What were the early life and upbringing of Adolf Hitler?

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What were the early life and upbringing of Adolf Hitler?

Adolf Hitler, the infamous dictator of Nazi Germany, was born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau am Inn, Austria-Hungary (present-day Austria). His parents were Alois Hitler and Klara Pölzl. Hitler's early life and upbringing played a significant role in shaping his ideologies and later actions.

During his childhood, Hitler's family moved several times, and he spent his early years in Linz, Austria. His father, Alois, was a stern and authoritarian man who worked as a customs official. Alois had a volatile temper and often clashed with his son, Adolf. This strained relationship had a lasting impact on Hitler's personality and his desire for power and control.

Hitler's mother, Klara, was a gentle and nurturing woman who provided emotional support to her son. However, she suffered from various health issues, and several of Hitler's siblings died in infancy, which affected him deeply. Klara's death in 1907 had a profound impact on Hitler, leading him to become increasingly isolated and introverted.

As a child, Hitler showed an early interest in art and wanted to pursue a career as a painter. He attended the Realschule in Linz but performed poorly academically. Hitler's lack of success in school, coupled with his strained relationship with his father, led to his rebellious behavior and a growing sense of resentment towards authority figures.

After his father's death in 1903, Hitler moved to Vienna, Austria, to pursue his artistic ambitions. However, he faced numerous rejections from art schools and struggled to make a living. During this time, Hitler became exposed to anti-Semitic and nationalist ideologies that were prevalent in Vienna. These ideas, combined with his own frustrations and failures, began to shape his political beliefs.

In 1913, Hitler moved to Munich, Germany, just before the outbreak of World War I. He volunteered to serve in the German army and fought as a soldier throughout the war. Hitler's experiences during the war further fueled his nationalist sentiments and his belief in the superiority of the Aryan race.

The aftermath of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles deeply affected Hitler. He felt that Germany had been humiliated and betrayed by the terms of the treaty, which imposed heavy reparations and territorial losses on the country. Hitler's anger and resentment towards the treaty, combined with his growing anti-Semitic beliefs, led him to join the German Workers' Party (DAP), which later became the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) or the Nazi Party.

In conclusion, Adolf Hitler's early life and upbringing were marked by a strained relationship with his father, the loss of his mother, and his struggles as an artist. These experiences, combined with exposure to anti-Semitic and nationalist ideologies, shaped Hitler's worldview and laid the foundation for his later actions as the leader of Nazi Germany.