| “ | Today, the old Reich and its finest leader enter Valhalla. At the same time. We mark the beginning of a new era. A time of peace and prosperity await us. The Thousand Year Reich has begun. Sieg Heil! | „ |
| ~ Hitler becomes the Fuhrer |
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German soldier of World War I. He would eventually take over Germany and launch World War II and the Holocaust against the Jews.
History
When World War I began, Hitler eagerly signed up for the German Army instead of his native Austria, serving in the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. On October 29 1914, Allied artillery in Belgium decimated Hitler's unit. After surviving the "baptism of fire", Hitler was promoted to Gefreiter (Corporal) by Lieutenant Hugo Gutmann, whom Hitler would learn was Jewish by the Star of David ring he wore.
During the war, Hitler was mostly a courier, carrying messages to and from the front lines and command posts. During one such journey, he found a dog by a dead horse-wagon and adopted her, naming her Foxel. The dog was killed during an Allied attack. When in a military hospital following the bombing, Hitler overhead a soldier talking about shooting himself in the foot to get out of the service. Enraged, Hitler berated the man, overturning a table in fit of rage. The doctor told Hitler to be gone by the morning.
Back at the front, Hitler quietly ranted about pacifist, socialists, Marxists, communists and Jews, claiming they weren't soldiers. A soldier claimed he was a Jew and told Hitler to shut up.
In July 1918, Hitler was awarded an Iron Cross for getting a message to central command along with another man. Before going to deliver the message, Hitler froze at the sight of Gutmann wearing a ring that had the Jewish Star of David on it.
When the Imperial German Army was only 30 miles from occupying Paris, France, Guntmann arrived to inform Hitler that he and his squad were being deployed to the Eastern Front. Hitler protested, saying it would have the appearance of retreating. Guntmann replied that it was the orders of General Paul von Hindenburg, later the 2nd President of Germany. Hitler grumbled as he was ordered to tell the men. That's when the Allies launched a mustard gas attack. Hitler tried to pull his gas mask over his face, but the mask was snagged on his Iron Cross.
Blinded, Hitler was sent to Pasewalk Military Hospital, where he demanded to be sent back to the front, while most men would be sent home. On November 10, 1918, was still recovering when the German Empire surrendered to the Allies, to Hitler's horror. One night, after awakening from a nightmare, Hitler ripped the bandages off his face and declared that it was the beginning, not the end.
In April 1919, Hitler witnessed the Freikorps militia overthrow the short-lived communist Bavarian Soviet Republic.
Hitler remained in the Army, the Reichsheer. In September 1919, he was commanded by the head of Abwehr (Army intelligence) to spy on the more aggressive of the more than 50 post-war nationalist parties, such as the German Workers' Party, lead by Anton Drexler. During one meeting, Drexler was making a speech where he recommended the Free State of Bavaria secede from Germany and become an independent nation. Hitler commented that it was an insane idea and briefly preached about the "purity" of the German people.
Notes
Robert Carlyle portrayed him in Hitler: The Rise of Evil, which showed Hitler's rise to power. For the sake of audience filter, all the characters speak English instead of German, but did feature German words like Reich and Herr (mister) and all print was in German.
Gallery
Trivia
- He was portrayed by Robert Carlyle, who is best known for portraying Rumplestiltskin in Once Upon a Time.