His Relationships
When Hitler wanted some peace, he rented a house on the side of a mountain and had wonderful views of the surrounding area. He employed his half sister, Angela Raubel to be housekeeper and she moved in with her daughter Geli who was 20 years old. Adolf had fallen in love with his niece and lived with her for two years. Geli had started to feel that Hitler was controlling her life and was unfaithful to her. She said she wanted to spend some time in Vienna when Hitler was off to Hamburg but he did not want her to. So she committed suicide by shooting herself through the heart with a revolver. Hearing the news, Hitler threatened to take his own life but was talked out by senior members of the Nazi Party. After that he became a vegetarian because he said meat reminded him of Geli’s corpse. After the death of Geli, Hitler began to see more of Eva Braun, who was a daughter of a Munich schoolteacher. Hitler did not wish to be seen in public with her and when visitors came she was kept out of sight. She was miserable and unhappy at the lack of attention and attempted to commit suicide by shooting herself in the neck but was recovered. Women in Germany found Hitler's bachelor image attractive and this helped win him votes during elections. It was for this reason that Eva Braun was never seen in public with Hitler
Living in Vienna
He got ashamed that he failed entrance to Vienna Academy of Arts and stayed in Vienna pretending he was an art student because he did not want to tell anyone. He became homeless and roamed the streets of Vienna admiring fine architectures. While living in Vienna, he made a bit of fortune by selling his paintings. His experience in Vienna shaped his political thinking and made him racist to Jewish people.
Outbreak of WW1
Hitler was given a job of a dispatch runner. A dispatch runner was a dangerous job because it involved carrying messages from regimental headquarters to the front line. His task was to carry messages to officers behind the front line, and then return to the front line with orders. Hitler liked being in the Army and thought it was exciting fighting in the war. During the WW1 Hitler won an Iron Cross for bravery. Later he got injured and was sent to military hospital. During that time, Germany surrendered and Hitler was upset.
How he became leader of the Nazi Party
A locksmith, Anton Drexler, set a small political group called German Workers’ party. Anton wanted to help restore Germany to its former glory after the WW1. Adolf Hitler was sent to Munich where the Party was held to speak to them about the evils of communism. The speech impressed Anton Drexler that he invited Hitler to join the party as a committee member. Later Hilter took over the party and the party’s name was changed to Nazi Party. He was given total control of the Nazi Party and was able to persuade people to think like him. Members of the Nazi Party increased by 200 000 which was a big improvement from the first meeting where there was only 25 people.
The Munich Putsch
Hitler, who was very frustrated, felt like it was time to attempt a putsch in Germany. (Putsch means seizing of power). Hitler and the Nazis plotted to seize for power in Munich but the attempt failed and Hitler was arrested. He was sentenced five years in jail but sympathetic judges reduced that to less than nine months. While he was in jail, he wrote a book called Mein Kampf.
Mein Kampf
Adolf Hitler wrote this book while he was in Jail. The original title he chose for the book was: "Four and a Half Years of Struggle against Lies, Stupidity and Cowardice." But his Nazi publisher shortened it to My Struggle. The book is about his youth, early days in the Nazi Party, future plans for Germany, and ideas on politics and race. Throughout the book, Hitler made the Jews sound like really bad people and that they are anyone’s enemy.
His Death
Adolf Hitler died in the year 1945. He committed suicide with Eva Braun the day they got married. Eva killed herself by swallowing cyanide (poison) and Hitler by shooting himself with a pistol.
- Some of the theories/ variations include:
- 1. He ate poison and shot himself at the same time.
2. He ate poison, but didn't shoot himself.
3. He shot himself, but didn't take poison.
4. One of Hitler's supposed "doubles" was killed, creating the illusion Hitler was dead, allowing the "real" Adolf Hitler to escape.
5. Somebody else killed Hitler.
There were so many theories because no one knows exactly how they dies or killed themselves but people know they committed suicide. They were found dead. Eva was found lying on the sofa standing against the wall and Hitler was found seated in an armchair.