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Essays on Adolf Hitler

When it comes to writing an essay about Adolf Hitler, it's important to choose a topic that is not only interesting but also impactful. There are countless topics to explore, ranging from his rise to power to his influence on modern politics. In this article, we will discuss the importance of the topic, provide advice on choosing a suitable topic, and offer a detailed list of recommended essay topics, divided by category.

The study of Adolf Hitler and his impact on history is crucial for understanding the complexities of human nature and the potential for extreme ideologies to lead to catastrophic consequences. By delving into the life and actions of Hitler, students can gain valuable insights into the power dynamics, propaganda, and the consequences of unchecked authority. Furthermore, gaining a comprehensive understanding of Hitler's reign can help prevent similar atrocities from occurring in the future.

When choosing a topic for an essay about Adolf Hitler, it's essential to consider the specific area of interest or focus. Whether it's his early life, his rise to power, or his impact on global events, there are various aspects to explore. It's also important to consider the availability of credible sources and the ability to present a well-researched and balanced argument. Additionally, it's crucial to choose a topic that is relevant and can contribute to the existing body of knowledge about Adolf Hitler.

Early Life and Background

The Childhood and Family Life of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler's Education and Early Influences
Impact of World War I on Adolf Hitler's Ideology

Rise to Power

Adolf Hitler's Role in the Formation of the Nazi Party
The Beer Hall Putsch and Its Impact on Hitler's Political Career
Hitler's Appointment as Chancellor of Germany

Nazi Regime and Policies

The Implementation of Hitler's Totalitarian Regime
The Nuremberg Laws and Their Impact on Jewish Citizens
The Holocaust: Hitler's Final Solution

Impact on Global Events

Adolf Hitler's Influence on World War II
The Axis Powers and Hitler's Alliance with Mussolini and Japan
The Post-War Legacy of Adolf Hitler

Modern Relevance

Comparing Adolf Hitler's Leadership Style with Modern Political Figures
The Use of Propaganda in Hitler's Regime and Its Relevance Today
The Rise of Far-Right Movements and Their Connection to Hitler's Ideology

Choosing an essay topic about Adolf Hitler should not be taken lightly, as it requires careful consideration of the specific area of interest and relevance. By exploring various aspects of Hitler's life and impact, students can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of history and its enduring influence on the present. The recommended essay topics provided in this article offer a diverse range of options for students to explore and analyze, providing a comprehensive understanding of Adolf Hitler and his lasting impact on the world.

Biography of Adolf Hitler

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20 April 1889

30 April 1945 (aged 56)

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau am Inn, a small Austrian town. Hitler became interested in politics during his years in Vienna, after his mother death. During his time in Vienna, he developed many of the ideas that would shape Nazi ideology. Also, nationalism would become the motivating force of Hitler's life.

In 1913, Hitler relocated to Munich. At the outbreak of World War I, he was allowed as a volunteer in a reserve infantry regiment. Hitler was wounded twice during the conflict and received the Iron Cross First Class and the Black Wound Badge. The war experience reinforced his passionate German patriotism.

After World War I, Hitler returned to Munich. In September 1919, Hitler joined the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP) — often abbreviated to Nazi. In 1921, he became the Nazi party chairman. Hitler was arrested and sentenced to nine months in prison after his failed coup d'état known as the Beer Hall Putsch.

During his nine months in prison in 1924, he began to dictate his autobiographical book and political manifesto that would become "Mein Kampf" ("My Struggle"). The first volume was published in 1925, and a second volume came out in 1927.

In January 1933, Paul von Hindenburg named the 43-year-old Hitler as chancellor. January 30, 1933 marked the birth of the Third Reich. Hitler used his position as chancellor to form a de facto legal dictatorship. In 1933, Hitler's Nazi Party was declared the only legal political party in Germany. In next few years, Hitler begun to militarize the nation in anticipation of his plans for territorial conquest.

Adolf Hitler developed the idea of the Jews as an evil race struggling for world domination. Hitler was obsessed with the idea of the superiority of the “Aryan" race. Following his appointment as chancellor, the regime built a network of concentration camps for political opponents and those deemed "undesirable." Also, the Nazis used propaganda, persecution, and legislation to deny human and civil rights to German Jews.

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, sparking the beginning of World War II. In 1940 Hitler invaded Norway, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium. Hitler violated the 1939 non-aggression pact with Joseph Stalin, and launched the attack against the USSR on June 22, 1941. By the end of 1942, the tide of the war turned against Germany. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, bringing the war in Europe to a close.

Between the start of World War II and its end, Nazis and their collaborators were responsible for the deaths of at least 11 million noncombatants. In concentration and extermination camps were imprisoned and killed Catholics, homosexuals, political dissidents and the disabled, and especially Jews. On January 20, 1942, the policy of extermination of Europe's Jews began with a plan known by the Nazis as "The Final Solution to the Jewish Problem". The death camps were to be the essential instrument of the “final solution.” From 1942 to 1945, Jews were deported to the camps from all over Europe. At Auschwitz alone, more than 2 million people were murdered.

On 29 April 1945, he married his longtime lover Eva Braun. The couple committed suicide on April 30, 1945, fearful of being captured by enemy troops. Their bodies were burned according to Hitler’s instructions.

The Nazi regime was responsible of death of tens of millions of people, including more than 20 million in the Soviet Union and six million Jews in Europe.

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Adolf Hitler

By: History.com Editors

Updated: June 29, 2023 | Original: October 29, 2009

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945) in Munich in the spring of 1932. (Photo by Heinrich Hoffmann/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

Adolf Hitler, the leader of Germany’s Nazi Party , was one of the most powerful and notorious dictators of the 20th century. After serving with the German military in World War I , Hitler capitalized on economic woes, popular discontent and political infighting during the Weimar Republic to rise through the ranks of the Nazi Party.

In a series of ruthless and violent actions—including the Reichstag Fire and the Night of Long Knives—Hitler took absolute power in Germany by 1933. Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939 led to the outbreak of World War II , and by 1941, Nazi forces had used “blitzkrieg” military tactics to occupy much of Europe. Hitler’s virulent anti-Semitism and obsessive pursuit of Aryan supremacy fueled the murder of some 6 million Jews, along with other victims of the Holocaust . After the tide of war turned against him, Hitler committed suicide in a Berlin bunker in April 1945.

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau am Inn, a small Austrian town near the Austro-German frontier. After his father, Alois, retired as a state customs official, young Adolf spent most of his childhood in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria.

Not wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps as a civil servant, he began struggling in secondary school and eventually dropped out. Alois died in 1903, and Adolf pursued his dream of being an artist, though he was rejected from Vienna’s Academy of Fine Arts.

After his mother, Klara, died in 1908, Hitler moved to Vienna, where he pieced together a living painting scenery and monuments and selling the images. Lonely, isolated and a voracious reader, Hitler became interested in politics during his years in Vienna, and developed many of the ideas that would shape Nazi ideology.

Military Career of Adolf Hitler

In 1913, Hitler moved to Munich, in the German state of Bavaria. When World War I broke out the following summer, he successfully petitioned the Bavarian king to be allowed to volunteer in a reserve infantry regiment.

Deployed in October 1914 to Belgium, Hitler served throughout the Great War and won two decorations for bravery, including the rare Iron Cross First Class, which he wore to the end of his life.

Hitler was wounded twice during the conflict: He was hit in the leg during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and temporarily blinded by a British gas attack near Ypres in 1918. A month later, he was recuperating in a hospital at Pasewalk, northeast of Berlin, when news arrived of the armistice and Germany’s defeat in World War I .

Like many Germans, Hitler came to believe the country’s devastating defeat could be attributed not to the Allies, but to insufficiently patriotic “traitors” at home—a myth that would undermine the post-war Weimar Republic and set the stage for Hitler’s rise.

After Hitler returned to Munich in late 1918, he joined the small German Workers’ Party, which aimed to unite the interests of the working class with a strong German nationalism. His skilled oratory and charismatic energy helped propel him in the party’s ranks, and in 1920 he left the army and took charge of its propaganda efforts.

In one of Hitler’s strokes of propaganda genius, the newly renamed National Socialist German Workers Party, or Nazi Party , adopted a version of the swastika—an ancient sacred symbol of Hinduism , Jainism and Buddhism —as its emblem. Printed in a white circle on a red background, Hitler’s swastika would take on terrifying symbolic power in the years to come.

By the end of 1921, Hitler led the growing Nazi Party, capitalizing on widespread discontent with the Weimar Republic and the punishing terms of the Versailles Treaty . Many dissatisfied former army officers in Munich would join the Nazis, notably Ernst Röhm, who recruited the “strong arm” squads—known as the Sturmabteilung (SA)—which Hitler used to protect party meetings and attack opponents.

Beer Hall Putsch

On the evening of November 8, 1923, members of the SA and others forced their way into a large beer hall where another right-wing leader was addressing the crowd. Wielding a revolver, Hitler proclaimed the beginning of a national revolution and led marchers to the center of Munich, where they got into a gun battle with police.

Hitler fled quickly, but he and other rebel leaders were later arrested. Even though it failed spectacularly, the Beer Hall Putsch established Hitler as a national figure, and (in the eyes of many) a hero of right-wing nationalism.

'Mein Kampf'

Tried for treason, Hitler was sentenced to five years in prison, but would serve only nine months in the relative comfort of Landsberg Castle. During this period, he began to dictate the book that would become " Mein Kampf " (“My Struggle”), the first volume of which was published in 1925.

In it, Hitler expanded on the nationalistic, anti-Semitic views he had begun to develop in Vienna in his early twenties, and laid out plans for the Germany—and the world—he sought to create when he came to power.

Hitler would finish the second volume of "Mein Kampf" after his release, while relaxing in the mountain village of Berchtesgaden. It sold modestly at first, but with Hitler’s rise it became Germany’s best-selling book after the Bible. By 1940, it had sold some 6 million copies there.

Hitler’s second book, “The Zweites Buch,” was written in 1928 and contained his thoughts on foreign policy. It was not published in his lifetime due to the poor initial sales of “Mein Kampf.” The first English translations of “The Zweites Buch” did not appear until 1962 and was published under the title “Hitler's Secret Book.”

Obsessed with race and the idea of ethnic “purity,” Hitler saw a natural order that placed the so-called “Aryan race” at the top.

For him, the unity of the Volk (the German people) would find its truest incarnation not in democratic or parliamentary government, but in one supreme leader, or Führer.

" Mein Kampf " also addressed the need for Lebensraum (or living space): In order to fulfill its destiny, Germany should take over lands to the east that were now occupied by “inferior” Slavic peoples—including Austria, the Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia), Poland and Russia.

The Schutzstaffel (SS)

By the time Hitler left prison, economic recovery had restored some popular support for the Weimar Republic, and support for right-wing causes like Nazism appeared to be waning.

Over the next few years, Hitler laid low and worked on reorganizing and reshaping the Nazi Party. He established the Hitler Youth to organize youngsters, and created the Schutzstaffel (SS) as a more reliable alternative to the SA.

Members of the SS wore black uniforms and swore a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler. (After 1929, under the leadership of Heinrich Himmler , the SS would develop from a group of some 200 men into a force that would dominate Germany and terrorize the rest of occupied Europe during World War II .)

Hitler spent much of his time at Berchtesgaden during these years, and his half-sister, Angela Raubal, and her two daughters often joined him. After Hitler became infatuated with his beautiful blonde niece, Geli Raubal, his possessive jealousy apparently led her to commit suicide in 1931.

Devastated by the loss, Hitler would consider Geli the only true love affair of his life. He soon began a long relationship with Eva Braun , a shop assistant from Munich, but refused to marry her.

The worldwide Great Depression that began in 1929 again threatened the stability of the Weimar Republic. Determined to achieve political power in order to affect his revolution, Hitler built up Nazi support among German conservatives, including army, business and industrial leaders.

The Third Reich

In 1932, Hitler ran against the war hero Paul von Hindenburg for president, and received 36.8 percent of the vote. With the government in chaos, three successive chancellors failed to maintain control, and in late January 1933 Hindenburg named the 43-year-old Hitler as chancellor, capping the stunning rise of an unlikely leader.

January 30, 1933 marked the birth of the Third Reich, or as the Nazis called it, the “Thousand-Year Reich” (after Hitler’s boast that it would endure for a millennium).

HISTORY Vault: Third Reich: The Rise

Rare and never-before-seen amateur films offer a unique perspective on the rise of Nazi Germany from Germans who experienced it. How were millions of people so vulnerable to fascism?

Reichstag Fire

Though the Nazis never attained more than 37 percent of the vote at the height of their popularity in 1932, Hitler was able to grab absolute power in Germany largely due to divisions and inaction among the majority who opposed Nazism.

After a devastating fire at Germany’s parliament building, the Reichstag, in February 1933—possibly the work of a Dutch communist, though later evidence suggested Nazis set the Reichstag fire themselves—Hitler had an excuse to step up the political oppression and violence against his opponents.

On March 23, the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, giving full powers to Hitler and celebrating the union of National Socialism with the old German establishment (i.e., Hindenburg ).

That July, the government passed a law stating that the Nazi Party “constitutes the only political party in Germany,” and within months all non-Nazi parties, trade unions and other organizations had ceased to exist.

His autocratic power now secure within Germany, Hitler turned his eyes toward the rest of Europe.

In 1933, Germany was diplomatically isolated, with a weak military and hostile neighbors (France and Poland). In a famous speech in May 1933, Hitler struck a surprisingly conciliatory tone, claiming Germany supported disarmament and peace.

But behind this appeasement strategy, the domination and expansion of the Volk remained Hitler’s overriding aim.

By early the following year, he had withdrawn Germany from the League of Nations and begun to militarize the nation in anticipation of his plans for territorial conquest.

Night of the Long Knives

On June 29, 1934, the infamous Night of the Long Knives , Hitler had Röhm, former Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher and hundreds of other problematic members of his own party murdered, in particular troublesome members of the SA.

When the 86-year-old Hindenburg died on August 2, military leaders agreed to combine the presidency and chancellorship into one position, meaning Hitler would command all the armed forces of the Reich.

Persecution of Jews

On September 15, 1935, passage of the Nuremberg Laws deprived Jews of German citizenship, and barred them from marrying or having relations with persons of “German or related blood.”

Though the Nazis attempted to downplay its persecution of Jews in order to placate the international community during the 1936 Berlin Olympics (in which German-Jewish athletes were not allowed to compete), additional decrees over the next few years disenfranchised Jews and took away their political and civil rights.

In addition to its pervasive anti-Semitism, Hitler’s government also sought to establish the cultural dominance of Nazism by burning books, forcing newspapers out of business, using radio and movies for propaganda purposes and forcing teachers throughout Germany’s educational system to join the party.

Much of the Nazi persecution of Jews and other targets occurred at the hands of the Geheime Staatspolizei (GESTAPO), or Secret State Police, an arm of the SS that expanded during this period.

Outbreak of World War II

In March 1936, against the advice of his generals, Hitler ordered German troops to reoccupy the demilitarized left bank of the Rhine.

Over the next two years, Germany concluded alliances with Italy and Japan, annexed Austria and moved against Czechoslovakia—all essentially without resistance from Great Britain, France or the rest of the international community.

Once he confirmed the alliance with Italy in the so-called “Pact of Steel” in May 1939, Hitler then signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union . On September 1, 1939, Nazi troops invaded Poland, finally prompting Britain and France to declare war on Germany.

Blitzkrieg

After ordering the occupation of Norway and Denmark in April 1940, Hitler adopted a plan proposed by one of his generals to attack France through the Ardennes Forest. The blitzkrieg (“lightning war”) attack began on May 10; Holland quickly surrendered, followed by Belgium.

German troops made it all the way to the English Channel, forcing British and French forces to evacuate en masse from Dunkirk in late May. On June 22, France was forced to sign an armistice with Germany.

Hitler had hoped to force Britain to seek peace as well, but when that failed he went ahead with his attacks on that country, followed by an invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor that December, the United States declared war on Japan, and Germany’s alliance with Japan demanded that Hitler declare war on the United States as well.

At that point in the conflict, Hitler shifted his central strategy to focus on breaking the alliance of his main opponents (Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union) by forcing one of them to make peace with him.

Concentration Camps

Beginning in 1933, the SS had operated a network of concentration camps, including a notorious camp at Dachau , near Munich, to hold Jews and other targets of the Nazi regime.

After war broke out, the Nazis shifted from expelling Jews from German-controlled territories to exterminating them. Einsatzgruppen, or mobile death squads, executed entire Jewish communities during the Soviet invasion, while the existing concentration-camp network expanded to include death camps like Auschwitz -Birkenau in occupied Poland.

In addition to forced labor and mass execution, certain Jews at Auschwitz were targeted as the subjects of horrific medical experiments carried out by eugenicist Josef Mengele, known as the “Angel of Death.” Mengele’s experiments focused on twins and exposed 3,000 child prisoners to disease, disfigurement and torture under the guise of medical research.

Though the Nazis also imprisoned and killed Catholics, homosexuals, political dissidents, Roma (gypsies) and the disabled, above all they targeted Jews—some 6 million of whom were killed in German-occupied Europe by war’s end.

End of World War II

With defeats at El-Alamein and Stalingrad , as well as the landing of U.S. troops in North Africa by the end of 1942, the tide of the war turned against Germany.

As the conflict continued, Hitler became increasingly unwell, isolated and dependent on medications administered by his personal physician.

Several attempts were made on his life, including one that came close to succeeding in July 1944, when Col. Claus von Stauffenberg planted a bomb that exploded during a conference at Hitler’s headquarters in East Prussia.

Within a few months of the successful Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944, the Allies had begun liberating cities across Europe. That December, Hitler attempted to direct another offensive through the Ardennes, trying to split British and American forces.

But after January 1945, he holed up in a bunker beneath the Chancellery in Berlin. With Soviet forces closing in, Hitler made plans for a last-ditch resistance before finally abandoning that plan.

How Did Adolf Hitler Die?

At midnight on the night of April 28-29, Hitler married Eva Braun in the Berlin bunker. After dictating his political testament, Hitler shot himself in his suite on April 30; Braun took poison. Their bodies were burned according to Hitler’s instructions.

With Soviet troops occupying Berlin, Germany surrendered unconditionally on all fronts on May 7, 1945, bringing the war in Europe to a close.

In the end, Hitler’s planned “Thousand-Year Reich” lasted just over 12 years, but wreaked unfathomable destruction and devastation during that time, forever transforming the history of Germany, Europe and the world.

William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich iWonder – Adolf Hitler: Man and Monster, BBC . The Holocaust : A Learning Site for Students, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum .

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The Rise of Hitler to Power Essay

Introduction, the weimar republic, anti-semitism, reference list.

Adolf Hitler rose to power as the chancellor of Germany in 1933 through a legal election and formed a coalition government of the NSDAO-DNVP Party. Many issues in Hitler’s life and manipulations behind the curtains preceded this event.

Hitler and the Nazi party rose to power propelled by various factors that were in play in Germany since the end of World War I. The weak Weimar Republic and Hitler’s anti-Semitism campaigns and obsession were some of the factors that favored Hitler’s rise to power and generally the Nazi beliefs (Bloxham and Kushner 2005: 54).

Every public endorsement that Hitler received was an approval for his hidden Nazi ideals of dictatorship and Semitism regardless of whether the Germans were aware or not.

Hitler’s pathway to power was rather long and coupled with challenges but he was not ready to let go; he held on to accomplish his deeply rooted obsessions and beliefs; actually, vote for Hitler was a vote for the Holocaust.

Hitler joined the German Worker’s Party in the year 1919 as its fifth member. His oratory talent and anti-Semitism values quickly popularized him and by 1920, he was already the head of propaganda.

The party later changed its name to Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartel (NSDPA) and formed paramilitary groups in the name of security men or gymnastics and sports division.

It was this paramilitary formed by Hitler that would cause unrest later to tarnish the name of the communists leading to distrust of communism by the Germans and on the other hand rise of popularity of the Nazi (Burleigh 1997: 78).

A turning point of Hitler took place when he led the Beer Hall Putsch, in a failed coup de tat and the government later imprisoned him on accusations of treason. The resulting trial earned him a lot of publicity, he used the occasion to attack the Weimar republic, and later while in prison, he rethought his approach to get into power.

The military defeat and German revolution in November 1918 after the First World War saw the formation of Weimar republic.The military government handed over power to the civilian government and later on revolutions in form of mutinies, violent uprisings and declaration of independence occurred until early 1919.

Then there was formation of constituent assembly and promulgated of new constitution, which included the infamous article 48. None of the many political parties could gain a majority vote to form government and therefore many small parties formed a coalition government.

What followed were a short period of political stability mainly because of the coalition government in place and the later the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919. Many factors caused the rise of the Nazi party to power.

The most notable factor was his ability to take advantage of Germany’s poor leadership, economical and political instability.

The Weimar’s Republic collapse under pressure due to hyperinflation and civil unrest was the result of Hitler’s ability to manipulate the German media and public while at the same time taking advantage of the country’s poor leadership (Schleunes 1990: 295).

The period between 1921 and 1922, Germany was struggling with economic instability due to high inflation and hyperinflation rates prior to the absolute collapse of the German currency. The German mark became almost useless resulting into instability-fuelled unrest in many sectors of the economy. To counter the effects, the government printed huge amounts of paper money.

Germany had to sign the unforgiving treaty of Versailles, which the Weimar Republic was responsible for and was later to become the ‘noose around Germany’s neck’, a situation that caused “feelings of distrust, fear, resentment, and insecurity towards the Weimar Republic” (Bartov 2000: 54).

Hitler built on these volatile emotions and offered the option of a secure and promising leadership of the extremist Nazi party as opposed to the weak and unstable coalition government of the Weimar republic. Dippel notes, “Hitler’s ability to build upon people’s disappointed view of the hatred of the treaty of Versailles was one of the major reason for the Nazi party’s and Hitler’s rise to power” (1996: 220).

The Treaty of Versailles introduced the German population to a period of economic insatiability and caused an escalation of hard economic standards. The opportunistic appearance of an extremist group that promised better options than the prevailing situation presented a temptation to the vulnerable Germans to accept it (Dippel 1996: 219).

During the period of hyperinflation, unemployment rose sharply and children were largely malnourished. The value of people’s savings spiraled downwards leading to low living standards and reduction in people buying power.

People became desperate and started a frantic search for a better alternative to the Weimar Government. Germany in a state of disillusionment became a prey to the convincing promises of Hitler. Hitler promised full employment and security in form of a strong central government.

The Weimar republic also faced political challenges from both left-wingers and right-wingers. The communists wanted radical changes like those one implemented in Russia while the conservatives thought that the Weimar government was too weak and liberal.

The Germans longed for a leader with the leadership qualities of Bismark especially with the disillusionment of the Weimar republic. They blamed the government for the hated Versailles treaty and they all came out to look for a scapegoat to their overwhelming challenges (Thalmann and Feinermann 1990: 133).

In their bid to look for scapegoats, many Germans led by Hitler and Nazi party blamed the German Jews for their economic and political problems.

Hitler made a failed attempt to seize power through a coup de tat that led to his arrest and imprisonment. In prison, he wrote a book that was later to become the guide to Nazism known as Mein Kampf (My Struggle).

The book reflected Hitler’s obsessions to nationalism, racism, and anti-Semitism and he insisted that Germans belonged to a superior race of Aryans meaning light-skinned Europeans. According to Hitler, the greatest enemies of the Aryans were the Jews and therefore the Germans should eliminate them at all costs since they were the genesis of all their misfortunes.

These views on Semitism could trace its genesis in history from which it Historians suspect that Hitler’s ideas were rooted. In this view, Christians persecuted Jews mainly because of their difference in beliefs.

Nationalism in the 19 th century caused the society to view Jews as ethnic outsiders while Hitler viewed Jews not as members of a religion but as a unique race (Longerich 2006: 105). Consequently, he blamed the German’s defeat on a conspiracy of Marxists, Jews, corruption of politicians and businesspersons.

Hitler urged the Germans on the need to unite into a great nation so that the slaves and other inferior races could bow to their needs (Bergen 2003: 30). He further advocated for removal and elimination of the Jews from the face of the earth to create enough space for ‘great nation’.

He spread propaganda that for Germany to unite into one great nation it required a strong leader one he believed to be destined to become.

These Semitism views contributed to the sudden change of fortunes for the Nazi party and Hitler because the conditions were appropriate. The Germans were desperate for some hope in the midst of frustrating times due to the failure of the Weimar republic and rising communism (Stone 2004: 17).

They involuntarily yielded to the more appealing Nazism values especially with the promises of destroying communism and improved living standards.

However, in accepting the Nazi party and Hitler, the Germans were giving in to Semitism, which was deeply rooted in the core values of Nazism, and Hitler had clearly outlined them in the Mein Kampf, which laid out his ideas and future policies.

Hitler’s well timed and precise way of “introducing the secure option of Nazism at an appropriate time and taking advantage of a disjointed Weimar republic that faced unprecedented challenges” (Cohn-Sherbok 1999: 12) was one of the many reasons that underscored Hitler’s fame.

He promised a strong and united German nation very timely when the German nation had suffered a dent to their pride and union due to the defeat in the First World War. Hitler’s promise of a strong and powerful nation began to look very appealing causing a large proportion of Germans, who were in disillusionment, to divert their support the Nazi Party (Gordon 1987: 67).

Hitler’s opportunistic approach and perfectly timed cunning speeches as well as his manipulation of certain circumstance were significant reasons for the rise of Nazism and Hitler in Germany.

During the Great depression and release from prison, Hitler introduced large-scale propaganda and at the same time manipulated the media with his ideas. This led to the Nazi supporter’s increase of detests against their opposition and many Germans believed in the cunning lies of Hitler (Kaplan 1999: 45).

He managed to spread lies against the communist society and a case in point is when a communist supporter set the Reichstag building ablaze in one of the civil unrests in Germany, supposedly.

This event caused the communism society to loose popularity and allowed Hitler to activate the enabling act when he came to power. The act marked a turning point in the success of Hitler’s dictatorship and Historians accredit it as the foundation of the Nazi rule.

The communists later realized that the Nazis were responsible for the act at Reichstag building and the act meant to provoke hatred between the communists and Nazi supporters.

Hitler had a very charming personality that made him very easy to get along with people. His likable character and oratory skills enabled him to put forward the strong sense of authority that the Weimar Republic lacked.

This, in combination with other factors, made him very appealing to the desperate Germans, making them believe in the Nazi ideals like Semitism and supporting the Nazi party while concurrently fueling hatred of the ruling Weimar Republic.

Hitler’s ability to manipulate circumstances and situation in the favor of himself and his Nazi Party was reason for their success to rise to power. Hitler waited patiently to take hold of the realms of power before unleashing his full force of dictatorship and hatred for the Jews, which led to the holocaust. It is therefore just to state that every Hitler’s vote was a vote for the holocaust.

Bartov, O., ed., The Holocaust: origins, implementation, aftermath , Routledge, London/New York, 2000.

Bergen, D. L., War & Genocide: a concise history of the Holocaust , 2 nd ed., Rowman & Littlefield, 2003.

Bloxham, D. & T. Kushner, The Holocaust. Critical historical approaches , Manchester University Press, Manchester, 2005.

Burleigh, M., Ethics and Extermination. Reflections on Nazi Genocide, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997.

Cohn-Sherbok, D., Understanding the Holocaust , Cassell. London/New York, 1999.

Dippel, J. H., Bound upon a Wheel of Fire. Why so many German Jews made the tragic decision to remain in Nazi Germany , Basic Books, New York, 1996.

Gordon, A. S., Hitler, Germans and the ‘Jewish Question’ , Blackwell, Oxford, 1987.

Kaplan, M., Between dignity and despair: Jewish life in Nazi Germany , New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Longerich, P., The Unwritten Order. Hitler’s Role in the Final Solution, Tempus, The Mill, GLS, 2006.

Schleunes, K. A., The Twisted Road to Auschwitz. Nazi Policy towards German Jews, 1933-9, University of Illinois Press, Urbana, 1990.

Stone, D., Histories of the Holocaust , Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2004.

Thalmann, R. & E. Feinermann, Crystal night, 9-10 November 1938 , Thames and Hudson, London, 1990.

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Adolf Hitler’s Rise to Power, Impact, and Legacy

Introduction, rise to power, political platform and ideology, foreign policy and the second world war.

Adolf Hitler is one of the most reviled figures in human history, and for a good reason. His leadership turned the nascent democracy of the German Weimar Republic into the worst dictatorship in human history and ignited the Second World War with disastrous results for the people of the world. Considering that, it is immensely important to understand how he came to power and which factors made his regime so inhumane. This paper will cover his rise to power, the main facets of his ideology, his policies leading to the Second World War, and the mark that he and Nazi Germany left upon the world.

In order to understand Hitler’s rise to power, one should have an idea of the situation in Germany after the First World War. The Versailles Treaty that codified the official condition of peace with Germany included numerous territorial concessions to the victorious powers or their satellite states – most notably, France, Britain, Belgium, and Poland (League of Nations 1919). As a result, the German public perceived the treaty as a great national humiliation and resented it. The ideas of restoring Germany to its former glory were popular among the population. In this environment, Hitler – himself a veteran of the First World War – decided to join the recently-founded German Worker’s Party, later transformed into Nazi Party, in 1919 (Longerich 2019).

The party’s platform was heavily based on German nationalism and anti-Semitism as opposed to socialism or the government of the Weimar Republic – Germany’s ruling regime at the time. In 1923, Hitler, having already risen to the status of the party leader, attempted a coup to bring the government down but was defeated, arrested, and jailed (Longerich 2019). However, this first failure did not discourage his pursuit of power.

Hitler has been released from jail after serving only a portion of his sentence and resumed his political effort – this time, trying to get to power constitutionally. It required making the Nazi Party a formidable political force on the domestic scene, which was his primary concern throughout the 1920s. His failed attempt to seize power in 1923 was, nevertheless, a great publicity boost because it made his name known all across Germany. Hitler capitalized on that by utilizing his skills as a speaker and propagandist. His political manifesto, Mein Kampf (literally meaning “My Struggle”), was extremely popular in Germany (British Embassy, 1937).

His speeches also had an immense impact on German audiences, combining nationalist and anti-Semitic rhetoric with intense emotionality (British Embassy, 1937). Some contemporary observers claimed that Hitler was neurotic and subject to fits, although these claims mainly came from anti-Nazi sources and should be taken with a grain of salt (Bernstoff 1937). What is certain is that Hitler and his party reached immense popularity throughout the 1920s and 1930s thanks to his intensely passionate political rhetoric.

In his efforts to expand the Nazi party and secure political power for it, Hitler was able to enlist the help of a number of allies who were instrumental in his rise to power. Ernst Röhm, a member of the Nazi Party from its early days, was instrumental in organizing the Sturmabteilung (SA) – the party’s paramilitary forces (Longerich 2019). His assistance allowed Hitler to engage in political violence before he obtained formal control of the police and the military m– after which he promptly disposed of Röhm in 1934. Joseph Goebbels, a skilled propagandist and capable organizer, worked with Hitler since 1925 and was crucial in expanding the Nazi Party beyond Bavaria (Longerich, 2019). Unlike Röhm, Goebbels did not try to challenge Hitler’s leadership and worked with and for him until the fall of Nazi Germany.

Yet Hitler’s most important allies, in a broader sense, were the representatives of the German industry and military elite. Understanding that business support was instrumental in the pursuit of power through constitutional means, Hitler’s party relied on “ongoing contacts between business and National Socialism” since the early 1930s (Longerich 2019, 234). He was also careful to secure at least the superficial support of the old Prussian landed and military elites. The Day of Potsdam in March 1933, when Hitler greeted President Hindenburg, the hero of the First World War, with a reverential bow, was one of his attempts to demonstrate unity with them (Longerich 2019).

It was also a major reason why Hitler arrested and executed Röhm in 1934. The latter’s plans to reform the German army on the basis of the ideologically indoctrinated SA militia alarmed the old military elites, forcing Hitler to choose between the two (Longerich 2019). The choice in favor of the military sealed Röhm’s fate and ensured a functioning, if not necessarily cordial alliance between Hitler and the German military elite.

However, Germany’s descent toward dictatorship and a one-party state was not inevitable, and Hitler and the Nazis also had fervent opponents in their rise to power. There was no clarity about the political direction that Germany had to go in the 1920s, and the debate on this subject could sway either way. In very general terms, one may identify two political options other than Nazism that were available to Germany at the time. On the one hand, there was the possibility of turning Germany into a constitutional parliamentary republic similar to Western-style democracies.

With liberal German parties being generally weak, the main force that epitomized this approach was the German Center Party, which sought to ward off the left and right extremists of the time (Menke, 2019). On the extreme left, there were the communists, who were also a powerful force in their own right and even installed short-lived revolutionary regimes in Bavaria, Thuringia, and Saxony in the late 1910s and early 1920s (Longerich 2019). In order to secure power, Hitler had to prevail against both these opposing forces.

The Nazi leader did so by manipulating the public opinion on sensitive topics: national humiliation in the First World War and economy. Reparations and the loss of territories that have befallen Germany after the war were extremely unpopular. Moreover, the fact that at the time of the November revolution and the 1918 armistice, the war was still waged on French rather than German territory allowed to portray things as if Germany was not beaten on the battlefield by betrayed from within. Hitler seized on the opportunity to portray his presumably “unpatriotic” communist opponents as “November criminals,” steering the public opinion against them (Longerich 2019, 108).

As for the centrists, Hitler attacked them on the economic front. By 1931, hit by the Great Depression and other problems, Germany experienced one of the worst economic crises in its history yet (Straumann 2019 5-6). Hitler blamed the inherent deficiencies of the constitutional government’s weakness for the crisis, inciting the public opinion against the centrist as well. Thus, manipulating the topics of German national humiliation and economic troubles were the main argument Hitler used to win the debate about Germany’s future.

That is not to say that Hitler achieved power through purely constitutional means. He habitually used the party’s paramilitary forces against the opposing political forces, especially before and during the elections (Longerich 2019). With a combination of skilled political rhetoric and coercive measures, the Nazis became the numerically strongest party in Reichstag in 1930, but short of an absolute majority.

Unable to form a coalition government of other parties, President Hindenburg finally succumbed to the pressure to make Hitler the head of government. Soon after coming to power, Hitler passed emergency legislation allowing him to vigorously repress and eventually ban other parties (Beck and Jones 2019). He also eradicated opposition within his own party, including the purge of the SA, and, after Hindenburg’s death in 1934, assumed the role of the President as well (Beck and Jones 2019, 5-6). Thus, by 1945, Hitler was a dictator in full control of Germany.

The central staple of Hitler’s political platform was his particular version of German nationalism that argued for the inherent superiority of the German or “Aryan” race over all other people on Earth. The authoritative state proclaimed to care for the best interests of the German race and required total obedience in return. Nazi ideology and state control permeated every aspect of German society. Military leaders and religious figures were obligated to swear oaths of loyalty to the Nazi regime and Hitler personally (Longerich 2019, 336).

Education was saturated with political propaganda and ensured the political allegiance of students and faculty alike by weeding out the opponents of the regime (Detzen and Hoffmann 2020). In healthcare, “inferior” peoples were proclaimed unworthy of care, while those of “Aryan” descent were required to be healthy regardless of whether they wanted it or not (Bruns and Chelouche 592). This type of state that permeates every aspect of the society it governs came to be known as totalitarian.

Another essential facet of Hitler’s Nazi ideology was fervent anti-Semitism and anti-communism. He followed and largely influenced the then-popular idea that the German defeat in the First World War was due to the sabotage of the part of German Jewry. As early as 1921, he proclaimed that the Germans had to unite under the Nazi leadership or “come under the thumb of the Jews” (Hitler, 1921). In contrast to communists and socialists, who sought to improve the situation of the working class at the expense of the ruling capitalist class, Hitler (1933) proposed a national identity that surpassed the “differences of rank and class.” As mentioned above, this communal identity was based on the sense of inherent superiority of Germans over all other people and nations on the face of the globe.

The same conviction in the superiority of the German race led him to proclaim that Germany needed more territories and population to ensure its competitiveness in the long term. First and foremost, it required uniting all territories with at least some German population under a single Nazi state. Secondly, Germany had to take the necessary territories from the supposedly inferior neighbors to amass sufficient Lebensraum or living space.

The concept of living space was fairly common among the imperialist powers of the late 19 th and the early 20 th century, including Britain, France, Russia, and even Poland (Balogun 2018). However, Hitler took it to the extreme by aiming for the physical extermination of the races and peoples he deemed inferior – most notably Jews and Slavs. Thus, Hitler’s Nazi ideology was inherently aggressive and bound to put Germany into a confrontation with the rest of Europe – the only question was when.

Hitler’s dedication to uniting all German people within one totalitarian state led him to demand numerous border adjustments in Europe after securing his power over Germany. In early 1938, he annexed Austria in the event known as Anschluss (Longerich 2019, 551). Immediately after, he initiated diplomatic efforts to convince Britain and France to let him annex parts of Czechoslovakia with the German population. The Soviet Union, fearful of the possible conflict with overtly anti-communist Germany, proposed European powers to form a system of collective security for German containment (Carley 2010). However, France and Britain viewed the Soviet Union as an equal, if not greater, threat and decided to concede to German demands instead. The resulting Treaty of Munich allowed German forces to occupy parts of Czechoslovakia and effectively negate its potential threat in the event of a war (Hitler et al. 1938).

Some contemporary observers claimed – and, as time showed with good reason – that the policy of appeasement was a road to disaster (Law 1937). Even though Western powers thought they prevented open conflict, it was merely a delay.

Hitler understood perfectly well that his goal of providing Germany with sufficient living space all across Germany was bound to provoke war sooner or later. Correspondingly, since Hitler came to power, he worked vigorously to restore German military might. Throughout the 1930s, he reinvigorated the German military-industrial complex and gradually convinced foreign powers to lift restrictions on German rearmament imposed after the First World War (Longerich 2019).

He also sought foreign allies and found one in Mussolini due to Fascist Italy’s ideological proximity and imperialist ambitions that provided them with a common agenda (Goeschel 2018). Another ally that Hitler proved able to enlist was Japan, and the Anti-Comintern Pact solidified cooperation between the two powers (Mushakoji and Ribbentrop 1936). Finally, mindful of the failed attempts to enlist Western cooperation in 1934-1938, the Soviet Union signed up a non-aggression pact with Germany containing clauses on dividing Poland and the Baltic states (Molotov and Ribbentrop 1939). From this point onward, the war was predetermined.

Hitler’s military leadership in the Second World War did not prove to be as successful as his political leadership in the rise to power. German armies scored quick victories against Poland and France in 1939-1940 and also effectively established control of the Balkans through satellite governments or direct military occupation (Fritz 2018). However, Britain persisted with its war effort and refused to surrender, which complicated the strategic situation.

In 1941, Hitler proceeded with the invasion of the Soviet Union despite the non-aggression pact he signed two years earlier (Molotov 1939). German forces made quick initial progress but were eventually pinned down with stiff Soviet resistance. After Japan’s attack against Pearl Harbor, Hitler made one of his greatest strategic blunders by declaring war on the United States as well (Fritz 2018). The Allies’ superiority in industry and manpower began to be felt – by 1943, Hitler suffered crippling defeats in Africa, Italy, and the Soviet Union (Fritz 2018). With the Allied landing in Normandy in 1944, the failure of German counterattacks, and the continuing Soviet offensives in the east, it was clear Germany lost the war, and Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945.

The results of Hitler’s rule were nothing short of catastrophic for Germany. Having turned the nascent democracy into the worst dictatorship in human history, he steered the country to the Second World War, even more devastating than the first one. As a result of his policies, Germany was militarily occupied and, after that, separated into two states for almost half a century. His military leadership led to the country ending up in a war against most of the world – a conflict Germany could hardly win even under the most favorable circumstances (Fritz 2018). The human costs of the war in military casualties alone amounted to millions of German soldiers and millions more in other participants combined, predominantly the Soviets. With this in mind, it is impossible to argue that, for all his talk about reinvigorating Germany and leading it to a glorious future, Hitler was a catastrophe for his country, and his leadership had disastrous results for the entire world.

The most impactful legacy that Hitler has left upon the world was the Holocaust – the policy of consistent extermination of supposedly “inferior” peoples, most notably Jews. Throughout his twelve years in power, Hitler authorized the killing of up to 5.6 Jews as well as dozens of millions of people belonging to other ethnicities (Chatel and Ferree n.d.). As such, Hitler remains the political leader responsible for the greatest loss of human life in the shortest time span – and a vivid reminder of the dangers of racism and nationalism.

On the other hand, the severity of German atrocities ensured that the victorious powers in the Second World War put the struggle for human rights and international justice on an entirely new footing. Trials of Nazi politicians and war criminals instituted new principles in international law, such as the responsibility for heads of state, the crime of genocide, and the notion that national sovereignty should not serve as an excuse for crimes against humanity (Plesch 2017, 160). In a way, one may say that atrocities engineered and ordered by Hitler – including but not limited to Holocaust – served as a catalyst for devising and enacting a new, broader vision of universal human rights.

To summarize, Hitler left an immense impact on world history, almost entirely in negative terms. His rise to power in the embittered Germany suffering from recurring economic crises created arguably the worst dictatorship in human history. The ideology of German Nazism, which he created and promoted, stressed the inherent superiority of the German people over every other race and ethnicity. Combined with his aggressive foreign politics in pursuit of more territories, Hitler was the single person most responsible for the outbreak of the Second World War and the death of dozens of millions of people. His legacy, equally disastrous for Germany and the world as a whole, serves as a reminder of the extreme danger of nationalism, racism, and totalitarianism. At the same time, it was also a catalyst the united the world’s powers in their attempts to reshape international law so that the Holocaust could never repeat again.

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Essay on Hitler

Students are often asked to write an essay on Hitler in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Hitler

Introduction.

Adolf Hitler, born in Austria in 1889, was a significant figure in world history. He is known as the leader of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945.

Rise to Power

Hitler’s rise to power began in the early 1930s. He became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933, and later the dictator in 1934.

World War II

Under Hitler’s leadership, Germany started World War II in 1939. He aimed to establish a new order based on absolute Nazi German hegemony.

End of Hitler

Hitler’s aggressive policies and expansionist ideology are often seen as the causes of the start of World War II. He died by suicide in his bunker in Berlin on 30 April 1945.

250 Words Essay on Hitler

Early life and rise to power.

Adolf Hitler, born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, in 1889, was a controversial figure who rose to power as Germany’s dictator in 1933. Hitler’s early life was marked by struggle and failure, which shaped his extremist ideologies and charismatic leadership style. His political career began post World War I, when he joined the German Workers’ Party, later rebranded as the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party).

Hitler’s Ideology and the Holocaust

Hitler’s ideology was a toxic blend of anti-Semitism, Aryan racial superiority, and totalitarianism. His extremist views led to the Holocaust, the genocide of six million Jews, which stands as a stark reminder of the destructive potential of hate and bigotry. Hitler’s Mein Kampf, a manifesto outlining his political ideology and plans for Germany, became a cornerstone of the Nazi regime.

World War II and Hitler’s Downfall

Hitler’s aggressive foreign policies and expansionist ideology were significant causes of World War II. His invasion of Poland in 1939 triggered the war, and his militaristic tactics resulted in the occupation of several European countries. However, the tide turned against Hitler after the failed invasion of the Soviet Union and the entry of the United States into the war. In 1945, with Allied forces closing in, Hitler died by suicide in his bunker in Berlin.

This brief overview of Hitler’s life and impact underscores the dangers of unchecked power, extremist ideologies, and the manipulation of public sentiment, lessons that remain pertinent today.

500 Words Essay on Hitler

Adolf Hitler, a name synonymous with tyranny and destruction, was the Führer and Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945. His policies precipitated World War II and the Holocaust, leading to the genocide of six million Jews. Hitler’s actions and ideology, steeped in anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and Aryan supremacy, have left an indelible scar on human history.

Early Life and Political Inception

Born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau am Inn, Austria, Hitler’s early life was marked by conflict and hardship. His father, a stern and volatile man, was often at odds with Hitler’s artistic aspirations. Hitler moved to Munich in 1913, and his life took a decisive turn with the outbreak of World War I, where he served with distinction. Post-war Germany, laden with the punitive Treaty of Versailles, was fertile ground for Hitler’s extremist views. He joined the German Workers’ Party in 1919, which later evolved into the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party), and he became its leader in 1921.

Hitler’s charisma, coupled with his fervent nationalism and anti-Semitic rhetoric, resonated with the economically distressed and politically disillusioned Germans. His failed coup attempt in 1923, known as the Beer Hall Putsch, led to his imprisonment, during which he wrote ‘Mein Kampf’, outlining his political ideology and future plans for Germany. Released in 1924, Hitler methodically rebuilt the Nazi Party and by 1933, he was appointed Chancellor of Germany.

Hitler’s Regime

Once in power, Hitler swiftly dismantled Germany’s democratic institutions, establishing a totalitarian regime. The Reichstag fire in 1933 provided him the pretext to enact the Enabling Act, granting him dictatorial powers. Hitler pursued aggressive foreign policies, defying the Treaty of Versailles, and initiated World War II with the invasion of Poland in 1939.

The Holocaust

Hitler’s most abhorrent act was the systematic genocide of six million Jews during the Holocaust. His virulent anti-Semitism, articulated in ‘Mein Kampf’, became state policy with the implementation of the “Final Solution” – the extermination of the Jewish people.

Downfall and Legacy

Hitler’s downfall began with the disastrous decision to invade the Soviet Union in 1941. By 1945, Allied forces had overrun Germany. Facing imminent defeat, Hitler died by suicide in his bunker in Berlin on April 30, 1945. His legacy, a testament to the destructive potential of totalitarian regimes and extremist ideologies, serves as a stark reminder of humanity’s darkest hour.

Adolf Hitler, a man whose name evokes images of horror and devastation, changed the course of the 20th century. His reign of terror serves as a grim reminder of the catastrophic consequences of unchecked power, racial hatred, and ideological extremism. As we reflect on Hitler’s life and actions, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that the lessons of history are not forgotten, and such atrocities are never repeated.

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Adolf Hitler, Essay Example

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Adolf Hitler is a name, which instills terror into human beings now, 65 years after Fuehrer’s mysterious death. As defined by BBC Historic Figures, Hitler, “ military and political leader of Germany 1933 – 1945, launched World War Two and bears responsibility for the deaths of millions, including six million Jewish people in the Nazi genocide.” Born to become an artist, this man eventually turned into the curse of the 20 st century. These days, looking back at the deeds of German Nazi Party leader, one can only wonder how one man could bring so much evil and terror into being. Whether he was a madman, a fanatic, a genius or a living embodiment of devil is still to ask. It is obvious, however, that his triumph was not due to who he was solely, but rather to how the circumstances were, since, as Conrad Adenauer once said, “history is the sum total of the things that could have been avoided.”

Adolf Hitler was born in Austria in 1889, in the family of a customs official. Having failed to succeed as an artist in Vienna, young man moved to Munich in 1913. As the World War I broke out, he enlisted in the German army, where he was injured and consequently decorated. He became the leader of the Nazi Party in 1921. Hitler’s interest number one had always been an establishment of a pure race of German people through a policy of nationalism, anti-Semitism, anti-capitalism and anti-communism.

“Against a background of economic depression and political turmoil, the Nazis grew stronger and in the 1932 elections became the largest party in the German parliament.” (BBC Histroy) In 1933, Hitler was elected as a chancellor of a coalition government. He took his chance immediately, established himself as a dictator and started off with instituting the anti-Jewish laws. The course of action he took implied the process of German militarization and territorial expansion that eventually resulted into World War Two, started in 1939 by Hitler’s commanding his armies to enter Poland. He eventually committed suicide in 1945, just before Germany lost the war, in order to avoid capture by Soviet forces.

“The world has come to know Adolph Hitler for his insatiable greed for power, his ruthlessness, cruelty and utter lack of feeling, his contempt for established institutions and his lack of moral restraints.” (Langer) The question is not, however, whether he was a madman or not, but rather is what influenced his psychological development to make him what he was. Hitler’s early life, when his basic mentality and mindset were obviously formed, is believed to have the most profound impact on his adult character.

“Freud’s earliest and greatest contribution to psychiatry in particular and to an understanding of human conduct in general was his discovery of the importance of the first years of a child’s life in shaping his future character.” (Langer) It is, however, questionable whether Freud’s theory of psychosexual development can be applied when discussing Hitler’s case. Attempting to relate Hitler’s behavior to a diversity of unproven sexual oddities attributed to future dictator seems far-fetched.

It is true, nevertheless, that during early years, when a child’s view of life is still immature, there is a serious threat of misinterpreting the nature of the world around him. The intellect of a child is not enough adequate to comprehend the complex requirements of society he is supposed to meet, as well as a perplexing experience to which he is constantly exposed. As a result, the child’s personality may turn out to be composed of wrong ideas about the world he lives in.

Close analyses of Hitler’s personal statements and the available information about his background, family in particular, allows for an assumption that Hitler’s ill nature was indeed formed at very young age. His view of reality was deeply affected by family issues. Even though he claims himself to be growing up in a normal middle class family, with “father a faithful civil servant, the mother devoting herself to the cares of the household and looking after her children with eternally the same loving care”, the actual state of affairs appears to be somewhat different (Hitler, 1925). Hitler seems to conceal very carefully his true family environment. Nowhere else in the whole book any of his family members are mentioned. Never did he as well refer to any of his brothers or sisters to his associate, with the only exception of his half-sister, Angela. His mentions of own beloved mother are met not quite more often.

Why would he be so secretive about own family if, as he claimed in statement quoted above, living in a perfectly friendly and peaceful environment? The explanation is provided by third person descriptions of the low class family life, he declares to be witnessing personally for many times in his life, that are included in ‘Mein Kampf’. For instance, he writes: “Among the five children there is a boy, let us say, of three… When the parents fight almost daily, their brutality leaves nothing to the imagination; then the results of such visual education must slowly but inevitably become apparent to the little one. Those who are not familiar with such conditions can hardly imagine the results, especially when the mutual differences express themselves in the form of brutal attacks on the part of the father towards the mother or to assaults due to drunkenness. The poor little boy at the age of six, senses things which would make even a grown-up person shudder…” (Mein Kampf) Many more references to hard family conditions are present in his writings. And even though he rejects to be a full participant of those scenes, one may assume Hitler is in fact describing his personal experience, which aroused revulsion and resentment in his early childhood.

Relationship with his father turned him into a rebellious young man. Instead of providing an image of a reliable, balanced, socially-adjusted and outstanding individual, which the little boy could perceive as a guiding model, Hitler’s father proved to be full of inconsistency. “As a child Hitler must have felt this lack very keenly for throughout his later life we find him searching for a strong masculine figure whom he can respect and emulate.” (Langer) In contrast, Hitler’s mother is believed to be an extremely respectable woman. There are numerous evidences that show there was an exceptional attachment between herself and Adolph, which is no surprise, since she obviously supplied her little son with all the love and care she had to give.

The great amount of love provided to him by his mother and the unattractive character of his father contributed to dynamic development of Hitler’s complexes. Naturally, he became more and more needy for the warmth his mother gave him and more and more aggressive towards his useless father. The later was viewed by Hitler as intruder and could possible provoke Adolf’s ultimate desire for “pure race”. It is also quite possible that all the affection and love he had once felt for his mother became instinctively relocated to Germany after her untimely death.

Naturally, Hitler was no less influenced by social forces as a young man, than he was by family issues as being a child. For young Hitler, German Nationalism became an obsession as an alternative way to rebel against his father. The later served the Austrian government, greatly respected his position and the society he lived in, and tended to require that all others, including his own son, were doing same way. The majority of people who lived alongside the German-Austrian border regarded themselves as German-Austrian citizens, but Hitler, in contrast, declared devotion only to Germany. Provoked by desire to disobey own father, Hitler refused to comply with the Austrian Monarchy.

The development of anti-Semitism is ascribed to his Vienna period. Historians still argue about the reasons that provoked such a fatal hatred to the entire race. Hitler was probably influenced by anti-Semitism moods widespread in Vienna. The extensive propaganda against Jews, popularized among Austrian citizens, turned possibly indifferent or even sympathetic Adolf into a hawkish racist. Hitler described Jews as disgraceful and corrupt human beings accountable for most of society’s problems. Whether he truly supported general believes, or simply adjusted own attitudes to be better accepted among peers, is an open question.

He led a passive, pathetic, beggarly life at Vienna, “in which activity was held at the lowest level consistent with survival. He seemed to enjoy being dirty and even filthy in his appearance and personal cleanliness.”(Stein) After all, he finally found his proper place in German army during World War I. Hitler’s political and religious extremism at last began to fully absorb him while his short military service. He proved himself to be a courageous soldier, and also learned strategy and warfare tactics firsthand. Outraged by Germany’s surrender and the political outcomes of war, Hitler decided to become active in politics, and that is when the world was changed for good.

Apparently, Hitler’s awkward manner, nervous temperament and antisocial behavior were provoked by environment he was growing up in. His views of life and people were maturing under brutal guidance of his father. His emotional instability, aggressiveness and violence as a child and teenager, however, appear to be the innate characteristics of his personality, rather than acquired traits that were produced under the influence of given circumstances. His unhappy childhood eventually shaped an unstable human being who lived in a world of pure fancy. However, if not for his inborn cruelty and for the way the history had played out, Hitler would probably have just been a one more miserable teenager from a dysfunctional family.

It is clear now that some exceptional traits of Hitler’s personality were formed during his childhood years. In what exact way did they however influence him? If applying Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development to Adolf Hitler, one can observe where he failed as a personality and what were the psychological development gaps that eventually caused him to become the man he was. Hitler who had a troublesome childhood failed on the very first stages of psychological growth. According to Erikson, on each stage of development people go through a conflict that serves as a turning point in personality formation. “These conflicts are centered on either developing a psychological quality or failing to develop that quality. During these times, the potential for personal growth is high, but so is the potential for failure.” (About.com). Thus, Hitler obviously failed on first and second stages (Trust vs. Mistrust and Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt correspondingly), which provoked fear and developed in him a belief that the world is unpredictable and changeable, as well as a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt. Hitler seems to be failing on almost all of the following stages, since one failure negatively affects the success when facing the subsequent conflict. Hitler however appeared to be having a strong identity and sense of self, which contradicts the theory. Fuehrer’s triumph over this or that conflict probably depended on the current stage of his political career development and social interaction he was going through.

Social Learning Theory explains how a personality is formed through the observation of society. Albert Bandura stated: “Most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action.” (About.com) It can, therefore, be assumed that Hitler’s cruelty was provoked by the observation of his father’s brutality. The fact that Hitler failed to alter his behavior through the observation of his mother as well fits the theory, since it specifies that learning does not automatically cause a change in behavior. The theory does not, however, clarify why a person chooses to change or not to change own behavior, and what knowledge leads to transformation.

Therefore, Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development seems to be the most suitable when talking about Adolf Hitler. Being based on person’s ability to resolve various psychological conflicts, it provides more sufficient explanation for the complexity and contradictoriness of Hitler’s nature. His failure on first stages resulted into increasing number of complexes, growing into feeling of superiority.

Hitler’s personality is, however, too extraordinary to be fully explained by one single theory; some of his behaviors seem to contradict all theories at once. Despite being a bad-tempered, violent, anti-social person, he eventually developed into a charismatic, outstanding leader and brilliant strategist. Tragically, “it was not only Hitler, the madman, who created German madness, but German madness which created Hitler. Having created him as its spokesman and leader, it has been carried along by his momentum, perhaps far beyond the point where it was originally prepared to go.” (Langer) It is always important to remember that Hitler, in spite of the chaos that he was responsible for, failed monumentally in all his major intentions, leaving, however, such a profound track in the history of 20 st century that his personality is to be studied for centuries to come.

Works Cited

About.com. Psychology Theories. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://psychology.about.com/od/psychology101/u/psychology-theories.htm

BBC. Historic Figures: Adolf Hitler . Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/hitler_adolf.shtml

Hitler, A. (1925). Mein Kampf .

Langer, Walter C. A Psychological Profile of Adolph Hitler. His Life and Legend. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/documents/osstitle.htm

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Our Trump reporting upsets some readers, but there aren’t two sides to facts: Letter from the Editor

Updated: Apr. 06, 2024, 10:27 a.m. |
Published: Mar. 30, 2024, 8:16 a.m.

Some readers complain that we have different standards involving Donald Trump and Joe Biden. (AP Photo, File) AP

Chris Quinn, Editor, cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer

A more-than-occasional arrival in the email these days is a question expressed two ways, one with dripping condescension and the other with courtesy:

Why don’t our opinion platforms treat Donald Trump and other politicians exactly the same way. Some phrase it differently, asking why we demean the former president’s supporters in describing his behavior as monstrous, insurrectionist and authoritarian.

I feel for those who write. They believe in Trump and want their local news source to recognize what they see in him.

The angry writers denounce me for ignoring what they call the Biden family crime syndicate and criminality far beyond that of Trump. They quote news sources of no credibility as proof the mainstream media ignores evidence that Biden, not Trump, is the criminal dictator.

The courteous writers don’t go down that road. They politely ask how we can discount the passions and beliefs of the many people who believe in Trump.

Chris Quinn's recent Letters from the Editor

Around the globe and the nation, thousands thank us for telling the truth about Trump: Letter from the Editor
Voices of hope. Voices of anxiety. Tears of gratitude. A global response to how we tell the truth about Donald Trump
Let’s hang it up on polling. In election after election, they get it wrong: Letter from the Editor

This is a tough column to write, because I don’t want to demean or insult those who write me in good faith. I’ve started it a half dozen times since November but turned to other topics each time because this needle is hard to thread. No matter how I present it, I’ll offend some thoughtful, decent people.

The north star here is truth. We tell the truth, even when it offends some of the people who pay us for information.

The truth is that Donald Trump undermined faith in our elections in his false bid to retain the presidency. He sparked an insurrection intended to overthrow our government and keep himself in power. No president in our history has done worse.

This is not subjective. We all saw it. Plenty of leaders today try to convince the masses we did not see what we saw, but our eyes don’t deceive. (If leaders began a yearslong campaign today to convince us that the Baltimore bridge did not collapse Tuesday morning, would you ever believe them?) Trust your eyes. Trump on Jan. 6 launched the most serious threat to our system of government since the Civil War. You know that. You saw it.

The facts involving Trump are crystal clear, and as news people, we cannot pretend otherwise, as unpopular as that might be with a segment of our readers. There aren’t two sides to facts. People who say the earth is flat don’t get space on our platforms. If that offends them, so be it.

As for those who equate Trump and Joe Biden, that’s false equivalency. Biden has done nothing remotely close to the egregious, anti-American acts of Trump. We can debate the success and mindset of our current president, as we have about most presidents in our lifetimes, but Biden was never a threat to our democracy. Trump is. He is unique among all American presidents for his efforts to keep power at any cost.

Personally, I find it hard to understand how Americans who take pride in our system of government support Trump. All those soldiers who died in World War II were fighting against the kind of regime Trump wants to create on our soil. How do they not see it?

The March 25 edition of the New Yorker magazine offers some insight. It includes a detailed review of a new book about Adolf Hitler, focused on the year 1932. It’s called “Takeover: Hitler’s Final Rise to Power” and is by historian Timothy W. Ryback. It explains how German leaders – including some in the media -- thought they could use Hitler as a means to get power for themselves and were willing to look past his obvious deficiencies to get where they wanted. In tolerating and using Hitler as a means to an end, they helped create the monstrous dictator responsible for millions of deaths.

How are those German leaders different from people in Congress saying the election was stolen or that Jan. 6 was not an insurrection aimed at destroying our government? They know the truth, but they deny it. They see Trump as a means to an end – power for themselves and their “team” – even if it means repeatedly telling lies.

Sadly, many believe the lies. They trust people in authority, without questioning the obvious discrepancies or relying on their own eyes. These are the people who take offense to the truths we tell about Trump. No one in our newsroom gets up in the morning wanting to make a segment of readers feel bad. No one seeks to demean anyone. We understand what a privilege it is to be welcomed into the lives of the millions of people who visit our platforms each month for news, sports and entertainment. But our duty is to the truth.

Our nation does seem to be slipping down the same slide that Germany did in the 1930s. Maybe the collapse of government in the hands of a madman is inevitable, given how the media landscape has been corrupted by partisans, as it was in 1930s Germany.

I hope not.

In our newsroom, we’ll do our part. Much as it offends some who read us, we will continue to tell the truth about Trump.

I’m at mailto:[email protected]

Thanks for reading.

( Note: A follow-up column about the overwhelming international response to this piece can be found here , and a sampling of the responses can be found here .)

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Ye Praised Hitler and Spoke of ‘Going for the Gays,’ Lawsuit Claims

A former employee sued the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, claiming a hostile work environment at Yeezy, his fashion brand, and Donda Academy, his private school.

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, with a beard and wearing a black rain jacket with the hood pulled up.

By Julia Jacobs

Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, was sued Tuesday by a former employee who accused him of discrimination and creating a hostile work environment by calling Adolf Hitler “great,” disparaging Jews and saying that “gay people are not true Christians.”

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Trevor Phillips, who says he was hired in November 2022, around the time a series of antisemitic remarks publicly made by Ye lost the artist his major-label record deal and put his businesses in jeopardy.

Phillips was initially hired to oversee “projects related to growing cotton” and other plants in an effort to make Yeezy, Ye’s fashion brand, “self-sustainable,” the lawsuit said, and then went on to work for Donda Academy, Ye’s private school in Southern California.

Phillips’s lawsuit claims that Ye made antisemitic comments in front of staff members at Donda Academy, including, “the Jews are out to get me” and “the Jews are stealing all my money.” After Adidas ended its decade-long partnership with Ye over his public remarks, the lawsuit claimed, the rapper told Phillips: “The Jews are working with Adidas to freeze up my money to try and make me broke!”

The lawsuit claims that Ye treated Black employees at Donda Academy, including Phillips, “considerably worse than white employees.”

Representatives for Ye and Donda Academy did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

Late last year, as he was preparing to release new music, Ye put out a statement written in Hebrew in which he apologized to the Jewish community for his remarks, writing “I deeply regret any pain I may have caused.” His newest album, a collaboration with the R&B singer Ty Dolla Sign called “Vultures 1,” has been a streaming success, giving Ye the 11th No. 1 album of his career.

Most of the remarks that torpedoed Ye’s corporate deals were made in public, including on social media and on podcasts. In the lawsuit, Phillips describes comments he claims Ye made in private. The lawsuit says that during a conversation at the Nobu Hotel in Malibu, Calif., Ye said the Holocaust was “fake,” called Hitler “great,” adding: “Hitler was an innovator! He invented so many things. He’s the reason we have cars.”

In that same meeting, the lawsuit accuses Ye of making homophobic and antisemitic remarks, saying: “Yeah I am going for the gays! FIRST the Jews, THEN the gays.”

The lawsuit contains a screenshot of a text message it claims Ye sent to Phillips taking issue with how he carried out a task. “I am on some complete Hitler level stuff,” Ye says, then adds, “Minus the gas chambers.”

The lawsuit took issue with Ye’s conduct at Donda Academy, the school he founded . It claims that Ye told two children enrolled there that “he wanted them to shave their heads and that he intended to put a jail at the school — and that they could be locked in cages.”

“The staff quickly distracted the children,” the lawsuit says, “and escorted them out of the room.”

In a 2022 television interview , Ye said Donda Academy had more than 80 students and that its mission was “to be a performing arts school, to be a design school, an architecture school, a farming school, an automotive engineering school, a computer hardware and software school” as well as to “teach the Gospel.”

The suit said that Phillips’s daughter and younger brother attended the school, and that Phillips’s mother had helped him get the job there. The current status of Donda Academy, which has been named in other lawsuits brought by former employees, is unclear.

Julia Jacobs is an arts and culture reporter who often covers legal issues for The Times. More about Julia Jacobs

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