1. Adolf Hitler
Monday, November 17th,2014

2. Adolf Hitler

3. Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30th, 1945)
Born in Branau am Inn, AUSTRIA
Bad relationship with his father, and after his death in 1903, Hitler dropped out of high school
Moved to Vienna & applied to the Academy of fine arts
Rejected twice  1907 & 1908 because he was “unfit for painting”
His mother died in 1907, and he ran out of $  homeless
He moved to Munich, Germany  volunteered for the Bavarian Army in WW1

4. Hitler’s Time in the Army
He served as a dispatch runner on the Western Front in France & Belgium
Present during: Battle of Ypres, Battle of the Somme, Battle of Arras, Battle of Passchendaele
Wounded in the battle of the Somme
 received medal for bravery: the Iron Cross 2nd in 1914, Iron Cross First Class 1918, Black Wound Badge for frostbite in 1918.
He was in the hospital when he heard about Germany’s defeat

5. Hitler & Politics
Patriotic towards Germany, believed Germany was undefeated in the field & instead the home front lost the war
“Humiliated” with the Treaty of Versailles
German Worker’s Party member
GWP became the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei :National Socialist German Workers Party  Nazi‘s.
Gained popularity as a speaker in beer halls between
Views: Nationalist, denounced Treaty of Versailles, opponents, & jews.

6. Jail Time & “Mein Kampf”
1923: Hitler attempted a coup on the German government, called “The Beer Hall Putsch”  failed attempt
He was sent to jail for TREASON (5 years, but only served just over 1 year)
In jail, he wrote “Mein Kampf” (My struggles)
-autobiography detailing his political ideologies & plans for Germany
He was released from prison & returned to the Nazi’s to continue
His politics

7. Rise of Nazi Germany Treaty of Versailles Stock Market Crash, 1929
The Nazi party seemed promising:
Hitler had a reputation & was a captivating speaker
Germany was weak from the T of V & the Depression
Nazi Party promised to reject the Versailles Treaty, strengthen the economy, and provide jobs
Hitler promised party would pursue political power solely through democratic elections….
Germany was in rough shape

8. Hitler’s Rise Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in
1933 by President Hindenburg
After a fire in the Reichstag (parliament building),
Hitler convinced the President to pass a law which suspended basic rights and allowed detention without trial  4,000 or more German Communists were arrested…
Enabling Act passed through continued Communist Party banning and dirty play
The Enabling Act passed….turning the Nazis into a legal dictatorship

9. Hitler’s Secured Position
In order to maintain his position and power, Hitler used forced and intimidation
Opposing parties were intimidated violently into disbanding
Or, they were arrested and placed in concentration camps
14 July 1933  The Nazis are the only political party in Germany
Fuhrer: President Hindenburg died in 1934, Hitler was able to assumed the Head of State position : he merged presidency with chancellorship, & became head of the army