His Origin

A familiar name during World War II, Adolf Hitler known as the ferocious tyrant that enslaved, tortured and almost completely wiped out the Jewish and Gypsy culture, a man that has forever made a stamp on our world history.  A man that sharp tongue and motivational speeches, that gave Germany an idea that would move a mob, an entire nation, fuel them with hate and determination during a time of great suffering, famine and vulnerability.  How could one man lead a weak, suffering country to become so strong and fierce?  What factors contributed to manufacture such a beast, such a man that the world trembled at thought of him conquering the lands we knew as free?

Hitler’s father, Alois Schickelgruber, born fatherless on June 7, 1837 of a cook named Maria Anna Schickelgruber daughter of Johann Schickelgruber; a farmer in Homestead, Austria. Alois Schickelgruber later changed his surname to Hitler taken from the man that married his mother Maria five years after he was born. Although very little is known beyond the above due to Adolf Hitler’s orders to destroy his past during the expansion of a military training facility in Döllersheim and claim his true great grandfather was a rich Christian who had a fling with his grandmother, no facts support his story. Though through diligent research scholars have found some Polish lineage in his family tree, but nothing that stated he was at all Jewish.  (Lernet-Holenia, 1998, p. 1)  So why did Hitler lead his Germen compatriots to support him in their almost annihilation?

Hitler’s grandmother and husband George Hiedler were extremely poor despite Adolf’s claim of his family’s nobility.  Later in 1847, Maria Hielder died of consumption (Tuberculosis,) Alois (Adolf’s father) was sent to live with his uncle-in-law Johann Hiedler, where he would learn the trade of cobblery and join the Royal Fiscal Force.  Not too long after, Alois left behind the cobblery business to start his career in the customs force, where he would later become a Zollamtsoberoffizial.  (Lernet-Holenia, 1998, p. 1)  After this point Alois had been married, three times his last wife Klara Pölzl who was twenty-four years younger than he was gave birth to Adolf Hitler on April 20, 1889.  (Krischnig, 2005) Klara Hitler was also the granddaughter of Johann Hiedler, Alois’s uncle-in-law, and to some the real illegitimate father of Alois, or his uncle, where his brother may have been his real father.  Klara was so used to calling Alois uncle that even after there marriage she continued to address him as such.  Klara gave birth to six children, yet only two survived childhood; Paula and Adolf.  (WWII: Klara Hitler, 2007)Gustav, Ida and Otto were born and died before the age of three years old, Adolf was Klara fourth child. When Adolf was eleven, she had another child, Edmond who died of diphtheria at only 3 months old.  Born January 21, 1896 Klara gave birth to a little girl named Paula, Adolf was never very close to her as he always seen her to be just a kid.  Klara’s husband and Adolf’s father Alois died on January 3, 1903 leaving his wife and niece with two children.  His only wish was for his son to lead a safe career.  Adolf caused his mother great anxiety at times due to the fact that he performed poorly in school and shared dreams of being an artist.  She would say to him “Our poor father cannot rest in his grave, because you will flout his wishes.  Obedience is what distinguishes a good son, but you do not know the meaning of the word.  That’s why you did so badly at school and why you’re not getting anywhere now.”  Even though Adolf and his mom did not agree on many things, Adolf had a deep love for his mother and would only speak good of her, even after Adolf and Paula sat by her deathbed on December 21, 1907, he would always carry a portrait of her with him.  Adolf also witnessed his father’s death at 14 and was said had busted out into uncontrollable weeping.  In those days, Adolf did not agree with anything military, but was interested in the possibilities of politics.  (Kubizek, 1954)

Often Adolf would paint watercolor paintings, although clumsy and impersonal always pleasant pictures.  Through his hobbies and his love of art, he found that he liked to build.  Often in his younger years he express his desire to change the world around him.  Adolf was known to show traits of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder even as a teenager, when a bank in Salzburg was being erected, he was worried that it would not fit into the rest of the town and followed the building process all the way to its completion.  Adolf found his desire to build new monuments and wanted to rebuild Linz his only problem was he had no money.  So what did he do?  He bought a lottery ticket, split between him and his friend August.  Of course, he lost but it never occurred to him that he would, he was enraged and fuming.  He cursed at the Lottery, then the banks, then turned it all onto the state, which he thought allowed poor people to be robbed by false hope.  He still did not give up, he approached town’s people all over Linz, but nobody wanted to listen to his ideas.  To most people at the time he was just a bad student and an extreme dreamer.  (Kubizek, 1954)

At seventeen, Adolf accompanied his friend August Kubizek to an opera called “Rienzi der Letzte der Tribunen” (Rienzi, the Last of the Roman Tribunes.)  Fabricated by a Richard Wagner Adolf identified with the main character.  This Opera show moved Adolf so much that in my opinion, enlightened him that I believe it was a major turning point and the beginning of his desires becoming reality.  In the opera, “Rienzi” the main character Rienzi has a vision of Rome, to be a strong and free country, was so determined, and engulf by his desire to redesign his beloved country.  At first, he was seen to be passionate and revered by his people, yet towards the end he was claimed to be mad with ambition and arrogance.  (Bulwer-Lytton & Cicora, 2001)Adolf took the whole act in and was said by his friend August to display him being moved by opening up in a very poetic, yet hypnotic and profound speech; that moved her.  (Kubizek, 1954)  Was Adolf Hitler influenced by a play, written and created by Richard Wagner, an artist who fled his country due to debt?

Later on in 1906 Adolf decided to pursue his dream to become a painter, and arranged a trip to Vienna, where he would enroll in a painting school.  His mother did not agree with his desire to become an artist and deeply wished that he had learned a trade, but the fact was he was going to school and there was no changing his mind.  Klara (Adolf’s mom) only wish for son to live out the instructions of his late father, to hold a safe career and position in society.  Adolf was so passionate about art and painting, he wanted to please his sick mother, but did not want to pass up the opportunity of becoming what he dreamed, an artist.  In addition, Adolf no longer wanted to reside in Linz any longer.  The past few years he was living without a job with his mother and felt he had no place there if he wanted to become anything that he had dreamed.  Another person that Adolf would leave behind besides his best friend August, was Stephanie.  A beautiful blonde girl he would watch walk her mother across the bridge, almost every day for the past two years. His deep admiration and interest in Stephanie, was eating away at him.  He knew that the life she deserved and the life he had to offer would not be right.  Adolf loved to admire her and most likely fantasized of how it would be like to be with her, but the fact was they never even exchanged words; he did not want to ruin the perfect picture in his mind with the reality that he might be rejected, or worse.  So leaving all his loved ones behind Adolf set out to accomplish his dreams in Vienna.

While in Vienna, he submitted his paintings, they were rejected and he was told that he would be better off as an Architect; disappointed and broken he stayed in Vienna and hardly wrote back to his mother or friend.  Later on in 1907, he received word that his mother was very sick, then upon arriving that her illness was incurable. Enraged and saddened by the news Adolf remained by his mother’s side, keeping to all the chores and even cooking for his mother and sister every day and night. The deep compassion and love he shared for his mother and her being the only one who ever returned it.  He cared for her upon until December 21, 1907, where she had passed in the early hours of that morning with her two children at her side.  She was only 47 and the only person that he knew loved him so deeply.  He honored her wish to be buried by her husband’s side in Leonding. His sister went to their relatives for that Christmas, and Adolf roamed the streets until he grew tired and retired alone in his mother’s home.  (Kubizek, 1954) 

Later that year and the next Adolf Hitler would stay in Vienna with his friend August, who was studying music at the academy.  Although his friend already had a trade and was now able to indulge in his hobbies, Hitler was still without direction and a position in society.  At 19 throughout some years later, this youth would roam the streets of Vienna, studying people.  He would take note of the interactions between the different classes of people, and be enraged with certain aspects of the inner city’s culture and practice’s.  Adolf was always very proud of his German heritage and often found himself frustrated with the integration of so many cultures in the German city he then resided in. He would pace back and forth in his little room cursing and lecturing the problems in society and often found in his mind “political solutions” to pressing matters. For instance, he would express how the middle and high classes would flaunt their riches during their wine parties, bearing no self-dignity.  He was especially ticked off about how so many Germans of the working class would be forced to live as lodgers sometimes a family of five to a single room or basement space; these spaces were unmaintained and bug infested.  The buildings were tall and right on top of each other blocking out any sun or scenery; he blamed the owners of these building for taking advantage of the working class. He has also mentioned on countless occasions his dislike for war and how the only people who suffer is the working classes. (Kubizek, 1954)

 One time during his daily walks he came across a spectacle, a Jewish beggar was receiving money from an individual; at this time, the act of begging was forbidden.  The police asked witnesses to provide statements of what they have seen and upon searching the beggar, they found 3000 crowns with in his caftan; Adolf at the time could hardly afford 10 crowns a month for his room and board.  The whole ordeal just added to his already embedded disgust of the Jewish culture. (Kubizek, 1954)

Still holding on to Stephanie’s image in his mind he was not interested in other woman although Stephanie and Adolf were never formally introduced, Hitler seen her as a model of what a real German woman should be.  Not like most of the woman in Vienna who seemed very bold and outspoken.  During that time, Adolf did not see any importance in sexual relations of any sought, he felt to feel true love in its purest form he would have to be pure in body and soul.  He often referred to love as “The Flame of Life.”  (Kubizek, 1954)

His Rise

In 1909, Adolf continuing in his observations, and now living off his artwork and his orphan wages exhausted stayed in his small room in Vienna, even after his only friend moved back to Linz. During this time he made, in his mind he made distinct connections to support his hate for the Jewish culture. He would often visit the Synagogue’s to observe the ones he loathed so much.  He rationalized that it was a Jewish doctor that let his mom die, and that the Jewish professor that mocked and rejected his work at the academy.  He observed the side of town were the wealthier Jewish people resided and blamed them for exploiting his beloved country, taking jobs and homes from German’s nationals. (Trueman, 2000)

In 1910 Adolf decided to join an Anti-Semitism organization, although Hitler never truly like to actually mingle with people, just watch them, his hatred lead him to unite with those who share his opinions.  Later on in 1914, World War I was declared and Adolf was searched out by Austrian Police from which they thought that he was dodging the draft, but due to malnutrition and poor health he was declared too weak to bear arms. (Duffy, 2003)  So determined to be part of the preservation of Germany he joined the German Army where he was declared fit for service. (Trueman, 2000) On June 28, 1914, Hitler requested to be relocated to a Bavarian Regiment, the 1st Company of the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment.  Adolf  was extremely pleased by the news that his request was granted and soon regain his health during his training.

This once a young boy who did not take to authority very well, was now a great soldier. During the times when his battalion was lead into massacres one famously known as Kindermord zu Ypren, the massacre of the Innocents at Ypres, yet Adolf remained calm under the stresses of battle and minded his superiors to the full extent of what was expected of a good soldier.  His efforts were recognized and Hitler was promoted to Lance Corporal, he was even rewarded with a medal in 1914 for dragging a fellow wounded soldier to safety while under heavy fire.

On many occasions Hitler life was spared, he felt that god had a special plan for him.  Occasion’s such as one time he left a bunker, out of nowhere it was blown up and no survivors remained. Another time was when a British soldier, whose weapon was drawn but for whatever reason lowered his rifle and spared Adolf’s life and many other countless events.

In 1916, he was wounded shrapnel, which was lodged in his leg during battle, and was sent to a hospital near Berlin.  In Berlin Hitler observed the famine and lack of rations for the civilians and of course made his political connections on where the blame should be placed. During his recovery he was sent back to his Regiment in Munich where he would do light work until he made a full recovery. Adolf missed the lifestyle of battle, and was very depressed during his time of rehabilitation, then in 1917, he returned to battle happily and relieved.  In 1918, Adolf Hitler was awarded with an Iron Cross first class (bravery & general merit) for single handedly capturing a handful of French soldiers, huddled in a trench.  This badge of honor was the recognition Hitler has always desired and wore it proud; it was very uncommon to receive such a reward.  During that year Hitler was affected by a gas attack by Britain and was unable to function, he was sent to rehabilitate until the of World War I. (Duffy, 2003)

In 1919, Hitler was ordered to attend a meeting of a organization called the German Worker’s Party.  After a short period of listening, he disagreed about a point made and his outburst lasted 15 minutes. One of the members and founder’s of the Party realized that Adolf has the “gift of gab” and as he handed him a pamphlet, he urged him to come back. After reading the pamphlet, he seen too that he shared the same views as the party but upon his membership, he realized that they lack any real direction and seen his opportunity.

The party had very little funds and struggle for advertising, they attempted at signs, stationary, referring of friends, but it was not until they had posted an ad in an Anti-Semitic  newspaper, where then over a hundred people showed up for the meeting. Hitler was the second speaker in line, many of his committee members doubted his talents before that day, but in his half an hour speech, they as well as those attended were sold.  Entranced by his delivery of pure emotion and Anti-Semitic logic, the committee received a donation of 300 marks for advertising. Adolf Hitler then became the feature speaker and the party’s number’s grew from hundreds to thousands.  Hitler later renamed his party to the National Socialist German Worker’s Party. During that same year, Hitler found the need to adopt a symbol, and from his earlier years in Linz where he had seen ancient German symbols on rocks feature in the Monastery, came the swastika.  Paired with the intense colors of red, white, black and the extreme ideas that they would represent, made this symbol stand out and be recognized gaining the party an increase in popularity.

In 1921, Adolf Hitler met with some disagreement with the original committee, who thought that he was too overbearing.  Adolf announced he would leave the party if he wasn’t given full control, the committee members didn’t want to give in and decide it should be voted on, out of 544 votes, Hitler won 543. At the following meeting Hitler was announced as the Führer of the Nazi Party.

With his now fed ego and new power over the Nazi Party thought it would be a good idea to raid a beer hall called Pustch where they planned to have the Bavarian leaders present surrender power to Hitler.  Proceeding this time the French and British put a treated into effect that would charge Germany $33 billion dollars for starting WWI. Of course this weakened the German economy, first compared to an American dollar it would be equal to 4 marks, then in 1923 the year of the Nazi Party’s plot to persuade Bavarian leaders at gunpoint, it would cost $4 billion marks to obtain an American dollar. The German people wear suffering of famine and loss of morale, the German’s government’s decision to honor the debt, just enraged the German’s and exhausted any pride that was left; which fueled the Nazi Party. In these trying times and Germany’s vulnerable state, Hitler and his Party would try to seize this opportunity to gain power.  Of course, their attempts failed and the next day they decided to rally in the village square where they were intercepted by police and Adolf was arrested.

During the trial Adolf did not deny his action but instead justified it by the nature of the current society. The judges wanted to let him go and did not think that such a Nationalist should be accused of high treason but the presiding judge had to persuade them that Hitler was truly guilty of the act.  Therefore, the other judges would compromise as long as Adolf was given an early parole.  Adolf was given a roomy cell, with a view, no limits on visitation schedule, and his own secretary.  During this time (1923-1924) Hitler’s secretary (Rudolph Hess) recorded his thoughts, which later became “Mein Kampf” (My Struggle.)

After his stay in prison, Hitler made a speech that would last 2 hours, as he previously ask for permission from his parole and under certain conditions was allowed to deliver, but during his speech he got carried away with his thoughts on Marxism and the Jewish people and was banned from public speaking for the next 2 years. Hitler took this time to reorganize the Nazi Party. The economy was getting a little better but Adolf knew that it will only last so long, before the borrowed debt and time will catch up to the German economy; so he laid dormant. (Gavin, 1996)

During this time, Hitler asked his half-sister to come join him, as a housekeeper.  Angela agreed and brought along her two daughters (Friedl and Geli.) Out of his two nieces, he was very fond of Geli, who was half his age at 20 years old.  The couple lived together for two years, but with constant arguing, between Hitler’s other romantic affairs and controlling nature; Geli could not take it.  On September 8, 1931 after an intense argument, Hitler jumped in his car to leave for Hamburg and Geli shout herself in the heart. Out of all his affairs he loved his niece the most and swore not to eat meat again, for it reminded him of eating a corpse.  Adolf then started seeing more of one of his other mates Eva Braun who was too very jealous of his other mistresses, one being an actress named Renate Muller.  Renate met Hitler on a set where she was working, due to Adolf unusual behavior; she could tolerate him no longer and left him.  Because she knew certain things that the Nazi Party rather she did not she was constantly being followed.  From the stress, this ordeal brought on she became dependent on morphine and admitted herself in a sanatorium. On October 1, 1937 she looked out her window where she seen a car pull up and members of the Gestapo getting out, as they entered her building she jumped out her window in fear of her life she leaped to her death.  Eva Braun on the other hand was so in love with Hitler that she could no longer handle his other affairs that she too attempted to commit suicide in 1932 by shooting herself in the neck.  She was brought to a hospital where the doctors were able to save her; later on in 1945, the two were married.  (Spartacus Education, 2001)

In October of 1929, the American Wall Street stock market crashed and like an economic tsunami wave followed the rest of the world.  At this most vulnerable time, Hitler seized the moment of Germany’s despair and pulled from it, his power.  The government separated among parties and discrepancies called for a new election.  The Nazi Party took full advantage of the situation.  The German people were exhausted they were in desperate need of change and were tired of weak leader and democratic parties.

After years of election after election, failed compromises, the unraveling of the republic, conspiracy, and propaganda, Hitler was named Chancellor on January 30, 1933.  During his first year, the Chancellor used the media to manipulate opinion and extricated any Anti-Nazi opposition.  Having communist, social democrats and known party that opposed the Nazi party, pulled out of their homes and imprisoned where they were beaten and tortured.  The S.S. and S.A. held such privileges that they out ranked all police forces, where if the police interfered their guns where to be confiscated.  Those who opposed these new laws had nowhere to turn.  Converting old military barracks and factories into holding pens and prison, this was the beginning of the Nazi’s concentration camps.

On April 1, 1933 a week after Adolf Hitler became dictator he ordered his soldiers to post themselves in front of Jewish own shops and enforce a boycott in retaliation to “Atrocity Propaganda” that would only last three says, due to many German shoppers just ignored it completely.  After that, Hitler started enforcing more and more laws that would Strip the Jewish people of their human rights.  On May 10th, of 1933, University students gathered all over Germany to burn books, with non-German ideas.  In July, the Nazi party is declared the only one in all of Germany and in October, Germany becomes no longer part of the League of Nations.  Later on Hitler would order the Death of those who knew too much about, or had opposed him, but muttering a single word over the phone, “hummingbird.”   

Hitler now Führer, continued in putting laws in affect that would strip all non-Aryan and especially the Jewish and Gypsy cultures of their human rights.  In 1941, they were forced to separate themselves by wearing stars on their clothing in which always had to be visible.  Already during this time, German was at war and have already won countless battles and with the country a genocide we all know as the Holocaust was taken place.  Between Hitler’s issues of the “Fog of Decree”, the Germans recue of Mussolini and so many other victories, that the world seen the frightening possibilities, of Germany’s desire of world domination, was not as far out of reached as they once thought.

The Beginning of his End

On May 12, 1944 the German’s, surrender in Crimea and on the 25th the retreat from Anzio.  In January of 1945, the German’s withdrew from Ardennes and the in Ruhr in April, after being surrounded by American Soldiers.  After hearing of Mussolini’s capture and death and other countless failed events in the German’s respect, April 29, 1945, Hitler now residing in his Bunker in Berlin, just before midnight married his long time girlfriend Eva Braun. The next day he would pass out poison to his secretaries, in case their bunker was infiltrated and attend his last meeting.  At 2:30, the newlyweds retired to their room, at 3:30 a shot was heard.  When Hitler’s friends and co-workers, Bormann and Goebbels rushed in, their laid Hitler and his new wife Eva Braun; sprawled out on his sofa drenched in blood.  On which poured from the crater on his right temple, he laid next to his gun and his Eva, who had swallowed poison so that she can follow him into death.

Leaving behind his last will and testament, his two part political testament, his mark on the German people, his impression on the world and the almost extinction of a whole culture.  This nobody from Linz, a failed student, orphan, and extreme thinker, who was underestimated by most, took Germany on a political ride and like a storm, rained down on his opposition.  Nevertheless, like storms of destruction, they pass only leaving their mangled path behind them and after their destruction is complete, they disperse into mild winds over the sea.  This too took place after Adolf Hitler’s death, the German’s surrendered battles and lost more and more of their motivation, eventually leading to their lost.  Not to mention the strength gained by their enemies by joining as allies, Hitler’s desires faded with him.

References

1.      Lernet-Holenia, A. (1998). Hitler’s Origin (T. G. Ringmayr, Trans.). (p. 1). Southern Humanities Review. Retrieved February 4, 2009, from http://www.porges.net/HitlersOrigin.html

2.      Krischnig, A. (2005, September). Sonstige XXI. Retrieved February 5, 2009, from Sonstige XXI Web site: http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.knerger.de%2FDie_Personen%2Fsonstige_19%2Fsonstige_20%2Fsonstige_21%2Fhauptteil_sonstige_21.html&lp=de_en&.intl=us&fr=bf-res

3.      WWII: Klara Hitler. (2007). Retrieved February 5, 2009, from Tagate.com Web site: http://www.tagate.com/world_war/klara.shtml

4.      Kubizek, A. (1954). Chapter 4– Portrait of his mother. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from Yhik04 Web site: http://www.faem.com/books/yhik04.htm

5.      Bulwer-Lytton, E., & Cicora, M. (2001). Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen. Retrieved February 7, 2009, from Opera.stanford.edu Web site: http://opera.stanford.edu/Wagner/Rienzi/synopsis.html

6.      Trueman, C. (2000). Adolf Hitler – born 1889 died 1945. Retrieved February 10, 2009, from Www.historylearningsite.co.uk Web site: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/adolf-hitler.htm

7.      Duffy, M. (2003, October 25). Feature Articles: A Slow Fuse – Hitler’s World War One Experience. Retrieved February 11, 2009, from Michael Duffy Web site: http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/aslowfuse.htm

8.      Duffy, M. (2003, October 25). Feature Articles: A Slow Fuse – Hitler’s World War One Experience. Retrieved February 11, 2009, from Michael Duffy Web site: http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/aslowfuse.htm

9.      Gavin, P. (1996, July 10). The Rise of Adolf Hitler. Retrieved February 12, 2009, from The History Place Web site: http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/index.htm

10.  Sparticus Education. (2001). Retrieved February 12, 2009, from Sparticus Education Web site: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERbraunE.htm