Adolf Hitler was born on April 20th, 1889, in Braunau am Inn, in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now Austria. His father Alois was a customs official and his mother Klara had a previous child, an illegitimate son named Alois Jr., to her first husband. Alois and Klara would later have six children together, with Hitler being the fourth.
From a young age, Adolf Hitler was rebellious, something that clashed with his traditional, Catholic upbringing. He also had a tendency to dominate conversations, a skill that he would later use to great effect as a ruler and leader. During his teenage years, he frequently skipped school and was eventually expelled for his behavior. Hitler’s father wanted him to become a government official, like himself, but Hitler instead chose to pursue an art career. He applied twice to the Academy of Arts in Vienna, but was rejected.
Hitler found himself without a plan or goal in life, so he decided to join the German Army, which he did in 1914. During World War One, Hitler served as a messenger and was highly decorated for his bravery. He also took the opportunity to read a lot of political materials, mostly focusing on his admiration for German nationalism and negative feelings towards Jewish people and other minorities. After being wounded and returning to Germany, Hitler was able to gain a firm grasp of the German nationalist movement.
Hitler then made his political career in Germany, forming his own party in 1920, which eventually became the Nazi movement after he rose to power in 1933. At his peak, Hitler had the complete control over Germany and all of its affairs, from the media, to the economy and even the education system. His power enabled him to create and implement numerous programs designed to create an idealized Aryan race and, eventually, attempt to conquer the world with his philosophy of racial purification.
By the time the war ended in 1945, Adolf Hitler had caused the deaths of millions of Jews, Roma, gays, and other minorities, as well as millions of his own German people. Hitler’s actions have been condemned around the world for their brutality and inhumanity, and he is still seen by many as one of the most notorious villains of the 20th Century.
Nationalism in Austria
Hitler’s upbringing was mainly Catholic, but he was also exposed to the pan-German nationalism which was growing in popularity among the German-speaking population of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Within the Empire, these German nationalists formed a minority, a situation which made them feel threatened by the dominant majority of the population, and it was this sense of insecurity and powerlessness which would lead to the emergence of Hitler’s own ideology of what was necessary to protect them.
Hitler looked to other nationalistic leaders for inspiration, such as Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and German study theorists such as Fichte and Herder. By taking concepts from these figures and other pan-German nationalists such as Karl Lueger, Hitler developed his own style of nationalism which he called Nazism. This was the ideology which would eventually define his government and lead to his election to power in 1933.
Hitler’s nationalist views were in direct contrast to the more left-wing ideals of the Social Democrats in Austria, which looked to a more internationalist view of the world. This division between the two ideologies can still be seen today in the way Austria deals with its relations to the European Union and other international organizations, with some in the nation looking for more internationalist solutions, while others have taken a more nationalist stance.
Hitler’s upbringing and education had a major influence on the ideology he adopted, one which would eventually lead to the destruction of millions of lives and the devastation of Europe in World War Two.
Early Political Involvement
Adolf Hitler was already aware of politics by the time he moved to Munich in 1913. The Austro-Hungarian Empire had begun to break apart and various ethnic groups were demanding independence and greater political recognition. At this time, Hitler was exposed to leftist political ideologies, including socialism, and these views would later become integral to the beliefs he developed in his own Nazi movement.
Hitler’s experience in the First World War further shaped his views, as he fought alongside the German Army against the Russian Tsar and saw firsthand how powerful the government could be. He was also influenced by the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed severe crippling reparations on Germany and further shaped his anti-Semitic and anti-democratic views. It was during this period that Hitler also discovered his talent for public speaking and leadership, qualities which would serve him well when forming the Nazi movement.
Throughout the 1920s, Hitler became increasingly involved in German politics, and his views and style of leadership began to attract loyal followers. By the end of the decade, he was able to capitalize on the instability in Germany to seize power and form his own government, with himself as its leader. However, it would not until 1933, when Hitler was reelected to chancellorship, that his nationalist ideologies would begin to be realized.
Death and Legacy
Adolf Hitler committed suicide in 1945, as the Allies were closing in on Berlin. In the days leading up to his death, Hitler ordered the destruction of most of his records, ensuring that future generations would never be able to fully understand his motivations for his actions and what made him tick.
Hitler’s legacy is one of utter destruction and atrocity. After his death, the world became more aware of the depth of human cruelty that he was associated with and has since been used as a warning of the dangers of totalitarian regimes. His extreme prejudice against certain religious and ethnic groups still influences the way we think of those groups today, and his methods of thought control and indoctrination still reverberate in modern society.
Hitler has been the subject of numerous books, films, and documentaries and is widely considered to be one of the most evil figures in history. In many parts of the world, his name has become synonymous with disaster, hatred, and genocide and is a reminder that unchecked power can lead to horrifying consequences.
Propaganda throughout Nazi Germany
As leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler was the master of propaganda and relied heavily upon it to control the population. Through his Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, Hitler was able to spread his message of hatred and nationalistic pride to the German people.
Hitler also used propaganda to demonize the enemies of Germany, such as the Jews, Roma, and Slavs. He claimed that these groups were an existential threat to the German nation, and through his organization allowed him to create a convincing narrative of fear and paranoia among the German population.
Even after he rose to power, Hitler continued to use propaganda to maintain control over the German people. Through his Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, Hitler was able to keep control of the media, which was then used to control the narrative and shape a more favorable opinion towards the Nazi government.
Ultimately, it was the propaganda machine that allowed Hitler to remain in power and control the population, allowing him to enact his policies of ethnic cleansing and genocide. Without the propaganda, it is likely that the Nazis would have not been able to stay in power for as long as they did.
Opposition and Resistance
Throughout the Nazi regime, Hitler had a varied response to the opposition that he encountered. He initially dealt with opponents in a non-violent manner, using propaganda and intimidation to silence them. However, as time wore on and he became more entrenched in his rule, Hitler began to take a more aggressive stance towards his opponents.
For instance, Hitler set up his own secret police, known as the Gestapo, to hunt down and eliminate any form of opposition to the Nazi regime. He also set up concentration camps and labor camps where political prisoners and other “undesirable” people were sent to be forcibly worked, tortured, and killed.
Despite the oppressive tactics used by Hitler, there were people who still remained opposed to his rule. A large number of political dissidents, religious groups, and regular citizens took to the streets to fight against the Nazi regime and organized underground resistance movements to combat Hitler’s oppressive regime.
The opposition to Hitler and the Nazis has gone down in history as an example of courage and honor. While the resistance to Nazi Germany ultimately failed, it provided a beacon of hope for those who believed in freedom, human rights, and democracy in a time of tyranny and oppression.
