Adolf Hitler is recognized as one of the world’s historical dictators, yet his early life does not hint at his future, power, and control he came to have over Germany. A low-level civil servant father brought up Hitler in a relatively normal childhood. He enrolled in school but was never able to complete high school. After his mother died in early 1908, Hitler left his hometown Linz and moved to Vienna. He abandoned the ambitions of becoming a civil servant and instead pursued art at Vienna. During the first few months in Vienna, Hitler spent late nights sketching and reading voluminous books to better his arts (Daniel & Sterphone, 2019). Later in the year, he applied to the Academy of Fine Arts and got rejected for a second time. Notably, before he moved to Vienna, Hitler had previously been rejected by the institution in 1907 with the claim that his drawings were unsatisfactory.
By 1909, Hitler had begun earning money from the sale of small oil and watercolor paintings. Most of his images were inspired by landmarks and buildings in Vienna. Hitler saved money from these paintings and relocated to a modest home from the homeless shelter. While in Vienna, Hitler became intrigued by politics, and his stay there greatly influenced his anti-Semitic worldview (Daniel & Sterphone, 2019). In 1913, Hitler moved to Munich and continued to sell his drawings. In 1914, his art progress became a complete failure when the police arrested him for not keeping up with military registration. It was in Munich where Hitler had the opportunity to serve in the military and later indulged in politics.
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For the first time, service in the military gave Hitler a place in the world. After Germany admitted defeat in World War 1, Hitler returned to the country. He returned to his regiment in Munich, where he worked with the information unit. This job put Hitler in a position where he would collide with German Worker’s Party. Through his position as a speaker, Hitler gained power that saw him become a member of the party as opposed to a mere informer. He became a fiery speaker and was able to rise from member to party leader. In 1920, Hitler, together with other party leaders, changed the name to the National Socialist German Worker’ Party, commonly referred to as Nazi (Spielvogel & Redles, 2020). The following year, the party members voted Hitler as the chairman for the Nazi, and he took total control. Under Hitler's leadership, the Nazi became popular and gained thousands of followers and members across the country.
Besides his speaking abilities, the confusion, and state of chaos in Germany at the time when Hitler became Nazi leader fueled his growth. Furthermore, Germans were in shock for losing World War 1 after years of anticipated winning. Hitler’s total control over Germany was marked by violence. By 1923 he had enough workforce and resources to overthrow the Bavarian government. In the first attempt, he failed and was imprisoned. In 1932 he ran for presidency but once again lost due to details about his personal life. However, he gained the interest of many due to his focus on rebuilding the country's economy. He was appointed Chancellor in 1932. In 1933, the Reichstag building was set on fire, and Hitler used that as an opportunity to clear his image and become Germany’s leader.
References
Daniel, G. R., & Sterphone, J. (2019). Shame, Anti-Semitism, and Hitler’s Rise to Power in Germany. EC Psychology and Psychiatry , 8 , 334-345. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Reginald_Daniel/publication/332780424_Shame_Anti-Semitism_and_Hitler's_Rise_to_Power_in_Germany/links/
Spielvogel, J. J., & Redles, D. (2020). Hitler and Nazi Germany: A History . Routledge.
