Adolf Hitler

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Adolf Hitler

• Adolf  Hitler
• Born  in  Austria  in  1889,  Adolf  Hitler  rose  to power  in  German  politics as leader  of  the National  Socialist  German  Workers  Party,  also known  as  the  Nazi  Party. 
• Hitler  was  chancellor of Germany from 1933  to 1945, and  served  as dictator  from  1934  to  1945.His  policies precipitated  World  War  II  and  the Holocaust. Hitler  committed  suicide  with  wife  Eva Braun  on April  30,  1945,  in  his  Berlin  bunker. 

•  EARLY  YEARS 

         Dictator  Adolf Hitler  was born  in  Branau am Inn, Austria, on  April 20, 1889, and  was the fourth of  six  children  born  to  Alois Hitler  and  Klara Polzl. When Hitler  was  3  years  old,  the  family  moved  from  Austria  to  Germany.  As  a child, Hitler  clashed  frequently with his father. Following the death of  his younger  brother, Edmund, in  1900, he became detached  and  introverted. His father  did  not  approve  of  his  interest  in  fine  art  rather  than  business.  In addition  to art, Hitler  showed  an  early interest in Germany  nationalism, rejecting  the  authority  of  Austria-Hungary.  This nationalism  would  become the motivating  force  of  Hitler's  life. 

• Alois  (father)  died  suddenly  in  1903.  Two  years  later,  Adolf's  mother

• Hitler  became  embittered  over  the  collapse  of  the  war  effort.  The experience reinforced  his passionate German  patriotism,  and  he  was  shocked by  Germany's  surrender  in  1918.  Like  other  German  nationalists,  he  believed that  the  German  army  had  been  betrayed  by  civilian  leaders  and  Marxists. He  found  the  Treaty  of  Versailles  degrading,  particularly  the demilitarization  of the Rhineland  and  the stipulation  that Germany accept responsibility  for  starting  the  war. 

To increase its appeal, the DAP changed  its name to the Nationalsozialistische  Deutsche Arbeiterpartei  (NSDAP). Hitler personally  designed  the party banner,  featuring  a  swastika  in  a white  circle  on  a  red  background. Hitler  soon  gained  notoriety  for his  spiteful  speeches against  the Treaty of Versailles,  rival politicians, Marxists and  Jews. 

• In  1921,  Hitler  replaced  Drexler  as  NSDAP  party  chairman. 
• Hitler's  spiteful  beer-hall speeches began  attracting regular  audiences. Early followers included  army captain  Ernst Rohm, the head  of  the Nazi paramilitary organization, the Sturmabteilung (SA), which protected meetings  and  frequently  attacked  political  opponents.