World War II was a period in history when the German government tried to conquer all of
Europe and the era in which they initiated the devastating Holocaust. The Holocaust was the
event of millions of Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, and other races being dehumanized, deported,
and slaughtered. The cruel yet charismatic mastermind behind this period of history was
Adolf Hitler. Hitler dominated the German government from 1933-1945 and pursued to rid
the world of “inferior” races and expand the empire of Germany. From birth until death,
Hitler’s main motivations to rule the world and transform it into his vision of perfection were
control and superiority. His racist view of life, his position in society before he became
powerful, the position of other races during Germany’s economical crisis, and the effects of
From the very beginning of his life, Adolf Hitler was a bitter and self-willed boy, raised
in an air of discontent, so that anger and resentment dominated his early life. Adolf Hitler was
born April 20th, 1889 in Austria in the small town of Braunau-am-Inn. He was the son of his
mother, Klara Hitler, and his father, Alois Hitler. While he was very affectionate of his mother,
a “mama’s boy” for lack of a better term, he was very hateful and bitter toward his father. His
father was a customs official who had a dream for his son to hold a government position.
Adolf, however, did not hold the same interests as his father, thus creating the bitter
disagreement between them until his father died in 1903. Hitler was a hot-tempered youth
who was constantly failing classes and day-dreamed of becoming an artist. Of all his
teachers, there was just one who made the biggest impact on his future, Dr. Leonard
Poetsch. Poetsch was an avid nationalist, who would glorify Germany in its role throughout
history and often make a point of how, “The great issues of the day will be decided not by
means of speeches and majority resolution, but by iron and blood.” These teachings would
entrance young Hitler and influence his career and choices for the rest of his life. Hitler’s
mother died in 1907, leaving his more angry and resentful than ever before. He used up the
rest of the money his mother and father left him, and left for Vienna at the age of 19. He was
rejected twice from the Academy of Arts there, leaving him feeling dejected and, above all
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else, homeless. He would make little money painting postcards or as a laborer, often getting
into political disagreements with anyone he met. This floundering lifestyle enraged Hitler
even more; he would become jealous of those wealthier, particularly Jews. Jews in Vienna at
the time were a more privileged class. This hatred of Jews, poverty, and even Vienna itself
fueled the flame burning within Hitler’s mind. He abandoned Vienna, Austria in favor of
Munich, Germany. Though his lifestyle improved slightly, he felt as if his first goal in life was
complete by moving to Germany. At the start of World War I, he rejoiced and quickly enlisted
in the 16th Bavarian infantry regiment in honor of Germany. He became a corporal and won
the prestigious decoration of the Iron Cross for his bravery. Later on in 1917, he was injured
due to mustard gas, and was recovering in a hospital when he realized tragic news.
Germany had lost World War I. This bitter defeat tore him apart and left a bitter scar of regret
and anger within him. The rest of his actions in his life would be directed toward the people
he blamed for letting Germany loose the war, namely, the “November criminals”: Jews,
communists, and social democrats among many. The Treaty of Versailles was issued which
seized 13% of Germanys land and much of its natural resources and citizens. The Treaty’s
harsh terms affected Germany is the very worst way, causing the once thriving country to be
a clumsy and defeat stricken hell-hole. He remained within the German army despite the
conditions. Officers of the army sent “informers”, such as Hitler, to spy on other political
parties in the midst of Munich, a defeated, economical and political hazard zone. Little known
by the German people, political spying was the hallmark moment of Hitler’s life, where he
finally got the incentive and opportunity to become the seventh member of the small, soon to
or Nazi Party for short. It was at one night in 1919, where the dark seed of his political beliefs
were put into the soil of the small, virtually powerless little party, which was soon to grow.
In September, 1919, he attended a meeting the party had as a spy for the German
army, he found that the party’s view were very much identical to his own. He listened to their
speeches and when one member said something he found distasteful to his own views, he
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made a wonderfully powerful speech and quickly became orator for the group. His army
associate, Ernst Roehm joined, proving useful to Hitler when he became leader, as he would
transfer army political money into his own party. Hitler made the group more powerful with
every speech and conveyed every piece of Nazi propaganda extremely well. His unique style
of speaking became characteristic of him, as he would use his hands in a very firm and
demanding way, punching or jabbing the air to make a point. His voice would grow louder
and more passionate as his hatred, anger, and envy of all those who he believed betrayed
Germany. At the end of his speeches, his audience would grow hysterical and vicious, willing
to do anything Hitler commanded. As Hitler bred more and more Nazi members, Ernst
Roehm organized a private army of thugs called the Brownshirts. The Brown shirts, also
called Storm Troopers or the Storm Detachment (or simply the SA) were hired to do Hitler’s
bidding. They would often terrorize anyone Hitler did not deem “fit” for life as a German and
would prowl the streets for Jews as well as spy on rival political parties. His major goal at the
time was to control the German government and put his beliefs in pursuit in order to make a
real difference in Germany. With an ever growing number of Nazi members due to his
eloquent speeches and his own private army growing stronger thanks to Roehm’s
contribution, Hitler made a massive rally where he formulated his plans to overthrow the
German government. On November 8th, 1923, many high-ranking government officials had
been at a meeting in a Munich beer hall when the swastika clad Nazi Army began marching
through the streets and invaded the building. Hitler jumped upon a table and fired his pistol
into the air and exclaimed, “The Munich Putsch is now taking place, gentlemen, and the
National Revolution has begun!” He kidnapped three government officials, offering a position
in the government, to which they agreed only by the threat of a gun. The Nazis occupied a
radio tower letting all of Germany know that the “Beer Hall Putsch”, as it came to be known,
was in momentum, even though Hitler didn’t command them to do so. The army in Berlin
caught wind of this and sent troops to obliterate the Nazi army. Hitler fled the scene quickly
when his army became crippled and went into hiding before he was arrested and put to trial
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for the offense of high treason. When Adolf Hitler was in trial he quickly pled not-guilty and
proceeded to give a long passionate speech as to who he felt were “the real criminals”. In his
speech he captivated the minds of every person in the room by accusing the “November
Criminals” (Jews, communists, social democrats, and the German government) for the loss
of the World War I and thus the loss of German economical flourish. He discussed how these
aforementioned people were the cause of German distress due to their attempts to
overthrow the government in favor of a more equal one. The judge, who was greatly moved
by Hitler’s influential speech, sentenced him to the most minimal term- five years- at the
Landsberg Castle in Munich. There he was treated very well and was allowed visitors and
many gifts were sent to him. Among these gifts, a typewriter was sent, allowing Hitler to write
his notorious book, “Mien Kampf” or “My Struggle”. This rambling, lengthy book combines an
autobiography, Hitler’s political ideals, and an explanation of his beliefs into one massive
punch of propaganda. He first introduced the philosophy behind his “Master Race” that
influenced the Holocaust in this his book. He carried on about how Aryans of the Nordic type
were superior to any other group, and that those of “lower class” were to be eliminated as to
not “taint” the superior genes of an Aryan. He associated Aryans of the Nordic type- blonde
hair and blue eyes- with that of the sun and sky- a blue sky and a yellow (blonde) sun. Hitler
served only nine months in prison due to “good behavior” and emerged only to find that his
once powerful Nazi party was now a drowning little group as it had once been. Hitler eked
out what little determination and motivation he had left and took leadership of the party once
more. The government had banned the Nazi party and prevented Hitler from giving
speeches publicly which stunted his shot at power greatly, for words were Hitler’s
ammunition. He told the members of the little group, “I shall need seven years before the
movement is on top again.” He planned to take the German government by means of legal
political competition. Unfortunately for Hitler, in the years of 1924- 1928 Germany had begun
growing wealthy again, and wealth and prosperity are the worst poisons for a revolution to
grow. During this time he lived in the Bavarian Alps, spending his time reading or walking
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and looking for a soul mate. Many of Hitler’s girlfriends had been young and tried to commit
suicide. His half sister’s daughter, Geli Raubal was the abject of his affection, and
possession, which drove Geli to kill herself. Hitler not only had failure throughout his career
but also with his relationships, Hitler entered a depressive suicidal state and had become
even more crazed and bitter than ever before. Even things in his political take over plans
seemed doomed due to the flourishing economical state. Luckily for Hitler and his band of
Nazis, a world wide depression gripped the nation and plunged Germany into economical
distress. Despite the bleak situations in his wallet, the sky looked clearer for Hitler as he
began winning support from desperate Germans. The German people needed a savior, and
Adolf Hitler promised a better life for all and by 1930, Hitler had acquired the second most
popular vote for his political party in the Reichstag. Soon his popularity began to fall, and
Hitler spread panic and rumors about a Bolshevik Revolution, and that the Nazis were the
only ones who could stop it. A group of agitated industrialists sent a petition to the German
President, Paul von Hindenburg requesting Hitler become chancellor to prevent this from
happening. Hindenburg reluctantly agreed and in 1933, Hitler became the chancellor of
Germany, even though the Nazis only held a third of the seats in the Reichstag. Finally Hitler
was so very close to the prospect of ruling Germany, he could almost taste it, and success
was a flavor Hitler was not familiar with yet very eager to feast upon it.
Hitler began his ruthless domination by replacing police officials with people from his
former SA army officials, who would later be known as the Gestapo. Police auxiliaries were
then replaced by SA recruits. On February 27th, 1933, it was believed that a prominent
communist leader set fire to the Reichstag building. Hitler’s predictions of communists
invading the government proved true, and President Hindenburg gained more faith in Hitler
and suggested that he take “dictatorial powers” and exterminate all German communists.
Thousands of Communist and Social Democrat supporters were arrested and sent to a
recently established concentration camp. Hitler then eliminated all other participating parties
in the 1933 election so that the Nazis had complete control. He had created a fascist
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government. He proposed an Enabling Bill that would give Hitler complete and total control; it
would make him dictator of Germany. The bill passed and Hitler quickly put his beliefs into
effect. He had any opposing political party deported to concentration camps as well as
anyone who was “unfit” to work such as alcoholics, homosexuals, beggars, or even the
physically and mentally disabled or ill. After Hitler won over the hearts of people from his
generation, he set to work cultivate the minds of the younger generation. Just as he was
influenced deeply by his grade school teacher, Dr. Leonard Poetsch, he set out to breed a
new generation of teachers that kept up with his fascist views and would inspire the German
youth to hold up to his beliefs in order to extend his “Fatherland” after he had died. His Nazi
officers took in typical school textbooks and rewrote them so they were practically a rendition
of “Mien Kampf” concerning political descriptions. Hitler had turned Germany into a society
that revolved around his ideals; people fawned over him, or at least, were forced to. He was
finally the king, and his kingdom was the Third Reich. In 1937 Hitler tightened the noose on
Jews in Germany. He had required them to wear a yellow “Star of David” on their clothing to
identify themselves, they had their citizenship seized from them and were not allowed to
marry or have children with Aryan people, they had restricted times that they were allowed to
leave their houses or shop for goods, and had banned Jewish business from Germany. This
was the beginning of the grim and despicable years in history known as The Holocaust.
Kristallnacht or “The Night of Broken Glass” occurred on November 9th through 10th, 1938.
Kristallnacht was the day Adolf Hitler unleashed his initial wrath on Jews were he sent Nazi
soldiers to destroy and ransack Jewish homes and businesses and to arrest Jews and
deport them to concentration camps. This was only the beginning of the bloody era. Every
day after Kristallnacht, Nazis would dehumanize, deport, and slaughter Jews by the millions
by first stripping them of their basic right, forcing them into ghettos, deporting them to
concentration camps, and worked as slave until they were ultimately were killed. Auschwitz-
Birkenau was the largest camp of all, located in Poland, this was essentially a death factory
where millions of Jews were herded into gas chambers immediately after arrival, one group
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after another and each group was then burned immediately in a mass production line of
death. This process was known as Adolf Hitler’s “Final Solution” where he intended for the
purposeful killing of every Jew in Europe in order to free the world from “those ever present
fungal growths- Jews.” Hitler’s dream of a pure Aryan race and of a world that praised him
was coming to be a very real circumstance. While his first goal was in progress, Hitler turned
his attention to the German borders. He obviously and prominently ignored the Treaty of
Versailles but still lied to bordering countries that he strived for peace. He betrayed his
promise by invading Czechoslovakia and adding it into his German domain. He then invaded
Poland on September 1st, 1939 which marked the start of World War II. Hitler had been
cocky and foolish and thought the power of the world would crawl on its knees to him, just as
the German people had. Later on in September, 1939, Britain, France, New Zealand,
Canada, United States of America, and Australia declared war on Germany. These would be
known as the Allied Powers. Japan, Germany, and Italy would become known as the
opposing Axis Powers. Hitler, within a matter of months, invaded and expanded Germany by
France, Yugoslavia, Greece, Austria, among many others in Europe. By 1941, Germany’s
borders extended across nearly all of Europe under the tyrannical and violent fist of Adolf
Hitler. Hitler made a poor military decision by postponing an attack on Britain and ultimately
canceling the attack all together and instead invaded the Soviet Union. This was a fatal
decision. Germany had instigated the war in the first place, giving them the initial advantage,
but Hitler took that for granted and by postponing the attack on Britain, threw that advantage
away. The Soviets demolished The Nazi army after heavy fighting in 1944 at the Battle of
Berlin. Once again, Hitler had failed after coming so close to his dream.
In 1945, it became extremely apparent that Germany would loose the war. Adolf
Hitler was already loosing his empire and his health. Many people sought to crumble his
empire. He had already endured an attempted bombing of his office and an assassination.
He was only fifty-five years old but he had a stooped back, poor eyesight, tremors in the left
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half of his body, he lost the booming voice he once had and instead developed a feeble,
unconfident voice, he could not walk for more than fifty yards without taking a rest, and when
would often drool from the sides of his mouth, creating a sad and pitiful image of the once
powerful dictator. The Nazi army retreated as concentration camps became liberated by the
Soviet and American army and the Soviet army invaded Germany with Western Allies aiding
the attack. Hitler urged his soldiers to fight until the death in a vain attempt to keep the
German empire standing or have it fall trying. The world came crashing down for Hitler. He
quickly married his longtime girlfriend Eva Braun and developed a cyanide pill. He made a
will that left his possessions to the Nazi Army. On April 30th, 1945, Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun
entered a private room in their underground bunker and committed suicide by ingesting the
cyanide tablets, Hitler also shot him self in the head while The Soviet army was just 300
yards away. Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich and his Nazi army had fallen with him riding on the
coattails of defeat.
Throughout his life, Adolf Hitler acted largely on his want for superiority and control.
He had seen nothing except failure and defeat despite all of his hard work. He blamed others
wrongly for the fall of Germany and idolized those whom he did not fully understand. His
disagreeable nature fed his anger and hate, which eventually blinded him from logic that led