Adolf Hitler, who was born in 1889 in Braunau, Austria, is best known for leading the Nazi Party and committing countless acts of violence during World War II. Though he had a troubled family life growing up, it came as a surprise to many to learn that, even after all the evil that he committed, Hitler had an older brother. Indeed, Adolf Hitler had an older brother named Alois Jr., who was born in 1882.
Alois Jr. was Adolf Hitler’s half-brother. His father and mother had an ancestry complicated by insanity and illegitimacy. His father, Alois Schicklgruber, was born out of wedlock, the son of a domestic servant, Maria Schicklgruber, and a Catholic miller in the hamlet of Strones, 30 miles southeast of Prague, who was likely the father. Later, Alois was adopted by his father’s then wife’s brother, Johann Georg Hiedler and assumed his surname.
Alois Jr.’s mother was Franziska “Fanni” Matzelsberger, who was 22 years younger than his father, married to him in the 1860s. After the two were married, they went on to have six children, two of whom died in infancy. Alois Jr. was the eldest surviving child in the family; he was followed by his younger sister Angela and, then, four years later, Adolf. Adolf’s younger sibling, Paula, came after him, making him the middle child in his family.
Little is known about Alois Jr, although it is believed that he had a turbulent relationship with his family. He is thought to have left home as a teenager, shortly after his father’s death in 1903. His disappearance caused much distress to his mother, who was still living with Adolf, Paula, and Angela in what was then Austria-Hungary. Alois Jr. is thought to have left for Vienna, Austria, and then later settled in Germany where he married and had two daughters.
In 1939, Alois Jr. was visited by his younger brother, Adolf Hitler, during a state visit. The visit was brief and the two brothers did not interact much, but Alois Jr. never issued any statement of approval or condemnation of his brother’s actions, although he did send Adolf a wedding present when he married Eva Braun.
Alois Jr. is believed to have died in 1955 at the age of 73, conveniently disappearing from the public eye prior to this date. He is estimated to be the longest living relative of Adolf Hitler, having outlived his brother by more than a decade. Hitler’s father and mother both died in 1903 and 1907, respectively, leaving only Adolf and Alois Jr. as his living relatives.
The Impact Hitler’s Siblings Had on Him
Adolf Hitler’s major acts of violence and hatred appeared to largely influence his distant relatives and even those related to him closest in family bond. Alois Jr. was believed to have moved to Germany after an argument he had with his mother and this led to growing tensions between him and Adolf. The siblings did not interact much when Hitler visited Alois Jr. during a state visit in 1939.
It is hard to discern whether Adolf was shaped by his father or his brother. It could be argued that his brother’s abrupt departure might have had some effect on him; beneath all his aggression, it appears that Hitler had difficulty connecting with people. This seemed to cause him to become withdrawn and distant, aloof even in the presence of those closest to him.
The Hitler family also suffered from a history of insanity, alcoholism, illegitimate births and suicide which could have been hereditary in nature as Alois Jr. was believed to have suffered from a mental disorder. Adolf Hitler appeared to be inconsolable at times and his actions were very irrational; further leading to the possibility that he could have inherited some form of mental illness. His brother’s departure could have further exacerbated the dynamic of abandonment in Hitler’s life.
Other Siblings of Adolf Hitler
Apart from Alois Jr., Adolf Hitler had three other siblings who were not full siblings. Closest to Hitler was his sister Angela, who was ten years his senior. Angela was born to Alois and his first wife, Anna Glassl-Horer. Adolf was very close to Angela, considering her more of a mother figure than his real mother; she often had to take on the role of a ‘second mother’ in order to fill in for his distant father and older brother.
Adolf also had two other half-siblings from his father, Alois Schickelgruber’s first marriage. One of whom was thought to be Gustav, who died of extreme tuberculosis in 1912 at the age of 37. The other half-sibling was Ida, who was born to Alois and his first wife, Klara Pölzl, in 1885. Adolf had a strained relationship with Ida, as she and her husband were staunch supporters of the Austrian Empire. In 1927, Ida passed away in Vienna.
Adolf Hitler’s View on Siblings
Despite the fact that Adolf Hitler had three siblings, he did not place much importance on them and they were largely absent from his life. Throughout his speeches and writings, Hitler spoke of Germany as a fatherland or a motherland but never a brotherland; he was known to have an extreme distaste for siblinghood. His views even extended to his own siblings – this was demonstrated by his stern and aloof disposition towards Alois Jr. at their 1939 meeting.
In Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf, he expresses a deep distaste for matriarchal power, which some have suggested was an unconscious response to not having a strong father figure in his life. His distaste for siblinghood could have been a result of his strained relationship with his older brother, which could have stemmed from a feeling of abandonment when Alois Jr. decided to leave home.
The thing that Adolf Hitler disliked most about his own siblings was their loyalty to Austria and the Austrian Empire and the fact that they were often seen as advocates for the Austrian Empire. This might have been a source of friction and negativity between the siblings and could have been a major factor that ultimately motivated Hitler to seek power and control over the Reich.
The Legacy of Adolf Hitler’s Siblings
Adolf Hitler’s siblings left an entirely different legacy to the Nazi leader’s own. The two surviving half-siblings of Adolf, Angela and Ida, seemed to have restrained quite a bit the influence of the Hitler’s little ‘dynasty’. Alois played no part in Adolf’s megalomaniac ambition, nor was he ever invited to any of Hitler’s state meetings. He died a relatively quiet life in 1955 and is remembered mainly for being Adolf Hitler’s elder brother.
In general, the legacy of Adolf Hitler’s siblings was different from that of his own. They had no friendly connection and spoke very little of their relationship, however, many believed that Alois Jr’s return to Germany could have had a more extreme effect on the course of history.
Adolf Hitler’s siblings largely remained in the shadows and were rarely spoken of throughout the duration of Hitler’s rule. While they were not directly involved in their brother’s doings, they were implicated in perpetuating the seeds of hatred and bigotry that Hitler embodied and spread throughout Europe. Their legacy, however, remains a largely unknown and unspoken part of history.
The Long Lasting Impact of Adolf Hitler’s Siblings
The long-lasting impact of Adolf Hitler’s siblings is difficult to pin-point. It is clear that they were instrumental in helping Adolf to build the foundations of a powerful state, though they were generally uninvolved in Nazi activities. There is much speculation as to how their presence may have affected Hitler’s decisions and, ultimately, the course of world history.
Further, their legacy has been largely unexplored. While their lack of involvement in the Nazi party or their decision not to publicly condemn their brother’s actions is well known, what is often ignored is their potential ability to have changed the course of events had they been actively lobbying against Nazi policy.
One thing is clear: while they were certainly not in any position to oppose Adolf Hitler, their unwillingness to publicly condemn Nazi policy created an aura of acceptance around the Nazi platform which could have significantly impacted Hitler’s ability to find allies during this period. Their impact, though largely unexplored, has continued to have far-reaching implications.
The Legacy for Present Day
Adolf Hitler’s siblings have left behind a legacy that still has implications in the present day. The fact that they remained silent on his behaviours and even sent him a wedding gift implies a degree of familial acceptance which can still be felt in the context of current global relations.
In some ways, the legacy of the Hitler siblings is a warning to current generations; they demonstrate how dangerous it can be to remain silent and accept injustice or bigotry. While the intentions of the siblings were no doubt well-meaning, their lack of action only served to legitimize Adolf Hitler’s actions. This is a lesson that should not be forgotten in the modern world.
The legacy of the siblings also has implications for present day conflict resolution. It is believed that had they actively opposed the Nazi party, it could have significantly changed the course of World War II and many lives. Thus, this lesson serves to remind us of the importance of taking action and standing against oppressive regimes, as well as finding viable solutions for civil unrest.
The Unfortunate Fate of Hitler’s Siblings
The unfortunate fate of Adolf Hitler’s siblings is of particular interest to historians. Following the end of World War II, the brothers and sisters of Adolf Hitler were largely forgotten, with only his sister, Angela, having achieved any degree of recognition for her work as a nurse during World War I. Apart from Angela, very little is known about the other siblings and their fates after the war.
Alois Jr. was believed to have died in 1955 at the age of 73 and had lived in relative obscurity even before the war. Gustav, on the other hand, had died of extreme tuberculosis in 1912, while Ida passed away in Vienna in 1927. Angela is the only sibling to have survived the war but disappeared from the public eye following her brother’s death.
Adolf Hitler’s siblings were the unfortunate innocent victims of his political agenda and their legacy remains largely forgotten. While their individual identities may have gone unknown, their presence in Adolf Hitler’s life cannot be overlooked and their role in his rise to power should not be forgotten.
