1. Ashley Young
HST 103
3/29/2015
From Nobody to Nazi: Adolf Hitler’s Rise to Power
Adolf Hitler is among the most well known historical figures in the history of the
world. He is not known for his success or for his valor, but for his wickedness and for the
multitude of deaths for which he is responsible. While so many know his name, so few
know how one man managed to take over the German government and destroy so many
lives. He did not conquer Germany in just one day. Through a series of change-triggering
events, a lot of planning, and a lot of patience, an everyday man went from being nobody
to the leader of the Nazi party.
On April 20, 1889, one of the world’s most violent dictators was born. At the
time, his Austrian parents had no idea how far their son would be willing to go in order to
stand up for what he believed. Young Adolf did not have what one would describe as an
ideal childhood. His father was very strict and in return, Adolf was very hostile. Despite
his poor relationship with his father, he was very close with his mother. At the age of
sixteen, Adolf quit school with dreams of becoming a painter. Just three years later,
Adolf’s mother lost her battle with cancer. This loss was just one of many blows in the
young adult’s life. His dream of becoming a painter was crushed when he was rejected by
the Viennese Academy of Fine Arts (Jewish). He lived a bitter life full of resentment until
World War I broke out, finally giving him purpose.
Hitler began his military career at the age of twenty-five. In 1914, just one year
after World War I had begun, he joined the Sixteenth Bavarian Infantry Regiment where
2. he was a dispatch runner. He went on to receive the Iron Cross for his bravery (Jewish).
Infuriated by the defeat in World War I and the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler looked for a
scapegoat to blame. He set his sights on the Jews (infoplease). His focus on the Jews was
unwarranted considering that over 100,000 German Jews had served their country
proudly throughout World War I (Schuman). In 1919 he joined the National Socialist
German Workers Party, better known as the Nazi party. Within a year, Hitler managed to
work his way up to the position of chairman (Jewish).
In 1923, Hitler and the Nazi party concocted a plan to overthrow the Bavarian
government. However, things did not go according to plan and Hitler was arrested. He
was tried on February 26, 1924 and imprisoned for nine months. During these nine
months, Hitler dictated his book “Mein Kampf” which means “My Struggle”. This book
expressed Hitler’s thoughts and ideas concerning the Jewish people, claiming that they
polluted the purity of German blood and were responsible for the German defeat during
World War I amongst other things. This book helped the Nazi party gain momentum as
over the span of fifteen years, over five million copies were sold (Jewish).
With a strong and persuasive speaking voice, it wasn’t hard for Hitler to influence
the German population, which was desperate for a change. His charm was especially
appealing to the youth, unemployed, and the lower middle class. In the 1924 elections,
the Nazi party only won 3% of the votes. However, in 1932, the Nazis won 33% of the
votes, the highest of all of the parties. While it took time for the Nazi party to gain
momentum, once they did, their rise to power was very quick. This was very much due to
the leadership of Adolf Hitler. One year after officially becoming a German citizen
(Jewish), in January of 1933, Hitler was appointed to the position of chancellor, which is
3. the head of the German government. The Germans believed that they had found their
savior, but little did they know, they had just given control to one of the worst dictators in
world history (Holocaust).
One year after his appointment, Hitler combined the positions of fuhrer and
chancellor, thus giving himself control over all state power (Jewish). In September of
1935, Hitler enacted the Nuremburg Laws. These laws declared that the Jews were in no
way German citizens and prohibited them from displaying the German flag and prevented
them from marrying Germans (Schuman). The same year, he chose to abandon the Treaty
of Versailles that he loathed so much. He began to form an army five times larger than
what was permitted by the treaty and in 1936 the army occupied Rhineland. In February
of 1938 Hitler took personal command of the armed forces, yet again giving himself
more power. Just a year later, on September 1, German armed forces invaded Poland thus
beginning World War II. The German army continued to flourish under Hitler’s control
until what is known as the Battle of Britain. This was the first setback for the Nazi party
as Luftwaffe failed to secure aerial control over the English Channel. As a result, Hitler
was forced to postpone the planned invasion of the British Isles (Jewish).
Despite the setback of the Battle of Britain, Hitler and the Nazis were not
deterred. On June 22, 1941, they invaded Soviet Russia. Soon after, Hitler decided to
implement the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question.” This final solution was the
systematic, mass murder of the entire Jewish population (Jewish). Throughout the war,
the Jewish people were persecuted, kept in concentration camps, tortured, and killed.
Today, these events are recognized as the Holocaust.
4. Eventually the tides began to turn. The concentration camps were liberated,
saving the lives of many of the Jewish people. Knowing that defeat was near, Hitler hid
himself in a bunker. On April 29, 1945 Hitler married his mistress, Eva Braun, whom had
stood by his side throughout the war. A day later, accepting his loss, Hitler killed himself.
His new bride followed in his suicide. Their bodies were later burned (Jewish).
Adolf Hitler is one of the most well known historical figures in the world. His
powers of persuasion provided him with a simple climb up the ladder to the top. The
German people were unaware of his sick manipulation; making is rise to power, both
quicker and easier. Set on the annihilation of the Jewish population, Adolf Hitler ended
many lives, purely because he saw them as inferior. He went to sickening lengths to enact
his plan, “The Final Solution” and forever be remembered as one of the most wicked
rulers in history.
5. Works Cited
"Adolf Hitler." Adolf Hitler. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/hitler.html#fuhrer>.
"Adolf Hitler." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/people/hitler-adolf-early-life.html>.
"Hitler Comes to Power." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States
Holocaust Memorial Council, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007671>.
Schuman, Michael. Elie Wiesel: Voice From the Holocaust. Hillside, NJ: Enslow, 1994.
Print.
