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Quick Facts
- NAME: Adolf Hitler
- OCCUPATION: Military Leader, Dictator
- BIRTH DATE: April 20, 1889
- DEATH DATE: April 30, 1945
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Braunau am Inn, Austria
- PLACE OF DEATH: Berlin, Germany
- Nickname: Der Führer ("The Leader")
- Full Name: Adolf Hitler
Best Known For
Adolf Hitler was the leader of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945. He initiated World War II and oversaw fascist policies that resulted in millions of deaths.
Videos see all videos
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Adolf Hitler - Facist Ruler (1:09)
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Adolf Hitler - Facist Ruler
Watch a short video about Adolf Hitler and why he tried to make others pay for his suffering during his younger years by killing millions of people.
Adolf Hitler - Battle of Britain
As the Germans seized Western Europe, Adolf Hitler planned to invade Britain. After a month of fighting, Hitler focused on attacking London in what is now known as "The Blitz."
Adolf Hitler - Predicted by Nostradamus
Many believe that Nostradamus predicted the emergence of three Antichrist. Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler are considered the first two.
Adolf Hitler - Mini Biography
Adolf Hitler was leader of the Nazi Party and became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. As leader of the Third Reich, he invaded Poland, which started World War II. He orchestrated the Holocaust, which resulted in the death of 6 million Jews.
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Play NowAdolf Hitler. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 11:44, May 19, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/adolf-hitler-9340144.
Adolf Hitler. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/adolf-hitler-9340144 [Accessed 19 May 2013].
"Adolf Hitler." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 19 2013, 11:44 http://www.biography.com/people/adolf-hitler-9340144.
"Adolf Hitler," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/adolf-hitler-9340144 [accessed May 19, 2013].
"Adolf Hitler," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/adolf-hitler-9340144 (accessed May 19, 2013).
Adolf Hitler [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 19] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/adolf-hitler-9340144.
Adolf Hitler, http://www.biography.com/people/adolf-hitler-9340144 (last visited May 19, 2013).
Adolf Hitler. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/adolf-hitler-9340144. Accessed May 19, 2013.
Synopsis
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.
Quotes
"Those who want to live, let them fight, and those who do not want to fight in this world of eternal struggle do not deserve to live."
"It is not truth that matters, but victory."
"Germany will either be a world power or will not be at all."
"I go the way that Providence dictates with the assurance of a sleepwalker."
"If you want to shine like sun first you have to burn like it."
Early Years
Born in Branau am Inn, Austria, on April 20, 1889, Adolf Hitler 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 German nationalism, rejecting the authority of Austro-Hungary. This nationalism would become the motivating force of Hitler's life.
Alois died suddenly in 1903. Two years later, Adolf’s mother allowed her son to drop out of school. He moved to Vienna and worked as a casual laborer and a watercolor painter. Hitler applied to the Academy of Fine Arts twice, and was rejected both times. Out of money, he moved into a homeless shelter, where he remained for several years. Hitler later pointed to these years as the time when he first cultivated his anti-Semitism, though there is some debate about this account.
At the outbreak of World War I, Hitler applied to serve in the German army. He was accepted in August 1914, though he was still an Austrian citizen. Although he spent much of his time away from the front lines, Hitler was present at a number of significant battles and was wounded at the Somme. He was decorated for bravery, receiving the Iron Cross First Class and the Black Wound Badge.
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.
After World War I, Hitler returned to Munich and continued to work for the military as an intelligence officer. While monitoring the activities of the German Workers’ Party (DAP), Hitler adopted many of the anti-Semitic, nationalist and anti-Marxist ideas of DAP founder Anton Drexler. Drexler invited Hitler to join the DAP, which he did in 1919.
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 vitriolic speeches against the Treaty of Versailles, rival politicians, Marxists and Jews.
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Failed Assassinations
View groupPolitical assassinations are an all-too-common occurrence, and they often become major landmark events. Luckily, many attempts to murder a political figure don't succeed, and a life is spared. Even those events, though, become important events in our history. In one of the most famous incidents, John Hinckley, Jr. tried to assassinate President Reagan in 1981.The president suffered a puntured lung, but survived the shooting. Here's a look at some of the most famous failed assassination attempts.
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Famous Dropouts
View groupOddly enough, some of the world's most wealthy individuals launched successful careers the moment they kissed their teachers goodbye. You'll be surprised to learn just who's listed in Biography.com's group of Famous Dropouts, including media magnate William Randolph Hearst, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, musicians Kanye West and Madonna, and billionaires Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs.
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