Adolf Hitler was born on April 20th 1889 in Braunau am Inn in Austria. As he grew up Adolf proved to be a sensitive you man with an interest in fine art. His father, Alois Hitler, was a harsh man who strongly disapproved of Adolf's artistic bent. At an early age Adolf rejected the authority of Austria-Hungry and instead became increasingly interested in German nationalism.
The 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler on April 30th 1939 was celebrated as a national holiday in Germany. The celebration of his birthday included a massive military parade and was really an extravagant celebration of the Fuhrer Cult: Adolf Hitler was in effect an object of worship. In September 1939 Hitler's German troops invaded Poland initiating World War II
On midnight of April 29th 1945 we see Adolf, an older and more bitter man. Germany, he now realised, was going to lose the war. Under Adolf Hitler's leadership the Nazi's and their collaborators, in addition to military action, were responsible for the deaths of millions of civilians including two thirds of the Jewish population in Europe. And now as the enemy troops closed in, Hitler at midnight married his long time girlfriend Eva Braum in his bunker in Berlin. Hitler then heard of the execution of the Italian dictator Bernito Mussolini. Hitler and his new wife committed suicide the day after their wedding on April 30th 1945.
Adolf Hitler was born, was married and died in the month of April. His childhood, wedding and death were all marked with tragedy. And yet the greatest tragedy is the immense harm he caused in between these events, his absolute harshness leading to so much death and suffering: far overshadowing the emotional harshness of his father.
As I write this it is the birthday of Adolf Hitler, a day to be marked with a profound sense of sadness.
The video version of this blogpost on Youtube
The 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler on April 30th 1939 was celebrated as a national holiday in Germany. The celebration of his birthday included a massive military parade and was really an extravagant celebration of the Fuhrer Cult: Adolf Hitler was in effect an object of worship. In September 1939 Hitler's German troops invaded Poland initiating World War II
On midnight of April 29th 1945 we see Adolf, an older and more bitter man. Germany, he now realised, was going to lose the war. Under Adolf Hitler's leadership the Nazi's and their collaborators, in addition to military action, were responsible for the deaths of millions of civilians including two thirds of the Jewish population in Europe. And now as the enemy troops closed in, Hitler at midnight married his long time girlfriend Eva Braum in his bunker in Berlin. Hitler then heard of the execution of the Italian dictator Bernito Mussolini. Hitler and his new wife committed suicide the day after their wedding on April 30th 1945. Adolf Hitler was born, was married and died in the month of April. His childhood, wedding and death were all marked with tragedy. And yet the greatest tragedy is the immense harm he caused in between these events, his absolute harshness leading to so much death and suffering: far overshadowing the emotional harshness of his father.
As I write this it is the birthday of Adolf Hitler, a day to be marked with a profound sense of sadness.
The video version of this blogpost on Youtube