Adolf Hitler was responsible for World War II and the massacre of millions whom he thought to be inferior. He was also one of the most powerful and influential leaders of the 20th Century. Hitler single handedly built up his Nazi party into a massive power, which would eventually control most of Europe and North Africa. How is it, that a man of such evil had so much influence and control? We would like to think that never again will such tragedy occur. Never, would we let such a man into power. Yet, it happened in the 1930s, only 70 years ago. What factors resulted in Hitler rising to power?
Rather than one single reason, it was the perfect combination of luck and leadership, at just the right time. In Austria, 1889, Klara and Alois became the proud parents of a baby boy Adolph. As a young boy, he attended elementary school at the Benedictine monastery at Lambach. His early school years went well. Adolph earned good grades, became a choirboy, and anticipated one day becoming a Catholic priest. As he got older, he began getting into serious quarrels with his father. This fighting, he later claimed, caused his marks to slip. By the age of sixteen, he had quit school.
Once out of school, Adolph refused to find work or learn a trade. Rather, he spent his time going to the Opera, and reading. For hours on end, he would read books on German history and mythology. As a result of the reading, he soon found himself very concerned with the worlds tribulations. A school friend later recalled: Hitler was always up against something and at odds with the world. I never saw him taking anything lightly. At the eager age of eighteen, Hitler had a new dream. He wanted to become an artist, as this was now his one true passion.
The Vienna Academy of Fine Arts quickly turned him down after his entrance examination. This rejection would hurt him for his remaining life. Another devastating event followed shortly after; the death of his beloved mother only four days prior to Christmas. Hitler later wrote: It was a dreadful blow. I had honored my father, but my mother I had loved. Her death put a sudden end to all my high-flown plans. Poverty and hard reality compelled me to take a quick decision. I was faced with the problem of somehow making my own living. How was he, a school dropout with little skills supposed to earn money?
Fearless, Hitler declared he would leave for Vienna and not return home until he had accomplished good. formed many of his preposterous and dangerous ideas while in Vienna. He felt strongly that war and conquest were for the best, and peace was a bad thing for mankind. The greatest thing man could achieve, he believed, was to conquer foreign countries. And, although he was Austrian, Hitler decided that Germans were superior to all other races. People of different nations were fit only to be their slaves. Hitler also gathered many political ideas while in Vienna, which he would later use.
First and foremost, propaganda was the most powerful tool of politics. If he were able to spread his ideas to millions of people, often by telling lies, he would have total control. He realized the most effective way of doing this was through eloquent speech. The power that has always started the great religious and political avalanches in history rolling has been the magic of the spoken word, and that alone. Hitler also developed his extreme hate for Jewish people in Vienna. Wherever I went I began to see Jews, and the more I saw, the more sharply they became distinguished in my eyes from the rest of humanity.
I grew sick to the stomach. I began to hate them. I became an anti-Semite. This hatred would ultimately lead to the slaughter of one-half the Jews in Europe. In 1913, Hitler became tired of Vienna and left for Munich, Germany. The main reason he left was the strong presence of Jews-and more Jews. A poor and friendless Hitler found new hope in Munich as World War I started. After serving four years in the army as a courageous and determined soldier, Hitler made the most important decision of his life he would find a career in politics.
His opportunity came when a small group called the German Workers Party asked him to join. This little political organization consisted of a mere 25 members, yet would be the foundation for the biggest party in Germany. Hitler proved to be a political genius. He gave the group a flag, with the swastika on it. This was a symbol of Aryan purity and supremacy. The name was also changed to the National Socialists, the abbreviated term Nazis. Hitler quickly organized large crowds in which people would attend simply to hear him speak. Often, upon leaving a speech they would have converted to Nazism.
Within two years, he had turned himself from an unknown, to a strong leader on the rise. Now, would be his time to act. The year of 1923 was coming to an end, and Germany was politically, economically, and socially troubled. Hitler felt this was the perfect opportunity to rally support for his radical group. His first big movement was somewhat of a failure. He attempted a violent revolution, known as the Beer Hall Putsch, and was later sentenced to five years in prison for treason. Yet during his trial, he projected the image of a patriotic hero.
People all over Germany soon learned the name of Adolph Hitler. And, the ones who were unhappy with their current government looked at this young leader with hope. After serving one year of his jail sentence, during which he wrote his manifesto, Mein Kampf, he was released. Immediately, he started rebuilding his struggling Nazi party. He used his master organizational skills and, by 1928, had fewer than one million votes supporting his group. Although this was a great feat, in a country that casts 31 million votes, it is far from power.
Politically, Hitler was not ecstatic, however his personal life was thriving. Hitler was in love. Adolphs half-sister had come to visit him in his home, and with her came her two daughters. One of these daughters caught his eye immediately. Geli was a voluptuous twenty year old with flowing blonde hair, and attractive features. Quickly, the two became involved in a hot romance. Things went well in the beginning but soon after they began fighting. Hitler was very controlling and hardly let her do anything. The couple had one final argument before he left for Hamburg.
The next morning Geli was found dead in their home. She had been shot through the chest. The investigation determined it was suicide. Dumbstruck, Hitler was devastated. He was depressed for sometime afterwards. The Wall Street crash in 1929 was felt across the globe. This was the best luck Hitler would ever receive. Germany was hit hard. Millions of Germans lost their jobs, business failed, the economy shattered. The people of Germany needed a change, and they were desperate. Adolph realized this and seized the opportunity. In 1930, a national election was called.
Completely out of nowhere, the Nazi party surprised everyone and received close to seven million votes! They were now the second biggest party in Germany. Again, in 1932, two more elections were called. The groups popularity continued to skyrocket as they pulled in 14 million votes. Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933. Quickly, he established himself as a dictator through means of violence and threats. Before long, he declared the Nazis to be the only political party. Any person who did not support the Nazis was to be hauled off to a concentration camp.
He enforced acts, which gave him absolute command, including a ban on all other political parties, and control over the media. Despite such strict leadership, millions of Germans enthusiastically followed his every word. To many, he was a great hero. By the age of forty-five Hitler had completed his ultimate feat total control over Germany. Hitler was now known, as the Fuehrer. His true desire was to conquer Europe. A mad man with a powerful country in the palm of his hand is a dangerous recipe. Hitlers ego swelled and he felt fearless.
Essentially all depends on me because of my political talents. Probably no one will ever again have the confidence of the whole German people as I have. There will probably never again be a man with more authority. He swept his way across Europe and before long World War II had begun. On top of the war he was fighting on the map, he was also killing any people he found to be inferior. His hate for Jews became an obsession. As a result of Hitlers diseased mind and soul, millions of Jewish people were slaughtered. Adolph Hitlers dream of total domination soon came toppling down on him.
The allied support of the world proved too strong for him. After twelve years of leadership, Hitler took his life at the age of 56. Hardly anything Hitler has instituted or enforced survived. He declared that his Reich would last 1000 years, when in reality it hardly made twelve. Although the memory of Hitlers movement fades, it stills plays a prominent role in our history. All that Hitler accomplished is chilling and disturbing. Millions and millions of innocent good people lost their lives because one man had a sick vision. What do we need to learn to be sure Hitlers legacy is never repeated?
