Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler at the end of the war.

**Adolf Hitler** was the Führer of Germany from 1933-1941. He was a respected public speaker and loved leader in both his empire and abroad. His name and legacy live on long after his reign with sayings such as *"Heil Hitler"* remaining in the vocabulary of the world.

## Biography

### Early Life (1889-1918)

Adolf was born on April 20, 1889 in the town of Braunau am Inn (Braunau on the Inn) in what was the Austro-Hungarian empire to Alois and Klara Hitler. He and his two siblings were raised near the town of Linz. Alois, his father, was a strict parent who very much disapproved of the young Hitler's life decisions, died when he was young, as did his mother. He spent his early adult years in Vienna, attempting to become an artist - but was rejected twice by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. As a result, he moved into a poorhouse, living off the sale of paintings and generous donations from his surviving family members.

Hitler served with distinction in the First World War as a message runner, bringing communications from command outposts to the front line. He was decorated for bravery, receiving the Iron Cross in 1914 and 1918. At the end of the war, he was briefly blinded by a gas attack, which led to him being sent to a hospital. While there, he learned that Germany had surrendered to the Entente and flew into a fit of rage.

### Rise to Power (1919-1933)

Following the war he was among the millions of Germans who felt betrayed by the German surrender to the Entente, deeming it as the "Stab in the Back". Meeting right-wing agitator Anton Drexler, Hitler was exposed to anti-semitic ideology once again, and found it to be a satisfactory answer to solving the despair of the German people following their supposed 'defeat' in the First World War.

He joined the small German Workers' Party in 1919 and he quickly rose to power within the party.

Hitler was able to have his allies put into seats of power which encouraged him to try to take power for himself. He failed and was sent to jail but shortly after his stay in Jail ended Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany.

In 1933 the Enabling Act gave Hitler the right to pass laws without the senate or the president. When the president died, he got supreme power.

### World War II (1936-1946)

#### Commander of Germany (1936-1941)

In 1936, Adolf Hitler began planning for war. He signed the Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty with Italy and the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan to ensure he would have allies when the war began.

He created a fake poll giving Germany permission to annex Austria.

In 1939, Hitler made an alliance with Joseph Stalin causing Germany and the Soviet Union to jointly occupy Poland.

The following year he would invade Denmark and Norway and then he would order an attack on France through the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

However, Hitler could not manage to launch an invasion on Great Britain. His frustration lead to him ordering an attack on the Soviet Union to keep progress going. Other Nazis, including Hitler's second in command Hermann Göring, believed that opening a second front would lead to Germany losing the war. This caused them to overthrow Hitler.

#### Puppet Leader (1942-1946)

Adolf Hitler was forced to make the transition of power seem like his idea. He was forced to praise Göring and the war the war was being run. He had to follow ever order given by Joseph Goebbels, the minster of propaganda.

Adolf was banned from marring his long time girlfriend Eva Braun because Goebbels feared that it could turn them into a celerity couple and take attention away from the war effort. He was also banned from having children.

Hitler and Eva moved to Austria toward the end of the war but Hitler was often forced back to Berlin to give speeches.

When the atomic bomb was dropped on Munich, Hitler could no longer stay silent. He publicly declared that he did not approve of how Göring was running the war and that the war would already be over if the army remained loyal to him. Göring wanted to kill Hitler for this but the S.S officers he sent to do the job could not bring themselves to kill the former Führer.

### Post War (1947-1981)

#### Leaving the Nazi party (1947-1951)

When World War II ended, Hitler was forced to promote Heinrich Himmler as the new Führer and head of the Nazi Party. He also had the job of turning Göring into a traitor. Adolf gave hundreds of tearful speeches speaks about the bombing of Munich and about how Göring was to blame. He talked about how Himmler, the leader of the army should be in charge.

When he finally convinced the public that Göring was to blame he had to oversee his hanging.

Afterword, Himmler gave Hitler more rights including the right to finally marry Eva Braun. However, by this time the two of them were unable to have children.

In 1951, Adolf Hitler was finally able to leave the party.

#### Retirement (1952-1981)

Hitler spent his retirement with his wife Eva Braun. He took up painting again and due to his importance to the Nazi party his paintings sold for million.

The rest of his life was a peaceful life meeting with foreign leaders and going to Nazi events.

## Legacy

Adolf Hitler lives on in the legacy of the Nazi party. His policies continue to shape the party and the world as a whole.

In recent years, the party has being trying to remove him from the public's mind. It has become custom to say *"Heil Himmler"* or *"Sieg Heil"* or even just put your arm up instead of saying "*Heil Hitler."* However, this has mostly failed.