Before we read: Define ‘genesis’ in your own words. Where have you heard this term before? Define ‘catastrophe’ in your own words. What comes to mind?

The Early Life of Hitler Genesis & Catastrophe The Early Life of Hitler

Baptized a Catholic, Adolf Hitler (1889–1945) was born on April 20, 1889, in the Upper Austrian border town Braunau, located approximately 65 miles east of Munich.

His father, Alois Hitler (Ah-lo-eez), was a mid-level customs official. Born out of wedlock to Maria Anna Schickelgruber in 1837, Alois Schickelgruber changed his name in 1876 to Hitler, the Christian name of the man who married his mother five years after his birth. Alois Hitler's illegitimacy would cause speculation as early as the 1920s—and still present in popular culture today

In 1898, the Hitler family moved to Linz, the capital of Austria. Seeking a career in the visual arts, Hitler fought bitterly with his father, who wanted him to enter the military. After his father's death, Hitler eventually persuaded his mother, Klara Hitler, to permit him to pursue his dream to become an artist.

In the autumn of 1907, Hitler took the entrance exam to the Vienna Academy of the Arts and failed to gain acceptance. In early 1908, some weeks after Klara's death from cancer, Hitler moved to Vienna, in the hope of renewing efforts to win acceptance in the Academy.

His impoverishment and residence in homeless shelters began only a year after his arrival and after he had frittered away a generous inheritance left by his parents. By the end of 1909, he began to paint watercolor scenes of Vienna and made enough to live on until he departed for Munich in 1913. 

World War I gave his life direction and a cause to which he could commit himself totally. By all accounts, Hitler was a brave soldier: he was promoted to the rank of Corporal, was wounded twice and was awarded several medals.

In October 1918, Hitler was partially blinded in a mustard gas attack in Belgium. He was sent to the military hospital, where the news of the November 11, 1918, armistice reached him as he was convalescing.

After the war, the German Army employed Hitler as an educator and confidential informant. It was in this capacity that he secretly attended a beer hall meeting of the German Workers' Party in 1919.

By early 1920, Hitler had dedicated himself to the party, eventually rising up in leadership. In one memorable speech from his early career, he famously outlined the Twenty Five Points of what would later become the Nazi party.

“Death to Lies”

The union of all Germans in a greater German Reich Rejection of the Treaty of Versailles; The demand for additional territories for the German people (Lebensraum) Citizenship determined by race with no Jew to be considered a German All income not earned by work to be confiscated A thorough reconstruction of the national education system Religious freedom except for religions which endanger the German race And a strong central government for the execution of effective legislation

In April of 1921, the Allies began demanding war reparations from Germany. Under Weimar Leadership and passive agreement, the German nation began to pay and fall into economic ruin.

Hitler’s leadership in the party would rise as the German nation began to fail. By 1923, this failure would serve as the impetus to the defining event of Hitler’s early political career: the failed Beer Hall Putsch.

After his trial, in April of 1924 Hitler was taken to the old fortress at Landsberg and given a spacious private cell with a fine view. He got gifts, was allowed to receive visitors whenever he liked and had his own private secretary.

The Nazi Party after the Putsch became fragmented and disorganized, but Hitler had gained national influence by taking advantage of the press to make his ideas known. Now, although behind bars, Hitler was not about to stop communicating. The result would be Mein Kampf. Hitler was sentenced to five years, but was paroled after nine months.

By 1925, Hitler had realized it had been premature to attempt to overthrow the democratic government by force without the support of the German Army and other established institutions. He was determined not to make that mistake again. Hitler had a new idea on how to topple the government and take over Germany: play by the rules and get elected.

Nazi party divided into two major political organizations. PO I - Dedicated to undermining and overthrowing the German democratic republic.

PO II - Designed to create a government in waiting, a highly organized Nazi government within the republic that would someday replace it. PO II even had its own departments of Agriculture, Economy, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Propaganda, Justice, along with Race and Culture.

The Quiet Years: 1926-1929

Berghof

Geli Raubal

Helga Goebbels

Understanding the allusion: How does the title apply to the story?

What other Biblical allusions can you find?

At the beginning of the story, what has happened At the beginning of the story, what has happened? Why is the mother concerned? How do you feel about the mother in the story? At what moment, if any, do your feelings change?   What has the mother gone through? How do the mother and doctor speak to one another? Is this significant in any way?

Explanation Allusion 7. Genesis 8. Catastrophe 9. Klara and Alois   8. Catastrophe 9. Klara and Alois 10. The baby 11. The Doctor/ nurse

It has been argued that the Doctor is an allusion to the voice of God It has been argued that the Doctor is an allusion to the voice of God. What evidence from the text can you cite to support this assertion? Is that ironic in any way? Look at how the baby is characterized. Provide some examples from the text and explain their significance. Go back over the story. Using your knowledge of Nazi ideology and Hitler’s beliefs, where can you see foreshadowing to those in the text. Give the ideology and provide a quotation. Ideology Evidence in form of quote  

Annotate for three examples of IRONY in the text.

Who is responsible in the story? 1. Using the text as your only evidence (prior knowledge cannot help you here), order the characters in the text from most to least responsible for the baby that would become culpable for genocide. Klara Alois The Doctor The Nurse 2. Once you’ve ordered them, explain why that person is guilty.