Adolf Hitler: His Early Years Before Politics Cindy Cullen revised Sept 09

Church graveyard where Maria was buried. Hitler’s grandmother’s name was Maria Sticklgruber, and she belonged to a poor peasant family in northern Austria. It is unclear who his grandfather was, as his father was born out of wedlock and there was no paternal name listed on the birth certificate.

Hitler’s father was named Alois Schicklgruber, but he changed his name to Alois Hitler after his mother died and he went to live with his stepfather’s brother, Johann Nepomuk Hitler.

Alois (Hitler’s father) started work as a cobbler, but later moved up to become a customs officer, a successful job considering his background. He also raised bees as a hobby.

Pictures of Klara After the death of his second wife, Alois married Klara Polzl, his uncle’s granddaughter and technically his second cousin, who was working at her grandfather’s farm. She became a stepmother to Alois’s two children, Alois Jr. and Angela. Alois was 46 and Klara only 23 at the time of the marriage and she continued to call him “Uncle” throughout their marriage.

Young Adolf Alois and Klara had three children, all of whom died at a young age, before Adolf was born April 20, 1889, followed by a brother Edmund and sister Paula. Alois was a very strict and controlling father and Klara an anxious, loving, and over-protective mom. After Alois retired to become a fulltime beekeeper, tensions rose as he was home all the time.

Hitler and school mates in 1900. Adolf is the tall boy in the middle. Adolf did very well in his early years at school and earned top marks in all subjects during his elementary years. He also sang in the church choir and even contemplated becoming a priest at one point. He enjoyed playing war games and “Cowboys and Indians” with his friends.

In 1898, the family moved to the outskirts of Linz, Austria, a town with strong German roots. Adolf was happy here and considered this his hometown. In 1900, his brother Edmund died of the measles at the age of six, making Klara even more protective of her remaining son.

Hitler’s house in Leonding, three miles from Linz

High school in Linz High school created problems for Adolf. He moved from the smaller elementary school where he knew everyone and was popular to a large high school in the town centre of Linz. He was treated like an outsider and did poorly in many of his courses and failed math. The only subject he claimed to like was history. He had no close friends, and argued with his father who wanted Adolf to become a civil servant rather than an artist.

Linz Opera House where Hitler attended many events In 1903 his father died suddenly of a heart attack. Adolf was sent briefly to boarding school because of his poor grades, but he dropped out at 16 and moved back with his mom, aunt and sister. He described the next two years as the happiest of his life, as he spent his time painting, reading, and going to the opera and theatre, while being doted on by his female relatives.

In 1907, his Aunt Joanna financed him for one year in Vienna to attend the Academy of Fine Arts, but Hitler’s application was rejected, a bitter disappointment for him. He returned home to Linz spend time with his mother who was dying of breast cancer, then returned to Vienna to try to become an architect.

Vienna Opera House He lived in Vienna from 1908-1913, much of the time in poverty. He had a room-mate from Linz for awhile, and survived on his small orphan’s salary. He read lots, and still found ways to attend the opera, musical concerts, and plays. He did not smoke or drink.

Eva Braun, Hitler’s longtime girlfriend and eventual wife Hitler was not involved in any romantic relationships while in Vienna. He later described the ideal woman as a “cute, cuddly, naïve little thing: tender, sweet and stupid.” (p.44 Kershaw)

One of Hitler’s sketches of Vienna In 1909, Adolf spent some time in homeless shelters in Vienna and had to resort to soup kitchens for food. He made a little money selling his poster-sized paintings of Vienna scenes. The Austrian authorities told him to register for military service, but he did not.

One of Hitler’s paintings of Munich In 1913, at the age of 24, he received his father’s inheritance money and moved to Munich (his favorite German city) to become an architect. He made a little extra money by selling small paintings of Munich and did not actively pursue architecture.

German troops in the trenches at Ypres World War 1 broke out in 1914 and Hitler volunteered for the Bavarian Infantry Regiment. He was used as a dispatch runner at Ypres, a deadly battle for the Germans with a 70% fatality rate.

He was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class and promoted to Corporal in December 1914. He was described as a loyal, dedicated soldier who was very devoted to the cause. His fellow soldiers said he wasn’t much fun and wasn’t interested in alcohol, cigarettes or women.

Hitler and Foxl His closest companion in World War 1 was a small terrier dog named Foxl, whom he taught tricks and kept with him in the trenches. Adolf was devastated when she disappeared one day and talked about her for years after the war.

In Sept, 1916, Hitler was wounded in the leg by a shell and spent two months in hospital. He returned to his regiment in March, 1917, and was awarded the Iron Cross First Class.

German WW2 soldiers and dogs with gas masks Hitler was temporarily blinded in October 1918 by a British mustard gas attack. He was still in hospital on Nov. 11th when the armistice was Signed. Hitler was furious about Germany’s surrender and considered it an act of great betrayal by the “November Criminals” who negotiated the agreement. After his release from hospital, he returned to Munich.