Politics: Adolf Hitler

by: Maria Paula Sánchez

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau, Austria.

In 1907 Hitler went to Vienna Austria, trying to become an artist. He had some jobs there. During his time in Vienna, Hitler started to hate non-Germans. Hitler was a German-speaking Austrian and considered himself German then Hitler went to Munich, Germany.

In 1914, World War I began and he entered to service in the German army.  The Versailles Treaty that ended the war took a lot of Germany´s territory, forced the country to get rid of their weapons, and ordered Germany to pay reparations to other countries. When the army returned to Germany. The country was in bankrupt and millions of people were unemployed.

In 1920, Hitler joined the National Socialist German Workers Party known as the Nazis. The Nazis called for all Germans, even those that were in other countries, to unite into one nation. they wanted a strong government, and they wanted the cancellation of the Versailles Treaty. Hitler started to be known because of his speaking ability. He organized an army for the Nazi party called the Storm Troopers or Brown Shirts which were used to eliminate the Nazi´s enemies. 

On November 9, 1923, Hitler sent more than 2,000 Storm Troopers on a march to seize the Bavarian government, because of this Hitler was send to prison for five years for treason. He only stayed nine months in prison.

In 1930, the world depression arrived to Germany, which still had to pay the debts of paying for the damage in World War I. Hitler protested against paying the debt and said that the Jews and Communists were the cause for Germany's defeat in World War I. He wanted to get rid Germany of Jews and Communists and to reunite the German speaking part of Europe.

In July of 1932, the Nazis received the 40% of the vote and became the strongest party in Germany. In 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor of Germany. Then, Hitler wanted a dictatorship. When von Hindenburg died in 1934, Hitler gained control of Germany and he gave himself the title "Fuehrer" which means “leader”.

Hitler´s government was called the Third Reich; there was no freedom, so government controlled every part of one´s life. This was called “Final Solution”.

World War II began in 1939, when Hitler invaded Poland to begin his unification of German-speakers. While this happened, extermination camps were being established in Germany, Poland, and Russia.

Hitler caused the extermination over 12 million people, then he was stopped in 1945 by the Allied Countries. Hitler kills himself in his bunker on April 30, 1945 and seven days later Germany surrendered.