Did Adolf Hitler Change His Name?
Before the infamous Nazi Germany and World War II, Adolf Hitler was a young man living near Linz, Austria. He was born to Alois Hitler and his third wife, Klara Pölzl. Hitler was baptised with the name “Adolf” and he never changed it.
The Nazi Leader was so adamant about keeping his name that he made “Adolf Hitler” mandatory for all citizens of the German Reich to use. This is where the misconception about Hitler potentially changing his name began.
Some of Hitler’s family did change their name from Schicklgruber to Hitler in 1877, but only to deny their Jewish heritage. This shows that adopting a new name was a stigma in Hitler’s family.
Both Hitler’s father and mother were from families that had changed their name, however Adolf Hitler was adamant about not doing the same. He viewed renaming oneself as a phony, a betrayal of family history, and illegal.
Moreover, Hitler’s election of 1936 which granted him “Supreme power”, marked his name firmly, rejecting all changes to German Reich Law which had previously suggested a change of name.
In Hitler’s autobiography “Mein Kampf” (My Struggle) he wrote with pride that his election of 1936 made him “an official servant of the people, with the name of Adolf Hitler”.
The only name change he performed was when he had his last name changed to “Führer”, from Hitler; he was then known as “Adolf Führer” in 1939. This change came about when he stepped up to the higher position the Nazis had for him, the Führer.
All in all, Hitler’s refusal to waiver from his given name “Adolf Hitler” reflects a strong moral code he had for himself, given Germany’s social division at the time, and he used “Adolf Hitler” as a tool to further legitimize his power.
Hitler’s Use of the Name Adolf Hitler During Nazi Germany
Once in power, Hitler’s authority was legally confirmed with the “Law Regarding the Highest State Office of the Reich” in 1934 which declared Adolf Hitler supreme leader. All citizens of Nazi Germany were to go by the name which Hitler himself adopted, regardless of whether they were Hitler’s actual relatives or not.
The Nazi emblem was also created to display the Hitler name and this encouraged especially his Nazi party members to publicly rename themselves as “Adolf Hitler”. Ironically, Hitler himself was against this act and would never accept any application from Nazi members who did this.
Hitler eventually changed his name from “Adolf Hitler” to the more authoritative “Adolf Führer” in 1939 to reflect his higher political position within Nazi Germany. It was important for Hitler to not be seen as some type of glorified mascot but rather a leader, and a change of name was necessary to distinguish himself from the rest of the Nazi party.
This change was accepted as a symbolic gesture to strengthen Hitler’s rule since it signifies him as the one who holds ultimate power. Nevertheless, his true identity was still “Adolf Hitler”, no matter what name he adopted elsewhere.
Hitler’s Emphasis on Nazi Symbols and Logos
Hitler was the mastermind behind the numerous Nazi symbols, logos, and slogans that proliferated Nazi Germany, including the notorious swastika. He saw the swastika as a symbol of power and domination, and it quickly became the dominant symbol of Adolf Hitler’s leadership.
The very same symbol was used on Nazi Germany’s national flag, and other governmental documents.
Hitler was a master manipulator who was aware of how the public worked. He understood that symbols and logos communicated stronger messages than words, and he channeled their power in his favor.
Further, he made it a priority to control the message being spread from Germany to the rest of the world by stamping his name in as many places as possible. For example, all German-made ammunition were marked for world-wide all citizens “Adolf Hitler” proof of domination.
Hitler’s Role in the overall ‘Name Change’ Movement
At a time when many Germans were changing their name in an attempt to escape their Jewish heritage and muddy the waters, Adolf Hitler was a staunch opponent of the practise.
Along with his own refusal to change his own name, Hitler forbid German citizens from doing the same and those who did were branded as traitors.
Nazi-era laws changed the rules on name changes, laws based on the Nazi leader’s own opinions. This was a rare instance in modern history where a single man’s personal disbeliefs, in this case Hitler’s falsehood of Jewish heritage, was able to override the government’s own regulations.
Hitler’s role in the overall ‘name change’ movement was limited, but through his influence and influence of his party it was effectively brought to a stand still. In the light of what Hitler did, hardly any name changes were requested during the Nazi era.
Conclusion
Adolf Hitler never changed his name and made it mandatory for all citizens of German Reich to use his name. He stood firmly against his family’s behavior and view on name change. He made numerous symbols and logos in order to further solidify his rule over Nazi Germany and deny the presence of Jews. Lastly, his refusal to waiver from his given name and his role in the overall name change movement were seen as strong stances that were able to withstand the government laws.
