Hitler As A Youth Essay, Research Paper

Hitler s Childhood Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in a small Austrian village called Braunau-am-Inn. Adlof was born a sickly child, his mother, Klara, watched over him night and day. Klara Hitler protected young Adolf from her short-tempered husband, Alois. Adolf grew into a thin, dark-haired, blue-eyed boy with an angular face (Twisted 63). At the age of 6, Hitler started school and showed excellent achievement in his classes. Outside of school young Hitler was energetic and had many friends. Adolf s home life was far less happy. His father ran the household like a military boot camp. When his father was in the same room as him, Adolf was not allowed to speak without permission. The first signs of Adolf s aggression showed up at the age of 7. Adolf would challenge his tyrannical father and was beaten severely for it. In 1900, at the age of 11, Hitler entered a secondary school that turned out to be disastrous. After entering the school, Adolf s grades dropped in every subject except drawing. Hitler explains this change in academic performance in his book Mein Kampf. Hitler states that he purposely failed his classes to rebel against his father and sabotage all ambition towards him (Bullock 8). During his high school career, Hitler became seriously ill with a lung infection and was forced to drop out of school. After his illness was cured, he then applied to the Vienna Academy of Arts hoping to start a career in painting. Hitler took the admission test and passed it, but when it came down to submitting a piece of art, Hitler s watercolor was rejected. Adolf was rejected from the academy and felt no disappointment, although, Hitler was more concerned with a dying woman whom he loved greatly, his mother. Klara was suffering from breast cancer and would die in December of 1907. The death of his mother brought great sorrow to Hitler. The family physician said, “I have never seen anyone so prostrate with grief as Adolf Hitler (Twisted 71).” Hitler felt that he should not give up his love for art, so he reapplied to the art academy. This time, Hitler didn t even pass the preliminary exam. Hitler was offended greatly and couldn t believe what happened. In desperation for a source of income, Hitler joined the German Army and began attending meetings of the Nazi party. This is the major turning point in Hitler s life that might have brought on the power-demanding personality that is a part of his name.

As you can see, Hitler has been subjected to many altered experiences in his childhood. These things may have quite possibly turned the once playful youngster, into a tyrannical leader of the Nazi party. Bibliography Bullock, Alan. Hitler and Stalin. New York: Knopf, 1992.Drecher, Timothy. Hitler. Los Angeles: Sullivan, 1985.Horzano, Kristine. The Twisted Dream. Alexandria: Time, 1990.Marks, Eileen. Adolf Hitler. Chicago: Adams, 1991. Von Maltitz, Horst. The Evolution of Hitler s Germany. Toronto: McGraw-Hill, 1973.