ADOLF HITLER THE SINISTER LEADER

Adolf Hitler, an Austrian-born, was the leader of the Nazi Party and a notorious dictator of Germany. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 and dictator of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945. As a leader of the Nazi party, Hitler promoted nationalism, anti-Semitism, anti-communism by establishing a Fascist dictatorship in Germany and espoused a foreign policy of world conquest. His interpretation of racial subjugation and anti-Jewish policies caused death of an estimated 6 million Jews and several other groups of people, including his political opponents. Atrocities committed by him during the war including 'genocide' of Jews, widely known as The Holocaust' put him against the peace and unity in world and eventually led to his downfall after his defeat in the Second World War. The dictator committed suicide when the Russian troops took over Germany in 1945.

Childhood & Early Life

• Hitler was the fourth child of Alois Hitler and Klara Polzl.   

• His father, a custom official by profession, was tremendously violent to his wife and son, and used to beat them often.   

• In 1894, his family moved to Leonding, Austria.  

• Adolf took admission in school in nearby Fischlham in Austia.  

• He left school at 16, to become a painter. He went to Vienna.  

• While living in Vienna, Hitler struggled as a painter after having been rejected twice by the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna during 1907-1908.   

Career

• Hitler joined the Bavarian Army in 1914 during the World War I.   

• After World War I, Hitler was appointed Intelligence agent of the reconnaissance commando the ‘Reichswehr’ in order to infiltrate the German Worker’s Party.  

• Here he came into the contact of its founder Anton Drexler and got impressed with his anti-Jewish socialism and anti-capitalist ideas; Hitler became a member of the party.   

• He was discharged from the Army in 1920 and became an active party member.   

• After a trust vote in 1921, Hitler became the chairman of the German Worker’s Party and changed its name to National Socialists German Worker’s Party (NSDAP).   

• In 1923, Hitler was arrested and charged with high treason after he attempted to instigate a coup against the government.  

• A trial ensued, and he was sentenced to five year’s imprisonment at Landsberg Prison on 1 April 1924 but was released from jail in 1924 after receiving a general amnesty.  

• While in the prison, Hitler wrote his autobiography 'Mein Kampf' (literally 'My struggle'), which is an elucidation of his ideology. The book was published in two volumes in 1925 and 1926.  

• On 25 February 1932, Hitler was granted the citizenship of Germany; thus making him eligible for contesting presidential election against Hindenburg.   

• On 30 January 1933, Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany in a ceremony held at Hindenburg’s office.   

• Hitler’s government banned Communist Party of Germany and Social Democratic party and forced all other parties to dissolve.   

• On 14 July 1933, Nazi Party was declared the only legal Party in Germany.  

• After the death of President Hindenburg on 2 August 1934, Hitler became the supreme commander of the military and ultimate power of the nation, whose officers took oath to Hitler’s loyalty.  

• On 12 March 1938, Hitler declared unification of Austria with Nazi Germany.   

• On 15 March 1939, Hitler invaded Prague.  

• On 1 September 1939, German army invaded poland. In response, Britain and France declared war on Germany on 3 September; this led to the start of World War II.  

• On 22 June 1941, three million German troops attacked the Soviet Union, thereby breaking the non-aggression pact that Hitler and Stalin signed two years back in 1939.   

• Hitler's declaration of war against the United States on 11 December 1941, put him against a noxious union including the world's largest empire (the British Empire), the world's greatest industrial and financial power (the United States), and the world's largest army (the Soviet Union).  

• In late 1942, German forces lost the second battle of El Alamein, which strongly hit Hitler's plans to seize the Suez Canal and thereby the Middle East.   

• Situation became worse with the progress of the Battle of Stalingrad that ended with a destruction of German 6th Army in February 1943.  

• On 6 June 1944, the Western armies landed in northern France, making it one of the largest victories of European army.   

• By late 1944, the Red Army had forced the German troops back into Central Europe and the Western Allies continued to progress into Germany.  

• It was then Hitler realized that Germany was doomed. He ordered complete destruction of Germany’s infrastructure' before the enemies captured it; preparing the entire Germany go along with him in his dreadful end.   

• In April 1945, the Soviet forces attacked the suburbs of Berlin.   

• Finally, Hitler’s Nazi Germany surrendered to the Red Army. Owing to his defeat, Hitler committed suicide on April 30.