The Background of Adolf Hitler’s Personality

Adolf Hitler grew up as a troubled boy, and had many struggles growing up, which reflected later in his adult life. He was born on April 20, 1889, in Branau am Inn, Germany; he had four brothers and three sisters, but only him and Paula, his youngest sister, survived to be adults. Hitler didn't receive much love from his father, Alois Schichlgruber, throughout his childhood and teenage life. Alois had a horrible attitude and always took his bad temper out on his children. He was considered selfish and conceited, and was often disliked because of his obnoxious behavior. Hitler was abused physically and mentally, causing him to be an introverted and disturbed child.

As a child, Hitler clashed frequently with his emotionally harsh father, who also didn't approve of his son's later interest in fine art as a career. Hitler's mother, Klara Poelzl, was the opposite of his father but never had much say in what occurred around the house. She always had to deal with her two children, but also a husband that was often aggressive and dominating. His father married Adolf's mother whom was his housekeeper at the time of his first marriage. Because of this, there was never much respect toward Klara and Alois was never the loving type. As Hitler grew up, he was an excellent student in Primary school; however, his father Alois forced him to continue his studies in a science and technology school, which Hitler disliked. Hitler's grades dropped and he grew so much hate towards school that when he turned 16, the age required to leave school, he decided he was done with studies forever.

Although he felt this way, Hitler later on tried to enroll in Vienna's Academy of Fine Arts to pursue his dream of being an artist but he was rejected. Hitler's young life was full of loss of his loved ones like five of his siblings who unfortunately did not make it past their first years of life. Hitler also experienced the death of his father Alois at 14, which although they were not very close, Alois was the only manly figure he had to up to. Finally, on December 21 of 1907, Klara Poelzl passed away due to breast cancer; this was one of Hitler's greatest losses. After this loss, Hitler decided it was best to move to Vienna, where he began to grow interest in politics and put together ideas for his Nazi ideology. Hitler served throughout the Great War and won two decorations for bravery. When Germany was defeated in World War I, like other German nationalists, he (Hitler) purportedly believed that the German army had been betrayed by civilian leaders and Marxists. This belief was only the base of Adolf Hitler's rise of power.

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