Hitler Biography

Adolf Hitler was born in 1889 in Braunau, Austria. His father had become a senior customs official by working his way up from a peasant upbringing, and was on his third marriage by the time that Adolf was born. Alois, Hitler's father, was a strict man, age 51 when he had his final son. Home life was pleasant for Adolf Hitler. When he entered primary school, he did quite well. However, he struggled in secondary school. He only seemed to get along with one teacher, a German Nationalist named Leopold Potsh. Adolf's father died when he was 13 and his mother eventually allowed him to quit school.
 
The family was given a generous pension after his father died, so Hitler did not want for anything. His mother tended to spoil him, giving him a chance to get out of school and move forward in his life. Hitler moved to Vienna at 18, where he planned to entire art school. However, because he didn't finish secondary school, he was never accepted. Because he didn't want to disappoint his mother, he pretended he was an art student anyway and stayed in Vienna, instead working odd jobs and socializing.
 
Hitler was called to register for military service in 1909, but he didn't want to serve his native country. He eluded the authorities for four years before being subjected to a medical examination and deemed 'unfit for combat'. Of course, likely due to the inspiration of his teacher, Hitler wanted to move to Germany and help prove their superiority. He enthusiastically joined the German army, at a time when the requirements weren't as strict and he was able to gain acceptance. He did well as a soldier, but at the surrender of Germany to end the First World War, Hitler was enraged. He felt it was a disservice to the people and cowardly of the government to do such a thing.
 
Hitler joined the German Workers Party in 1919 as a way to help build his political career. As a leader a year later, he renamed this the Nazi party. Hitler used this position to help him rise to power in Germany and build a following. He was elected chancellor in 1933 and named himself dictator shortly thereafter by instilling the totalitarian state that Nazism idealized. He is known as being responsible for the invasion of Poland that launched WWII and the genocide of millions of people during his reign. He committed suicide in 1945 before he could be caught and tried for his crimes.