Introduction
Adolf Hitler was a dictator and leader of the Nazi regime during World War II that had a dark influence on many people and the entire world. After Hitler’s death in 1945 and the end of WWII, many facts about his life have been uncovered and placed into the public domain. One such fact is Adolf Hitler’s incredible near-death experience that could have been preventable – an incident at the age of 4 when he almost drowned.
Nazism
Adolf Hitler was born in 1889 and his parents were Alois and Klara Hitler. His father was a customs official and his upbringing was strict under his father. His education suffered due to his conflict with his father and his childhood was marked by rebellion and loneliness rather than academic excellence. In his teens, Hitler moved to Vienna and eventually became active in Austrian politics and began embracing certain concepts of Nazism.
Incident
In 1895, when Hitler was just 4 years old, he and his family were vacationing in a small resort village in the Alps. Hitler, now a young boy, was playing in the lake with other children when he was pulled by a strong current into deeper water. One of the resort’s waiters who was nearby jumped into the lake and rescued Hitler, saving his life.
Aftermath
The waiter who saved Hitler from drowning was Jewish, which makes the event even more remarkable when taking into consideration Hitler’s later beliefs about Jews and the Nazi party’s plan for them. After being rescued, Hitler was taken to the local hospital and was treated for near-drowning until he was deemed healthy and fit to return home.
Analysis
Experts and historians have been trying to make sense of this incident for decades. Some believe that the event had a profound effect on Hitler’s later views on life and possibly even the eventual start of the Holocaust. On the other hand, some believe the event had no impact on Hitler’s views and his beliefs on Jews and his overall views on race and politics could have developed regardless. Despite this, the particular individual that rescued him was Jewish and it is quite remarkable to think of the bravery of this waiter in order to save the life of a small child.
Reflection
This incident of nearly drowning at a young age is certainly a fascinating coincidence and offers some insight into Hitler’s life and his views on Jews. It is a testament to the bravery and courage of the waiter to rescue him without considering the potential consequences of his actions. As historians continue to uncover the truth about Hitler’s life, any newly uncovered information from his childhood can always be taken into account.
Urban Legends
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the story is that it has since become part of many urban legends. A popular version of the legend states that the waiter that saved Hitler was a young Jewish boy, with the exact same racial appearance as Hitler. This story has made it to many people’s ears, but there is no actual evidence to support this claim. Neither of the parties involved in the incident have ever been identified and the fact that this urban legend has been able to survive decades and spread world-wide is quite remarkable.
Public Attitude
Due to the nature of the incident and its connection to Hitler, it has been both condemned and praised by the public. Those who view this incident in a more favorable light tend to believe that it points to Hitler’s eventual desire to make amends for his past mistakes. However, many find this hard to believe and point to the fact that Hitler did very little to make amends for his actions even after the incident had been revealed.
Isolation
Some historians have used the near-drowning incident to explain Hitler’s personality and methods for controlling others. It is thought that the trauma of being saved could have made Hitler feel isolated from his peers. After the incident, Hitler’s parents also adopted a stricter approach to parenting which could also have been a factor in his isolation from others. This could have been a key factor in the way Hitler eventually became known as a dictator and leader of the Nazi party.
