though he failed in his attempt,
Hitler emerged as a strong alternative in the German politics. After all
attempts of Hindenburg to secure majority in parliament failed, he
agreed to appoint Hitler as the Chancellor of Germany, as it was
obviously impossible for him to form a government without Nazi’s
support.
Chancellor Of Germany
On 30 January 1933, Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany in
a ceremony held at Hindenburg’s office. Having gained legislative and
executive power, Hitler began his move towards establishing the Nazi’s
dictatorship in Germany. Though Nazi party had failed to gain majority
in parliament, he blocked all attempts of his opponents to come into
power through elections. Hitler’s government further banned Communist
Party of Germany and Social Democratic party and forced all other
parties to dissolve. On 14 July 1933, Nazi Party was declared the only
legal Party in Germany. After the death of President Hindenburg on 2
August 1934, Hitler was made the supreme commander of the military and
ultimate power of the nation, whose officers took oath to Hitler’s
loyalty.
During Hitler’s rule, Germany witnessed the largest expansion of
infrastructure and reached the level of near full employment. One of
the major policies of Hitler was racial purification, based upon the
ideas of Arthur de Gobineau - misinterpretation though - meaning
survival of the fittest. The policy caused deaths of thousands of
physically disabled, mentally retarded and ill people, who-in Hitler’s
opinion were unworthy of life, and a burden to their nation. The
Holocaust was seen as the only way out to eliminate the Jews from their
land. Though Hitler always denied any mass killing conducted by the
Nazis’, there are evidences, which clearly show the involvement of
Hitler in the executions.
The Second World War
As Germany went on gaining strength, Hitler finally ended the
informal alliance that existed between Germany and China since the
1920s. He thus paved the way for Japan to become Germany's new ally. In
an answer to this Chinese Premier Chang Kai-Shek cancelled all of the
Sino-German economic agreements, thereby depriving the Germans of raw
materials such as tungsten which came from China earlier. In early 1938,
Hitler forced Austria into amalgamation with Germany and made a
victorious entry into Vienna on 14 March.
Strong in his will and withstanding all his challenges, Hitler
ordered his allies to start preparing plans for the invasion of
Czechoslovakia, which thereby increased the tension in Europe. The
famous May Crisis of 19-22 May 1938 in Europe was a terror caused by
rumors that Czechoslovakia would be attacked during the municipal
elections there. This led to a word of warning from London that a German
move against Czechoslovakia could be dangerous. Though plans had
already been drafted in April 1938 for an attack on Czechoslovakia in
the near future, the May Crisis backfired resulting in Hitler’s
political defeat and thus making him the prey of his own trap. This was
enough to make him understand that expansion without attacking Britain
was impossible, and attacking Britain was a dangerous game that could
hit back and create disaster.
After the fall of Poland to Germany and the end of the so called
Phoney War in part of north-western Poland; Hitler instructed the two
Gauleiters to Germanize the area. After taking-over of Poland, another
major clash surfaced between different factions. Expelling the entire
Jewish population of Europe into Africa and reducing the remainder of
the Polish population to a leaderless laboring class, Hitler went on
making Europe into a danger zone. As time passed he went on going from
step to step ordering bombing raids on England. This is famously known
in history as the Battle of Britain and Hitler’s planned attack. The
process began by striking the Royal Air Force bases and radar stations
protecting South-East England. Hitler then ordered the bombing of
British cities, including London, Plymouth and Coventry, mostly at
night.
The Road To Fall
On 22 June 1941, three million German troops attacked the Soviet
Union, thereby breaking the non-aggression pact that was signed between
Hitler and Stalin two years back in 1939. Many historians are of the
view that this attack was a part of the dreams of World Conquest that
Hitler had formulated in 1920’s. This, in course, came as a hope for
Winston Churchill; Hitler gave in private for Barbarossa, namely that
Winston Churchill who wanted the Soviet Union to enter the war on the
Allied side. Hitler's declaration of war against the United States on 11
December 1941, put him against a noxious union including the world's
largest empire (the British Empire), the world's greatest industrial and
financial power (the United States), and the world's largest army (the
Soviet Union).
In late 1942, German forces were defeated in the second battle of
El Alamein, which strongly hit Hitler's plans to seize the Suez Canal
and thereby the Middle East. Situation became worse with the progress of
the Battle of Stalingrad that ended with a destruction of German 6th
Army in February 1943. On 6 June 1944, the Western armies landed in
northern France, making it one of the largest victories of European
army. It was by this time that defeat became inevitable, leading to the
end of Hitler’s rule in Germany.
The Last Days
By late 1944, the Red Army had forced the German troops back into
Central Europe and the Western Allies continued to progress into
Germany. It was then Hitler realized that Germany was doomed. He ordered
complete destruction of Germany’s infrastructure' before it’s captured
by the enemies; preparing the entire Germany go along with him in his
dreadful end. In April 1945, the Soviet forces attacked the suburbs of
Berlin. Hitler disposed his follower’s advice to take shelter in the
mountains of Bavaria, and rather decided to die in the capital. On 20
April, Hitler celebrated his 56th birthday in the Fuehrer’s shelter
without much anguish.
As days went on, the Red Army intensified its attack on Berlin
increasing woes for Hitler and his aides. The violent death of Italian
dictator Benito Mussolini on 28 April added further added fuel to fire
and suddenly 30 April 1945, after intense fighting, when Soviet troops
were within a block or two of the Reich Chancellery, Hitler committed
suicide. He shot himself in the mouth while simultaneously biting into a
cyanide capsule. His mistress Eva Braun, whom he had married a day
before also committed suicide along with him. Their bodies were secretly
buried by the German troops before the Red Army captured Berlin on 2
May 1945.
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Adolf Hitler Timeline: | ||||
1889 - Adolf Hitler was born on 20 April
1903 - His father died on 3 January
1907 - His mother died on 21 December
1933 - Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany on 30 January
1933 - Nazi Party was declared the only legal Party in Germany on 14 July
1934 - Hitler was made the supreme commander of the military on 2 August
1939 - Non-aggression pact was signed between Hitler and Stalin
1941 - Three million German troops attacked the Soviet Union on 22 June
1941 - Hitler declared war against the United States on 11 December
1942 - German forces were defeated in the second battle of El Alamein
1943 - The Battle of Stalingrad ended the destruction of German troops
1944 - The Western armies landed in northern France on 6 June
1945 - Soviet forces attacked the suburbs of Berlin
1945 - Italian dictator Benito Mussolini died on 28 April
1945 - Hitler committed suicide along with his wife Eva Braun
1945 - The Red Army captured Berlin on 2 May
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