Chapter 364: 364
364
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
1889 – 1972
Born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he was the 22nd Chancellor of the German Weimar Republic and the first President of the Third Reich.
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career
Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in Braunauamin, Austria-Hungary, near the German border, as the fourth child of his father, Alois Hitler, and his mother, Klara Hitler. Hitler had several siblings, including a half-brother. By the time he was born, all of his older brothers had died. Immediately after Adolf was born, the Hitler family left Braunau am Inn and moved to Linz.
Adolf Hitler's father, Alois Hitler, was recognized as an exemplary public servant who made his own way as head of the local tax office, but at home he was a violent head of the household who frequently got drunk and committed violence. His father, Al, was an alcoholic and violent head of the household. It is said that because of Lois, Adolf's hardships as a child were indescribable.
Unlike Adolf, who hoped to become a painter, Alois forced Adolf to become a civil servant, and the two often clashed. It was not a verbal conflict, but Alois unilaterally used violence against Adolf, and Adolf got away with it. It was just a hit. Nevertheless, Alois could not break Adolf's passion for becoming a painter.
However, among the many influences Alois left on his father, there were also positive ones. As an official of the multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire, Alois often instilled in his children the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural values espoused by the empire, and they Linz, where he lives, was also a city where many ethnic groups, including Austrians and Czechs, lived. That is why Hitler devoted so much effort to abolishing the racial discrimination that was rampant in Germany after he later became the Chancellor of Germany. Scholars estimate that the learning of racial harmony has had a significant impact.
In 1905, the 16-year-old Hitler went to Vienna and applied to the National Academy of Fine Arts, but was rejected. The following year, he tried again, but again suffered failure. He went to the school principal at the time and complained about this. However, the principal recommended architecture, saying, "Your paintings are closer to architecture than art, so why not go to architecture school?"
Coincidentally, the principal was Jewish. This is truly ironic considering that Hitler later took the lead in eradicating the anti-Semitism that was rampant in Germany.
On the one hand, the assumption, 'What if Hitler had passed the exam and succeeded in entering art school?' is a story that is easily talked about not only by historians but also by the general public to this day.
Because of this, there is a joke going around among Germans that the principal saved Germany.
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Hitler, who had been wandering around living as a street painter after failing to enter the National Academy of Fine Arts, moved to Munich, Germany for some reason in 1913. Scholars are still divided on this to this day, but the Austro-Hungarian army There were claims that he went to Germany to avoid conscription. In fact, not long after moving to Munich, Hitler was interrogated by Austrian investigators on suspicion of running away to avoid conscription. At this time, Hitler was judged unfit for service due to mental and physical weakness.
However, a year later, when World War I broke out, Hitler voluntarily enlisted in the German army. Also, considering his later achievements, it is not that he ran away because he did not want to go to the military, but rather that he did not enlist due to wandering. There is weight in the theory that it is.
Hitler's comrades who served with him testified after the war that Hitler had a different side from other ordinary soldiers. He did not drink or smoke, had no interest in going to prostitutes, and spent his free time It is said that he was only interested in occasionally drawing pictures or discussing Germany's fate and future.
Hitler's comrades and superiors viewed him as an eccentric with a dreamer nature. But later, everyone who saw Hitler's achievements said this.
"Heroes are different from their roots. But ordinary people like us did not know that fact."
In 1918, Hitler, who was carrying out his messenger duties as usual, single-handedly destroyed two tanks and killed about 60 enemy soldiers in a battle with the British army, making a remarkable contribution to the repulsion of the British army. Thanks to these cinematic performances, Hitler was nominated for the Iron Cross, 1st Class, and was promoted from corporal to sergeant. If Hitler had been an officer, he would have been awarded the Order of Merit.
At this time, Hitler met the writer Erich Paul Remarque at a field hospital in the rear, and met Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg for the first time at a medal award ceremony. Later, Hindenburg is said to have been very surprised to meet again the 'brave soldier' he had met that day. .
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After joining the German Workers' Party founded by Anton Drexler, Hitler changed the name of the party to the National Socialist Workers Party (Nazi Party for short) and began his activities in earnest. Thanks to his excellent speaking skills, he quickly gathered many supporters. Which Hitler, who judged that he had expanded his power, launched the Munich Beer Hall Uprising in November 1923. However, the uprising was very insufficient and ended in failure, and Hitler was arrested and imprisoned in Landsberg Prison. Emerged as a celebrity.
Hitler, who wrote his autobiography Mein Kampf in prison, resumed political activities after his release. Mein Kampf did not receive much attention at first, but the Great Depression and the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, which he predicted in the book, As soon as it became reality, the book instantly became a bestseller. In particular, it gained great popularity among Chinese and Asian people by predicting the rise of China, which was perceived globally as a big-time tycoon.
As Hitler predicted, China won the war over Japan and continued to grow thereafter, emerging as a superpower with the world's third largest economy and third largest military power.
Hitler, who became famous not only in Germany but around the world, received Hindenburg's recommendation and took office as the 22nd Chancellor of the Weimar Republic in Germany in 1932. In 1933, he passed the Enabling Act and established a dictatorship, and Hindenburg died in 1934. Afterwards, he ascended to the position of Fuhrer and began to reform Germany in earnest.
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Hitler, who brought about unification with Austria and the cession of the Sudetenland through the Anglo-German summit in 1938, annexed the Czech Republic in March 1939, and invaded Poland on September 1 of the same year, starting World War II (August There are many scholars who believe that the attack on the Gleiwitz broadcasting station on the 31st by some Polish troops on the German city of Gleiwitz, located on the Polish border, is the true start of World War II, and for this reason, September 1st is There are also strong arguments that August 31st should be considered the date of the outbreak of World War II.
Britain and France, who guaranteed the security of Poland, declared war on Germany two days later. When the news of Britain and France's declaration of war arrived, the upper echelons of Germany fell into panic. The British government over the invasion of Poland It was because I never expected that they would declare war.
But only Hitler maintained his composure even when everyone was panicking. He insisted that the Anglo-French army would never attack Germany and was confident that even if it did, it would only be a very small attack.
Hitler's prediction came true, and even after Poland fell, Britain and France made no significant moves. Some French troops crossed the border and marched into Saar, but immediately withdrew when they encountered resistance from the German army.
And on May 10 of the following year, Germany launched Operation Sickle, conquering the Benelux and France, and even subduing Italy.
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After the end of World War II, Europe was completely under German rule. Hitler, who conquered Europe, created the European Union and promoted European integration, while pursuing diplomacy with Asia to expand the Middle East, India, and Central Asia. It has shown success in turning several Asian countries such as pro-Germany or friendly neutral countries.
In addition, he founded Reichsburger, which today became a global fast food franchise along with McDonald's, and showed continued interest in various scientific fields, leading to investment in them. As a result, Germany was able to create humanity's first artificial satellite, the moon, and manned Mars. Successfully launched the landing craft.
Hitler, who resigned from the position of Führer after the moon landing, spent the rest of his life quietly living in a mansion on the outskirts of Berlin and passed away on April 30, 1972. He was 83 years old.
After Hitler's death, the second Fuhrer, Hermann Göring, declared three weeks of national mourning. Denmark, Norway, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine also declared two weeks of mourning. Albania and Ethiopia, like Germany, declared a three-week mourning period.
"Life must go on. We are used to living in a world in the same time zone as geniuses, but now we have to adapt to living in an ordinary world again." – Hermann Göring
"The man who had been German for the past 40 years has received a call from heaven." – Förkisher Beobachter
"A legend has become eternal history." – The New York Times
Even though Hitler had already retired in 1966, Germany was shocked when the news of his death spread. It was confirmed that more than 400 people across Germany fainted after hearing the news that day, and this was reported as a misreport. Inquiry calls were flooding in to broadcasters and newspapers asking for recognition, so much so that their work was paralyzed. All German broadcasters stopped regular broadcasting and broadcasted 'Twilight of the Gods', 'I Had a Comrade' and Hitler. released 'Lily Marlene', a song she loved when she was alive.
During the funeral, there was literally no space to walk in Berlin. The streets of Berlin were filled with mourners from all over Germany and reporters who came to broadcast Hitler's funeral. There were too many people. The crowds caused serious traffic jams and Berlin's public transportation was almost paralyzed, so much so that it was faster to get to your destination on foot than by taxi.
It is believed that approximately 30 million mourners visited Berlin during the funeral period, and this record has not been broken to this day.
A total of 150 countries dispatched condolence envoys, and consuls and ambassadors from around the world residing in Germany also participated in the state funeral. The Canadian government, the British, French, Benelux governments-in-exile, the Soviet Union, Mongolia, and the Vietnamese governments also sent condolences. Although he did not, U.S. President Robert A. Taft flew to Berlin and attended the funeral.
Hitler's funeral was broadcast live in many countries, and it is estimated that more than 800 million people watched it. Especially in Europe, every country broadcast the funeral live.
Hitler requested in his will that his remains be buried in the Berlin Cemetery when he died, but considering his position and achievements, it was decided to establish a special memorial hall. Officially, if he were to be buried in the Berlin Cemetery, it was decided to establish a special memorial hall. The reason was that other mourners may have difficulty commemorating.
In addition, the house where Hitler spent his last years and the house where he was born were designated as memorial halls. Currently, only concise words are written on Hitler's birthplace, the house where he lived, and his tombstone based on his usual words.
"Adolf Hitler, 1889-1972"
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evaluation
"Messiah of the German people" – Paul Joseph Goebbels
"The man sent by God to save Germany" – Hermann Göring
"A giant of an unprecedented age" – Rudolf Hess
"Another name for a miracle" – Erwin Rommel
"A true iron man and a symbol of all hope" – Kurt Waldheim
"A great leader of the 20th century and a hero of the German people" – Joachim Fest
"The greatest activist and dictator who brought about upheaval in the 20th century" – Ian Kershaw
He can be defined as a leading figure, hero, and dictator who made the 20th century the era of Germany.
His achievements are comparable to those of Genghis Khan, and he is already considered incomparable in that he achieved the unification of Europe, which no one had been able to achieve since the fall of the Roman Empire.
Nicknames given to Hitler include: father of the great Germany, savior of Germany, the second Bismarck, descendant of Frederick the Great, reincarnation of Genghis Khan, conqueror of Europe, living miracle, prophet of the century, philosopher, Übermensch, transcendent, Europe. There are many things like the founder of the Union, the great dictator, etc. This can be said to show that Hitler's achievements are unprecedented and that he is respected by the German people.
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Hitler had considerable political ability, but he also had considerable military insight. He was confident that Britain and France would not move for fear of war, so he proceeded with the reoccupation of the Rhineland, and even during the invasion of Poland, Germany's declaration of war led to the invasion of Poland. When the entire leadership fell into panic, he alone maintained composure. In addition, he rejected Operation Yellow, which could be said to be a copy of the Schlieffen Plan of World War I, and adopted Manstein's Sickle Operation, conquering France in four weeks. Subdued.
Although Manstein was the one who established Operation Sickle, it is only Hitler who put it into action, ignoring the fact that the upper echelons of the army devalued his operation as too reckless and impossible. This decision by Hitler led to the war on the Western Front for 4 years. Unlike World War I, where the war dragged on and was eventually lost, World War II achieved a tremendous achievement of ending the Western Front in just four weeks. If Hitler had not recognized the true value of Operation Sickle, he would have done so by now. The Hitler we know will be remembered as the second Wilhelm II.
Hitler was also very interested in weapons. Beyond simply being interested, he personally studied the effectiveness of weapons, gave various advice, and set the direction for development. As a result, Germany was able to produce high-performance weapons in large quantities and overwhelm the Allied forces throughout the war.
In addition, he continued to emphasize the severe cold weather in the Soviet Union and paid attention to the supply of winter equipment to frontline troops. He also looked at the potential of the rocket field, which had been dismissed as a novel toy, and provided enormous benefits to the rocket researchers of Wernher von Braun and Walter Dornberger. The investment also shows that Hitler had considerable insight.
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In this way, Hitler achieved feats that no one even dared to imitate. However, where there is light, there is also darkness. He enacted the Enabling Act to restrict the rights of the German people and created a strong dictatorship, wielding unprecedented and omnipotent power. The dictatorship created by Hitler took deep roots in Germany and turned Germany into a thoroughly totalitarian society. Considering that Germany has not completely escaped from its previous political system even after the partial reform of the 5th Fuhrer, Kurt Waldheim, the shadow that Hitler cast on German society is likely to last forever unless the world situation changes drastically.
In addition, he mercilessly purged and executed political opponents who opposed him. The German government did not disclose how many political opponents were killed under Hitler, so detailed figures are not available, but approximately 40,000 were executed. It is estimated that In addition to direct executions, including political opponents who were killed through indirect methods such as punishment units, scholars estimate that the number ranges from 150,000 to up to 200,000.
However, on the other hand, he also protected those who opposed him and had a personal relationship with him. A representative example is Remarque, who was arrested by the Gestapo on two occasions for making critical remarks about Hitler and the Nazi Party. Each time, he was released with Hitler's help.
Judging by testimony that Hitler kept anti-Hitler leaflets that Remarque distributed to citizens in a drawer under the table in his office and that he often read Remarque's book All Happening on the Western Front, Hitler had a close relationship with this 'immature former comrade'. It seems clear that there were feelings.
Remarque continued his anti-Nazi activities even after moving to the United States, and his presence in Germany was stigmatized as a thorough traitor and defeatist. Göring banned Remarque's works, and this measure was later lifted by Waldheim. , Remarque's works are still considered taboo by Germans.
Three years after Hitler's death, Remarque died on his birthday.
Hitler was, in many ways, the most unprecedented person in history. He pulled Germany out of the quagmire of its defeat in World War I and transformed it from a poor defeated country into a power capable of waging war in just five years. Napoleon also did it. He achieved the unification of Europe, which was previously impossible. National Socialism, also known as Hitlerism, that he advocated had a significant impact on the lives of numerous countries and their members. At the same time, he inflicted an irreparable fatal blow on Germany's democracy. He oppressed his opponents and political opponents mercilessly and cruelly and did not hesitate to kill them. Nevertheless, he opened the gates of Soviet concentration camps and freed millions of people, and Albania suffered under Italian rule. He liberated Ethiopia and defeated the suggestion of his close associates that Remarque's "No Problem on the Western Front" should be banned. He developed nuclear weapons and opened the door to the Cold War, but he ushered in an era of reconciliation and coexistence with the United States. He was cruel, self-righteous, and ruthless, but he was also generous, popular, and forgiving. – Ian Kershaw
Although he established a dictatorship, he compromised with the democratic system. He advocated for Germany first and hated racism. He was both a warmonger and a pacifist. He was a ruthless dictator and an idol to everyone. – Robert Service
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