Hitler's Nationality: Austrian Roots, German Leadership

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. He was born in Braunau am Inn in Austria-Hungary and raised near Linz. He lived in Vienna in the first decade of the 1900s before moving to Germany in 1913 and becoming a citizen in 1932. Hitler's political career began with his involvement in the German Workers' Party (DAP) in 1919, which later became the Nazi Party. He was appointed chancellor of Germany in 1933 and went on to become the country's Führer und Reichskanzler in 1934.

Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria-Hungary, in 1889

Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria-Hungary, on 20 April 1889. At the time, Braunau am Inn was a small town, close to the border with the German Empire. Hitler was born into a German-speaking family and grew up near Linz, in Austria-Hungary.

Hitler's father, Alois Hitler, was born in Austria and worked in the Austrian customs bureau. Hitler's mother, Klara Pölzl, was Alois' third wife. Hitler was the fourth of six children, though three of his siblings—Gustav, Ida, and Otto—died in infancy.

Hitler's family moved to Passau, Germany, when he was three years old. They returned to Austria in 1894 and settled in Leonding. In 1895, the family moved to Hafeld, where Hitler's father took up farming and beekeeping. However, the farming efforts were unsuccessful, and the family moved to Lambach in 1897.

Hitler's childhood was marked by intense conflicts with his father due to his refusal to conform to strict discipline. After his father's sudden death in 1903, Hitler's performance at school deteriorated, and his mother allowed him to leave. He enrolled in the Realschule in Steyr in 1904 and later moved to Linz to live and study fine art.

Hitler's birthplace in Braunau am Inn has gained notoriety as a site associated with the Nazi leader. Efforts have been made to prevent it from becoming a pilgrimage site for those who glorify Hitler and Nazi ideology. The building is state-owned and is being remodelled into a police station that will also host human rights training courses.

He moved to Germany in 1913 and renounced his Austrian citizenship in 1925

Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn in Austria-Hungary in 1889 and raised near Linz. He lived in Vienna in the first decade of the 1900s before moving to Germany in 1913.

Hitler's early adulthood was marked by his move to Munich, Germany, in 1913, where he received the final part of his father's estate. This move was significant as it brought him closer to his ethnic German roots and set him on a path towards German citizenship.

Hitler's time in Germany was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I in 1914. He voluntarily enlisted in the Bavarian Army, despite being an Austrian citizen. This decision reflected his loyalty and identification with Germany, which would later lead him to renounce his Austrian citizenship.

During World War I, Hitler served in the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 16 and participated in several notable battles, including the First Battle of Ypres and the Battle of the Somme. He was decorated for his bravery, receiving the Iron Cross, Second Class, in 1914, and the Iron Cross, First Class, in 1918.

After the war, Hitler remained in Munich and joined the German Workers' Party (DAP) in 1919, which later became the Nazi Party. He quickly rose through the ranks and was appointed the leader of the Nazi Party in 1921. Hitler's charismatic oratory and populist rhetoric attracted a growing following, especially among those disillusioned by the Treaty of Versailles and the economic hardships in Germany.

In 1923, Hitler attempted to seize power in the Beer Hall Putsch but failed and was sentenced to prison. He served just over a year and, during his incarceration, dictated the first volume of his autobiography and political manifesto, "Mein Kampf."

Upon his early release in 1924, Hitler continued to gain popularity by promoting pan-Germanism, antisemitism, and anti-communism. However, he still held Austrian citizenship, which created legal complications for his political ambitions.

On April 7, 1925, Hitler formally renounced his Austrian citizenship. This act was a significant step towards achieving his political goals in Germany. By renouncing his Austrian citizenship, Hitler demonstrated his commitment to his adopted homeland and removed legal obstacles that prevented him from holding public office in Germany.

Hitler's renunciation of Austrian citizenship was a strategic move that allowed him to fully dedicate himself to the Nazi Party and his political aspirations in Germany. It also symbolised his rejection of his Austrian roots and his embrace of a German national identity.

Hitler became a citizen of Germany in 1932

On February 25, 1932, Adolf Hitler became a citizen of Germany. Born in Braunau am Inn in Austria-Hungary, Hitler had moved to Germany in 1913, and renounced his Austrian citizenship in 1925. For years, he was stateless, but in 1932, a fellow member of the Nazi Party appointed him to a low-level government job that came with automatic citizenship.

Hitler's new status allowed him to pursue his political goals. He could now run for office, and by mid-1934, he had consolidated power in Germany as Führer und Reichskanzler (leader and chancellor). As Führer, Hitler went on to redefine citizenship to serve his beliefs, using race and pan-German heritage as criteria to give citizenship to, and take it away from, large groups of people.

Hitler's Austrian origins were not a secret. In fact, he had lived in Vienna for the first decade of the 1900s. However, his new status as a German citizen, combined with his rising political power, enabled him to shape Germany's future in ways that aligned with his nationalist ideology. By the time World War II broke out, Hitler's views on German supremacy were fuelling a military campaign that would ultimately destroy borders and entire populations across Europe.

He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming chancellor in 1933

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician who rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming chancellor in 1933.

Hitler's rise to power began in 1919 when he joined the German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or DAP) in the newly established Weimar Republic. The DAP was a small, extremist group based in Munich. Hitler quickly rose to prominence within the party, becoming one of its most popular speakers. He was appointed leader of the DAP in 1921, and in the same year, the party was renamed the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), commonly known as the Nazi Party.

Hitler's control over the party was solidified by 1922, and he attempted to seize power through a coup in Bavaria in 1923, known as the Beer Hall Putsch. The coup failed, and Hitler was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. However, he only served nine months of his sentence. During his time in prison, Hitler wrote "Mein Kampf," which became the ideological foundation of National Socialism.

After his release, Hitler changed tactics and decided to pursue power through legal and democratic means. He began campaigning furiously, exploiting the social, economic, and political unrest in Germany at the time. The Nazi Party platform consisted of anti-communism, antisemitism, and ultranationalism. Hitler frequently denounced communism as part of an international Jewish conspiracy and promoted pan-Germanism.

The Nazi Party gained national attention and began to attract more supporters due to the economic crisis caused by the Great Depression. In the 1930 federal election, the Nazis obtained 18.3% of the vote and became the second-largest party in Germany. Hitler ran for the presidency in 1932 but was defeated by Paul von Hindenburg, placing second in both rounds of the election.

In July 1932, the Nazis became the largest party in the Reichstag, but they did not have an absolute majority. Despite this, Hitler demanded to be appointed chancellor. Hindenburg initially resisted this demand but eventually gave in after several backroom negotiations with conservative politicians, industrialists, and other influential figures.

On January 30, 1933, Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany by President Hindenburg. However, he did not immediately become a dictator. The Nazi Party used its position to gradually consolidate power and transform Germany into a one-party dictatorship. On August 2, 1934, Hindenburg died, and Hitler proclaimed himself Führer ("leader") of Germany, becoming the country's dictator.

Hitler's regime was responsible for the genocide of six million Jews during the Holocaust

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. Hitler's regime was responsible for the genocide of six million Jews during the Holocaust.

Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn in Austria-Hungary and was raised near Linz. He lived in Vienna in the first decade of the 1900s before moving to Germany in 1913. He was decorated during his service in the German Army in World War I, receiving the Iron Cross. In 1919, he joined the German Workers' Party (DAP), the precursor of the Nazi Party, and in 1921 was appointed leader of the Nazi Party. In 1923, he attempted a failed coup in Munich and was sentenced to five years in prison, serving just over a year of his sentence.

Hitler became a citizen of Germany in 1932 and by the middle of 1934, he had power in Germany as Führer und Reichskanzler (leader and chancellor). Hitler's regime was responsible for the Holocaust, which was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million European Jews. This genocide was carried out by the Nazi German regime and its allies and collaborators. The Holocaust took place throughout Europe between 1933 and 1945 and was an evolving process that became increasingly more radical during this period.

Antisemitism was at the foundation of the Holocaust and was a basic tenet of Nazi ideology. The Nazi persecution of Jews included discriminatory laws, organised violence, forced emigration, resettlement, expulsion, deportation, and ghettoization. Beginning in 1941, Nazi leaders decided to implement the mass murder of Europe's Jews, which they referred to as the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question". This involved mass shootings, gassings, and the use of specially designed killing centres.

Hitler's regime was responsible for the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust. This genocide was a direct result of the Nazis' desire to exterminate the Jews and their ability to carry out this plan. The Holocaust was the outcome of a series of decisions influenced by circumstances, and it was enabled by the support and help of millions of Germans and others.

Frequently asked questions