Former Chancellor of Germany:

Adolf Hitler

Main Life Accomplishments:

 

He was instrumental in building the autobahn (superhighway) system, as well as putting German industry back on its' feet following WW1 and the worldwide economic depression that followed it. What he did not tell the German people though, was that this was achieved by putting Germany on a war-economy footing, which had been planned by him for many years, and he was quoted as desiring world conquest as early as 1927, which was 6 years before he actually became Chancellor, and then sole leader (dictator) of the nation. This involved violation of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which Germany had signed following the end of war in 1918, and had limited the Reich to a small, defensive Army, and a very limited Naval and Air Force.

Basics:

Born: April 20, 1889, Braunau am Inn 

Died: April 30, 1945

Nationality: Austrian

Religion: Roman Catholic

Fields: Military, Politics

Main Accomplishments: When Hitler joined the Nazi’s and later on became the leader of the organization.· Became chancellor of Germany

 

Chronology of Life Events:

1889 
Birth of Adolf Hitler 

1903

Alois Hitler Died 

 

1907 

In 1907, Hitler went to Vienna, the capital of Austria-Hungary. He wanted to be an art student, but he failed the entrance examination of the Academy of Fine Arts twice. His mother died in 1907. Adolf had an income from the money his mother left her children and inherited some money from his aunt. He also claimed an orphan's pension. Sometimes he sold his drawings and paintings. He lived comfortably and idly during most of his stay in Vienna, considering himself an artist. 

 

1913

The Austrian Army called him for a physical examination, but he was found unfit for service

 

1914

World War I began in August 1914. Hitler volunteered immediately for service in the German Army and was accepted. He served valiantly as a messenger on the Western Front for most of the war, taking part in some of the bloodiest battles. He was wounded and twice decorated for bravery. But Hitler rose only to the rank of corporal. When Germany surrendered in November 1918, he was in a military hospital recovering from temporary blindness that resulted from his exposure in battle to mustard gas. He was deeply shaken by news of the armistice. He believed that the unity of the German nation was threatened, and that he must attempt to save Germany. 

 

1918

He was temporarily blinded with mustard gas attack. He was deeply shaken by news of the armistice. He believed that the unity of the German nation was threatened, and that he must attempt to save Germany. 

 

1919

Germany signed the treaty of Versailles

 

1919-1920

Returned to the army, and built up the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazi)

 

1923

On Nov. 8, 1923, at a rally in a Munich beer hall, Hitler proclaimed a Nazi revolution, or putsch. The next day, he tried to seize the Bavarian government in what became known as the Beer Hall Putsch. Hitler, supported by the German General Erich F. W. Ludendorff, led over 2,000 storm troopers on a march against the Bavarian government. But state police opened fire and stopped the procession, killing 16 marchers. The plot failed. Hitler was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison

 

1924

While in prison, he created a book called MeinKampf

 

1932

Hitler ran for president. In 1932, five major elections were held in Germany as its leaders struggled to give the nation political stability. In the July elections for the Reichstag (parliament), the Nazis became Germany's strongest party, receiving nearly 38 per cent of the vote. Leaders of the other parties offered Hitler Cabinet posts in exchange for Nazi support. But as leader of the strongest party, he refused to accept any arrangement that did not make him chancellor (prime minister) of Germany. 

 

1933 

Hitler is Chancellor of the State. Appointed by Hindenburg. 

 

1934 

Hidenburg died, and Hitler was the consensus successor.

 

1935-1938

Hitler ruled, and claimed credit and consolidation for the improving economy of Germany. Also, putting his master plan into effect. 

 

1939 

Germany invaded Poland.

1941 

Germany attacked Soviet, but failed (Moscow).

 

1942-1943 

Germany attacked Stalingrad, also failed

 

1944 

On July 20, 1944, Hitler narrowly escaped death when a German Army officer placed a bomb in Hitler's briefing room. Germany’s major ally under Benito Mussolini had fallen.

 

1945 

Eva Braun, Hitler's mistress since the 1930's, joined him at his headquarters in a bomb shelter under the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. She and Hitler were married there on April 29.

 

1945

Eva and Hitler committed suicide by taking cyanide tablet. And Hitler shot himself in the head.

Early Life:

About six years after Adolf's birth, his father retired and moved near Linz, Austria. Adolf received good marks in primary school, but he was a poor student in secondary school. His low marks angered his harsh, ill-tempered father. Alois wanted his son to have a career as a civil servant. But the boy wanted to be an artist. 

 

Alois Hitler died in 1903, and Adolf left secondary school 21/2 years later at the age of 16. His mother drew a widow's pension and owned some property. Adolf did not have to go to work. He spent his time daydreaming, drawing pictures, and reading books.  

 

Years in Vienna. In 1907, Hitler went to Vienna, the capital of Austria-Hungary. He wanted to be an art student, but he failed the entrance examination of the Academy of Fine Arts twice. His mother died in 1907. Adolf had an income from the money his mother left her children and inherited some money from his aunt. He also claimed an orphan's pension. Sometimes he sold his drawings and paintings. He lived comfortably and idly during most of his stay in Vienna, considering< himself an artist. 

 

Hitler also concerned himself with political observations, admiring the effective leadership and organization of the Social Democratic Party in Vienna. He developed a growing hatred for Jews and Slavs. Like many German-speaking Austrians, Hitler became fiercely nationalistic. No form of government could last, he thought, if it treated people of different nationalities equally. 

Wife Background:

 

Eva Braun was born in Munich, the daughter of a school teacher. Of middle-class Catholic background, she first met Hitler in the studio of his photographer friend, Heinrich Hoffmann (q.v.), in 1929, describing him to her sister, Ilse, as "a gentleman of a certain age with a funny moustache and carrying a big felt hat."

 

At that time Eva Braun still worked for Hoffmann as an office assistant, later becoming a photo laboratory worker, helping to process pictures of Hitler. The blonde, fresh-faced, slim, photographer's assistant was an athletic girl, fond of skiing, mountain climbing and gymnastics as well as dancing.

 

After the death of Geli Raubal, Hitler's niece (and also a rumored girlfriend), she became his mistress, living in his Munich flat, in spite of the opposition of her father who disliked the association on political and personal grounds. In 1935, after an abortive suicide attempt, Hitler bought her a villa in a Munich suburb, near to his own home, providing her with a Mercedes and a chauffeur for personal use. In his first will of 2 May 1938 he put her at the top of his personal bequests - in the event of his death she was to receive the equivalent of £600 a year for the rest of her life.

 

In 1936 she moved to Hitler's Berghof at Berchtesgaden where she acted as his hostess. Reserved, indifferent to politics and keeping her distance from most of the Fuhrer's intimates, Eva Braun led a completely isolated life in the Fuhrer's Alpine retreat and later in Berlin. They rarely appeared in public together and few Germans even knew of her existence. Even the Fuhrer's closest associates were not certain of the exact nature of their relationship, since Hitler preferred to avoid suggestions of intimacy and was never wholly relaxed in her company.

 

Eva Braun spent most of her time exercising, brooding, reading cheap novelettes, watching romantic films or concerning herself with her own appearance. Her loyalty to Hitler never flagged. After he survived the July 1944 plot she wrote Hitler an emotional letter, ending: "From our first meeting I swore to follow you anywhere--even unto death--I live only for your love." 

 

In April 1945 she joined Hitler in the Fuhrerbunker, as the Russians closed in on Berlin. She declined to leave in spite of his orders, claiming to others that she was the only person still loyal to him to the bitter end. "Better that ten thousand others die than he be lost to Germany," she would constantly repeat to friends.

 

On 29 April 1945 Hitler and Eva Braun were finally married. And both committed suicide

Father Background:

 

Alois Hitler, the illegitimate son of a housemaid, was born in Strones, Austria in 1837. He left home at the age of thirteen to serve as a cobbler's in Vienna. He did not enjoy the work and five years later joined the Imperial Customs Service.In 1864 he married Anna Glass, the adopted daughter of another customs collector. Anna suffered from poor health and was unable to have children. When she died in 1883, Hitler married Franziska Matzelberger. She gave birth to two children before dying of tuberculosis. Hitler married Klara Polzl in 1885. The couple had five children but only Adolf Hitler and a younger sister, Paula, survived to become adults. 

Hitler, who was fifty-one when Adolf was born, was extremely keen for his son to do well in life. Alois did have another son by Franziska Matzelberger but he had been a big disappointment to him and eventually ended up in prison for theft. Alois was a strict father and savagely beat his son if he did not do as he was told.

 

His father was incensed 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 Alois Hitler in 1903.

Mother Background:

She was the daughter of Johann Pölzl and Johanna Hiedler and was born in the village of SpitalAustria, at house #37, right next door to the house where her future husband . Alois Hitler grew up under the care of her grandfather. Klara's grandfather, Johann Nepomuk Hiedler, was her future husband's step-uncle, and possibly his real father. 

She never got out of the habit of thinking of Alois as her uncle, not a husband (after they were married she still called him Uncle). Author Bradley F. Smith describes Klara as "a fairly large girl, almost as tall as her husband [Alois], with dark brown hair and even features."

Her adult life was devoted to keeping house and raising children (for which Alois seems to have had limited interest). She had six children, two of whom. Paula and Adolf, survived childhood.

She was a devout Catholic and went to church regularly.

When her husband died in 1903 he left her a pension and property and she was adequately provided for financially, as were her children, but she did not live very long as a widow. Four years after the death of her husband, Klara died painfully from breast cancer at the age of 47 in Linz, Austria

 

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