Adolf Hitler 1889 – 1945
Byname: Der Führer (German: “The Leader”)
Austrian born Adolf Hitler was a clever and manipulative politician.
Charismatic and energetic, he became Germany's dictator and military
leader. His bombastic speeches held audiences spellbound.
HITLER'S FAMILY Alois Hitler, Adolf's father, had two children from his
previous marriages: Alois and Angela. Adolf's mother
was Klara Hitler, nee Poelzl. His siblings were Gustav,
Ida, Otto, Edmund, and Paula.
Hitler's sweetheart was Eva Braun. He didn't have any
children.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Adolf provoked World War
II and was responsible for the Holocaust. It took the
unusual alliance of capitalists and communists to end his reign. His
name became proverbial for evil.
ADOLF'S LIFE
Hitler grew up in Austria. He enjoyed drawing but failed twice to
pass the exam at the academy of arts. He moved to Munich and
volunteered for the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment in
World
War I. During the war, he was wounded and gassed. He was
also awarded for bravery in action.
After the war, he joined the Nazi Party (National Socialist German
Worker’s Party). He was soon in charge of the party’s propaganda and
eventually became its chairman. For his unsuccessful Beer-Hall
Putsch, in which National Socialists attempted to seize power,
Hitler was arrested and imprisoned for nine months.
He wrote his autobiography Mein Kampf (My Struggle) while in
prison.
Later, Hitler unsuccessfully challenged Paul von Hindenburg in the
1932 chancellor election.
On July 15, 1932, Hitler recorded his
Appeal to the Nation as part of his campaign for the
Reichstag elections on July 31, 1932. The original German title was
Appell an die
Nation. It was a cross section of his election speeches
of that year so far.
CHANCELLOR ADOLF
HITLER On January 30, 1933, Paul von Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler
Reichskanzler (chancellor).
On February 1, 1933, at 10 pm, Hitler
gave his first speech as chancellor - The Appeal of the Reich
Government to the German People. He delivered it from his office
and it was nationally broadcast on radio.
Hitler gave his
Proclamation to the German Nation on February
10, 1933, at the Sports Palace (Sportspalast) in Berlin. In this
speech, which was also nationally broadcast, Hitler asked the German
Volk to "give us four years."
And here is the speech in German - Das Deutsche Volk,
his Sportpalast-Kundgebung.
Hitler immediately established an
absolute dictatorship. A huge stepping stone on his way to unlimited
power was the Enabling Act (Ermächtigungsgesetz) of
March 23, 1933.
On January 30, 1939, Hitler gave his speech
The Jewish Question before parliament (reichstag) in
Berlin. Go here for the original German version of the speech, Die Juedische Frage.
ADOLF HITLER AND
WORLD WAR II While preparing for war,
Hitler effectively
invaded and annexed as much European territory as possible without
having to fight.
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded
Poland. On the same day in his speech before the Reichstag in
Berlin, Adolf Hitler justified the invasion. He told his audience
that Poland had been hostile and that "Since 5.45 A.M. we have been
returning the fire."
On September 3, 1939, Britain and France declared war
on Germany.
Benito Mussolini and Adolf
Hitler
in Munich, Germany - ca. June 1940 National Archives.gov
[+] CLICK TO ENLARGE
As World War II was running its course, desperation grew among the
Germans. Several attempts on Hitler’s life were plotted by fellow
high ranking Nazis. Meanwhile, Soviet forces closed in on Berlin,
the location of Hitler’s headquarters.
HITLER'S DEATH
In recognition of her loyalty, Hitler married his long-time mistress
Eva Braun at midnight on April 28 - 29, 1945. On April 30 they
jointly committed suicide. According to Hitler’s directions, their
bodies were cremated.
CONTROVERSY
Hitler’s mental health is disputed. Some say he suffered from
madness. Others say, besides being a hypochondriac, he was just
plain evil.
In any event, he suffered from Parkinson disease. To what degree
this illness influenced his decisions is debatable.
Hitler in Paris - June 23, 1940
ADOLF HITLER
FACTS
Hitler painted postcards for a living while he lived in Vienna. He
went on painting during WWI. And guess what, they are selling
some of his artwork. And
here you can check for how much the stuff was sold.
Wee Adolf was a choirboy at the Benedictine monastery at Lambach in Upper
Austria.
The swastika is an ancient religious symbol. The word is derived
from the Sanskrit term “svasti,” meaning “object of well-being.”
What
in the world is Sanskrit?
A citizen of Austria,
Hitler obtained German citizenship through the state of Brunswick in
order to run for Chancellor.
The Third Reich was the Nazi regime’s official name. The First Reich
had been the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (962 to 1806).
The Second Reich was the German Empire (1871 to 1918).
Hitler bragged that the Third Reich would last a thousand years, but
it actually lasted only 12 years, falling short of Hitler's 1000
year prediction by 988 years. The Third Reich collapsed one week
after Hitler's death.
BRIEF
BIOGRAPHY
1889 April 20 - Birth at Braunau am Inn, Austria
1919 Joins German Workers’ Party in Munich
1923 November - Munich Beer Hall Putsch and prison
1932 Opposed Hindenburg in Presidential election
1933 Chancellor
1934 Hindenburg dies. Hitler becomes Führer and Chancellor
1939 German invasion of Poland, September 1
1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany, September 3
1941 Attack against the U.S.S.R.
1944 D-Day, June 6
1945 April 30 - Death in Berlin, Germany
Here is the link to
hitler.org, the
Hitler Historical Museum. They say they are non-biased and
non-profit. Check it out.
Also, the
Telegraph features an article about how new computer software,
which is able to read lips from silent films, give some more info
about Hitler in the more relaxed setting of his home. See what you
think.
Ingenious Eddie Izzard points out that
mass murderers come from the areas you least expect. Watch Eddie's
clip here.
