Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in the small Austrian town of Braunau am Inn, located along the Austrian-German border. Hitler's father, Alois, was fifty-one years old when Adolf was born. Hitler's mother, Klara, was forty-three. Alois worked as a customs official, and later as a rent collector. Klara took care of the children and the household. Hitler had five siblings, but only two – Paula and Edmund – survived to adulthood. Edmund died of measles in 1900, and Paula lived a secluded life with her parents, unmarried and without children.Adolf attended elementary school for four years and then secondary school for another four. He did not do well in school, especially in history and geography. In fact, he failed his final exams in 1903 and had to take them again the following year. After secondary school, Hitler's father wanted him to study to become a civil servant. Hitler, however, had other plans. He wanted to become an artist.In 1905, Hitler's father died of a pleural hemorrhage. Hitler's mother allowed him to drop out of school and move to Vienna to study art. Hitler applied to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts twice, but was rejected both times. He then decided to study architecture, but was again rejected when he applied to the Vienna Institute of Architecture.With no prospects for a career in art or architecture, Hitler became increasingly frustrated and angry. He blamed the Jews for his failure, and his hatred for them grew. In 1913, Hitler moved to Munich, Germany. He continued to hold onto his dream of becoming an artist, but he also became interested in politics.In 1914, World War I broke out. Hitler enlisted in the German army and fought in the war. He was wounded in 1916 and spent the remainder of the war in a military hospital.After the war, Hitler returned to Munich. He joined the German Workers' Party, which later became the Nazi Party. Hitler quickly rose through the ranks of the party, and in 1920 he became its leader.Under Hitler's leadership, the Nazi Party became a powerful political force in Germany. In 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, and in 1934 he became dictator.As dictator, Hitler pursued a policy of racial purity and expansion. He believed that the German people were superior to all other races, and he sought to create a pure German nation. To do this, he believed that all Jews and other non-Aryans had to be removed from Germany. He also sought to expand German territory, believing that the German people needed more living space.These policies led to World War II, during which Hitler and the Nazi regime committed atrocities against millions of Jews, Romani people, homosexuals, and others. Hitler and the Nazis were defeated in 1945, and Hitler committed suicide to avoid capture.