Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler is born in the Upper Austrian border town of Braunau am Inn to tax collector Alois Hitler. It is noteworthy that he had no Jewish ancestors, contrary to popular belief.

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889. He later became the leader of the Nazi Party in Germany and played a significant role in World War II.

In 1897, the Hitler family moved to Lambach after the failure of Alois Hitler's farming efforts at Hafeld.

In 1898, the Hitler family returned permanently to Leonding.

Adolf Hitler was deeply affected by the death of his younger brother Edmund in 1900 from measles.

Adolf Hitler's father passes away on January 3, 1903.

In 1907, Hitler moves to Vienna with the aim of attending the Vienna Academy of Art, but faces rejection. His disappointment grows as he fails to get into the Vienna School of Architecture.

Adolf Hitler's mother dies on December 21, 1907.

Hitler moves to Vienna and experiences impoverishment, leading to his residence in homeless shelters after squandering a generous inheritance. He stays in Vienna until May 1913.

In 1913, faced with military service for the Habsburg Empire, Hitler moves to Munich in Southern Germany to evade it, partly due to inheriting a small legacy from his father's estate.

In 1913, Hitler relocates to Munich, Germany. This marks a significant shift in his life and sets the stage for his future political activities.

On 5 February 1914, Hitler journeyed to Salzburg for medical assessment after being conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian Army.

On 5 October 1916, Adolf Hitler was wounded by shrapnel while serving in the German army on the Western Front during World War I.

On 15 October 1918, Hitler was temporarily blinded in a mustard gas attack and was hospitalized in Pasewalk. It was during this time that he learned of Germany's defeat, which deeply affected him.

In 1918, Hitler is partially blinded in a mustard gas attack near Ypres in Belgium. While convalescing in a military hospital, he receives news of the November 11, 1918 armistice. This event has a profound impact on Hitler and many other Germans.

Hitler was discharged from the hospital at Pasewalk.

Benito Mussolini establishes the National Fascist Party in Italy, which will have a significant impact on Adolf Hitler.

On September 12, 1919, Hitler attended an early meeting of the German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei-DAP), which later evolved into the Nazi Party under his leadership.

On September 12, 1919, Adolf Hitler attended a meeting of the German Workers' Party (DAP) in Munich and officially joined the party as its 55th member.

In a letter to Herr Adolf Gemlich, Hitler expresses his anti-Semitic views, calling for the removal of Jews from German life, which some historians interpret as a prefiguring of the Holocaust.

On September 19, 1919, Adolf Hitler attended a meeting of the German Workers' Party (DAP), marking one of his early involvements in politics.

On October 16, 1919, Adolf Hitler delivered his first pre-arranged public speech as a member of the German Workers' Party (DAP) at the Hofbräukeller.

Hitler becomes increasingly important to the German Workers’ Party due to his speeches, leading to the declaration of a Twenty-Five Point Program to transform Germany.

Hitler was discharged from the Army on 31 March 1920 and began working full-time for the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP). This marked a significant turning point in his political career.

On 26 July 1921, Hitler rejoined the Nazi Party with absolute power as party chairman, succeeding the previous chairman by a significant vote. This marked a pivotal moment in Hitler's rise to power.

Hitler is able to become chairman of the party, which is renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, or NSDAP.

During a speech in Munich, Hitler expresses his anti-Semitic views and demands the expulsion of Jews who entered Germany after 1914, emphasizing the need to replace scholarly study with the organization of power.

The inaugural Nazi Party Congress takes place in Munich, marking a significant event in the rise of the Nazi Party.

Hitler and the SA attempted a coup by storming a public meeting, but failed to overthrow the Bavarian government. Sixteen Nazi Party members and four police officers were killed in the failed coup.

Hitler attempts a coup with the support of SA brownshirts and WW1 leader Erich Ludendorff, but it ultimately fails.

Hitler was arrested for high treason after the failed Beer Hall Putsch. His trial began in February 1924, and he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Landsberg Prison.

Adolf Hitler is on trial for treason on February 26, 1924.

Hitler's trial becomes a platform for his ideas and gains him popularity in Germany. He is given a five-month prison sentence, which he turns into a spectacle.

Hitler is released from jail after writing the beginning of 'Mein Kampf.'

The ban on the Nazi Party was lifted in Bavaria, paving the way for Hitler to seek political power through the democratic process.

After his release, Hitler reasserts control over NSDAP, aiming to pursue a legal path to power.

Hitler formally renounced his Austrian citizenship in response to the Bavarian government's attempt to have him deported to Austria.

The publication of 'Mein Kampf' by Adolf Hitler in 1925 marked a significant milestone in the rise of Nazism, shaping the ideology and policies of the Nazi Party.

Hitler forms a personal bodyguard unit separate from the SA, known as the SS.

Adolf Hitler was photographed giving the Nazi salute at a rally in Nuremberg in 1928.

Boosted by the rising unemployment rate and the decline of center parties, the NSDAP wins 18.3 percent of the vote, becoming the second-largest party in the Reichstag.

In late 1930, Hitler made a prominent appearance at the trial of two Reichswehr officers, where he testified that his party would pursue political power solely through democratic elections, winning him many supporters in the officer corps.

In September 1931, Hitler's half-niece, Geli Raubal, took her own life with Hitler's gun in his Munich apartment, which was rumoured to be in a romantic relationship with him.

The Harzburg Front is formed to organize Germany’s right wing into a workable opposition to the government and the left, with Hitler joining the front.

A speech to the Industry Club in Düsseldorf on 27 January 1932 won Hitler support from many of Germany's most powerful industrialists, strengthening his position in German politics.

On 25 February 1932, the interior minister of Brunswick appointed Hitler as administrator for the state's delegation to the Reichsrat in Berlin, making Hitler a citizen of Brunswick, and thus of Germany.

On March 13, 1932, Hitler comes a strong second in the presidential elections, with Hindenburg narrowly missing out on winning in the first ballot.

On April 10, 1932, Adolf Hitler lost a run-off election for the German presidency to the elderly incumbent, General Paul von Hindenburg.

On April 13, 1932, Brüning’s government imposes a ban on the SA and other groups from marching.

On May 30, 1932, Brüning is forced to resign, leading to the appointment of Franz von Papen as chancellor by Hindenburg.

On July 31, 1932, the NSDAP polls 37.4 percent of the votes, making it the largest party in the Reichstag.

On August 13, 1932, Papen offers Hitler the post of vice-chancellor, but Hitler refuses, demanding to be chancellor instead.

On August 31, 1932, Hermann Göring, a prominent Nazi figure, assumes the role of president of the Reichstag and uses his influence to manipulate events.

In the election held on November 6, the Nazi vote slightly decreases compared to previous elections.

On November 21, Hitler declines government offers, insisting on becoming the chancellor.

On December 2, Kurt von Schleicher, a prime right-wing manipulator, is appointed as the chancellor after Papen is forced out.

Adolf Hitler was appointed as the German Chancellor on January 30, 1933, by President Paul von Hindenburg. This event marked the beginning of Hitler's totalitarian rule in Germany.

On 30th January 1933, Adolf Hitler rose to power as the Chancellor of Germany, marking a significant turning point in the country's history.

In a meeting with German military leaders, Hitler discussed his foreign policy objectives of conquering Lebensraum in the East and Germanisation. He also prioritized military spending over unemployment relief at the first cabinet meeting in 1933.

On February 6, 1933, Adolf Hitler introduced censorship in Germany, tightening control over the media and suppressing opposing viewpoints.

Hitler advocates for the liberation of Germany from parliamentary democracy and expresses his intention to restore freedom to the German intelligentsia.

The Reichstag Fire of February 27, 1933, was a pivotal event used by the Nazis to solidify their control. It led to the passing of the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and paved the way for the Nazi dictatorship.

Hitler used the Enabling Act to convince President Hindenburg to declare an emergency decree suspending civil liberties and giving the police authority to detain citizens without cause. This led to the dismantling of Germany’s democratic institutions and the imprisonment or murder of Hitler’s chief opponents.

The NSDAP, taking advantage of the communist scare and supported by a subdued police force and masses of SA, achieves a 43.9 percent polling result. Additionally, the Nazis enforce a ban on the communists.

During the 'Day of Potsdam,' the Nazis orchestrate the opening of the Reichstag in a meticulously planned event aimed at portraying themselves as successors to the Kaiser.

Adolf Hitler assumes the position of Chancellor of the German 3rd Reich, marking a significant turning point in German history.

Adolf Hitler becomes the dictator of Germany on March 23, 1933.

An image showing Adolf Hitler addressing the Reichstag on 23 March 1933, seeking assent to the Enabling Act.

Hitler successfully passes the Enabling Act, granting him dictatorial powers for a duration of four years.

On 2 May 1933, all trade unions were forced to dissolve, and their leaders were arrested, reflecting the concept of Nazism in the spirit of Hitler's Volksgemeinschaft ('people's community').

Books written by Jews, political dissidents, and others not approved by the state were publicly burned in Germany.

Adolf Hitler broke ground for the construction of the motorway between Frankfurt am Main and Heidelberg, which became a symbol of progress and prosperity promised by the Nazi regime.

The ban on the SA is lifted on June 16, 1934.

On June 30, 1934, on Hitler’s order, Nazi leaders eliminate the leadership of the SA and kill other political enemies. The murderous purge cements an agreement between the Nazi regime and the German army that consolidates Nazi power and enables Hitler to proclaim himself Führer (leader) of Germany and to claim absolute power.

With other parties banned or splitting up, the NSDAP, led by Hitler, becomes the sole political party in Germany, consolidating its power.

After President Hindenburg's death, Hitler took the titles of führer, chancellor, and commander in chief of the army, expanding the army, reintroducing conscription, and developing a new air force in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

In March 1935, Hitler announced a German rearmament programme, violating the terms of the Versailles Treaty. This move significantly increased Germany's military capabilities and set the stage for further aggressive actions in Europe.

In 1935, on May 31, Jews were officially prohibited from serving in the German armed forces.

The signing of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement in June 1935 allowed German tonnage to increase, marking a significant development in naval capabilities and international relations.

On September 15, 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were enacted, which stripped Jews of their German citizenship, prohibited marriage between Jews and Aryans, and banned them from displaying the German flag.

Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan in November 1936, forming a significant alliance and geopolitical shift.

Hitler announced the unification of Austria with Nazi Germany in the Anschluss, consolidating his power and influence in the region.

The annexation of Austria to the German Reich was officially announced on March 13, 1938, following the entry of German troops into the country.

On March 15, 1938, Adolf Hitler entered the Austrian capital Vienna amidst a cheering crowd of 200,000, further solidifying the annexation of Austria to the German Reich.

A law was enacted to strip East European Jewish immigrants of German citizenship.

The Munich Agreement handed over the Sudetenland districts to Germany, marking a significant diplomatic event that led to the appeasement of Hitler's expansionist policies.

Hitler delivers a proclamation emphasizing the fight against the 'international Jewish world enemy' and the cleansing of Germany from those who threaten the Vaterland and Volk.

The Munich Conference, attended by Hitler, Neville Chamberlain, Édouard Daladier, and Mussolini, resulted in the Munich Agreement, which handed over the Sudetenland districts to Germany.

Great Britain and France consent to the German occupation of the Sudetenland, a region in western Czechoslovakia, during the Munich Conference.

Hitler expressed his disappointment about the missed opportunity for war in 1938 and his intent of limiting British power to pave the way for the eastern expansion of Germany.

On November 9, 1938, German diplomat Ernst vom Rath was assassinated in Paris by Herschel Grynszpan, a 17-year-old Polish-Jewish refugee. This event became a pretext for the Nazi regime to initiate the violent anti-Jewish pogrom known as Kristallnacht.

Hitler warned that if war breaks out, it would lead to the extermination of European Jews, foreshadowing the Holocaust.

Under threat from Hungary, Slovakia declared independence and received protection from Germany, leading to the violation of the Munich Agreement and the deepening economic crisis requiring additional assets.

The British 'guarantee' on 31 March 1939 of Polish independence offended Hitler, leading to his declaration of Britain as the main enemy to be defeated and the necessity of Poland's obliteration.

The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between Germany and the Soviet Union included a secret agreement to partition Poland between the two countries, which was a crucial step in Hitler's plan for invading Poland.

Germany invaded western Poland under the pretext of having been denied claims to the Free City of Danzig and the right to extraterritorial roads across the Polish Corridor, leading to Britain and France declaring war on Germany on 3 September.

Hitler's popularity within Germany reached its peak when he returned to Berlin from his tour of Paris, following the unexpected swift victory over France.

Hitler predicts the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe if international Jewish financiers plunge nations into another world war.

Adolf Eichmann is appointed as the head of the department for Jewish affairs of the Reich Security Main Office (Gestapo), Section IV B 4, which marks a significant step in the implementation of the Holocaust.

The German army invades the Soviet Union in 'Operation Barbarossa.' Hitler and other Nazi leaders view this war in racial and ideological terms, unlike their conquests in western Europe.

Hitler's Atlantic Wall was a defensive fortification built along the western coast of Europe during World War II to deter an Allied invasion.

During the Wannsee Conference in Berlin, Heydrich outlined the plan to murder Europe's Jews.

On 22 February 1942, Hitler was recorded saying, 'we shall regain our health only by eliminating the Jews'.

In June 9, 1942, Hitler ordered retaliatory measures against the Czech population following the death of Reinhard Heydrich, second-in-command of the SS. This led to the destruction of the towns of Lidice and Lezaky, with the inhabitants being massacred or deported.

The Nazis started deporting Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz, with a total of 380,000 sent by June 27, 1944.

A group of German officers made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Hitler on July 20, 1944.

Hitler married Eva Braun on 29 April 1945, one day before they both committed suicide.

On 30 April 1945, Hitler shot himself in the head in the Führerbunker in Berlin, and his body was later burned in the garden behind the Reich Chancellery.

Adolf Hitler died by suicide on April 30, 1945, marking the end of his rule as the leader of Nazi Germany. His death had a profound impact on the course of World War II and the subsequent events.

On May 8, 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his bunker in Berlin, marking the end of his regime and the Nazi era.

A death certificate for Hitler was not issued until 1956, after a lengthy investigation to collect testimony from 42 witnesses.

Paula Hitler, the younger sister of Hitler and the last living member of his immediate family, died in June 1960.

Ian Kershaw's book 'Hitler: A Biography' was published in 2008, providing a detailed account of Adolf Hitler's life.

Ian Kershaw, a leading expert on the Third Reich, discusses the question of how history should view Adolf Hitler.

The rise and fall of Hitler is presented in short, concise passages, which is helpful for high-level exam preparation but not sufficient for university-level study.