How Did Hitler Become So Powerful

How did Adolf Hitler become so powerful? What aspects of his life before becoming chancellor may have shaped him and his beliefs, to strengthen him as a leader and influence his actions as the dictator of Germany?
In 1909, Adolf Hitler was a homeless man living in Vienna. In the 1940’s, he killed 11 million people during the Holocaust.
Hitler was born in Austria in 1889, just across the border from German-Bavaria. Now, 70 years after his death, he is still quite possibly the most well-known anti-Semite. His beliefs drove him to such a great position of power where he was in control of the entire nation of Germany. It is believed that Adolf Hitler’s passionate speeches and effective use of propaganda fuelled his rise to Führer of Germany; however
his beliefs were formed a long time before he joined the Nazi Party, when he travelled to Vienna and Berlin after joining the war. When the German economy collapsed after World War I, Hitler knew it was his time to rise to power.
Hitler moved to the anti-Semitic city of Vienna shortly after his mother’s death in 1907, with his roommate and old friend, August Kubizek. Vienna at this time had a large Jewish community of approximately 200,000 people; nevertheless, Vienna did not welcome them, and most people – including Vienna’s mayor – were openly anti-Semitic. This is the first time Hitler is exposed to these views of Jewish people and he became heavily influenced by this.
Now an orphan, he decides to apply for the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna to achieve his dream of becoming a great artist, and after applying with high hopes, he ends up failing the entrance exam. After being declined acceptance, he lived a lazy lifestyle, unemployed with no intention of getting a proper job – he thought he was better than that. Kubizek mentioned that during this time, Hitler’s personality became increasingly unstable and that he bore a horrible temper. He was reasonable at times, although prone to unexpected bursts of rage when he was told he was wrong. One year later, he tried once again to join the Vienna art school, but failed for a second time. When his roommate left for two months for military training, he returned to find Hitler gone, without saying anything, and leaving no forwarding address.
In 1914, Hitler serves in World War I, although he wasn’t very good at it.
He was well-liked as he was always eager and he volunteered for dangerous tasks without a second thought. Two years later, he was wounded in the leg during the Battle of the Somme and was moved to Germany for medical support. Once he recovered, he was assigned to light duty in Munich where he became appalled by the apathy and anti-war sentiment of the German’s. This, of course, he blamed Jewish people for, and thought they were discouraging German effort in World War I. He was so disgusted that he requested to go back to the warfront in 1917. A year later he received the Iron Cross first class from his Jewish superior. He never graduated from corporal as others thought he lacked leadership qualities and wouldn’t receive respect as a sergeant. Months after this, he was temporarily blinded by a gas attack and sent back. Recovering in the hospital, he hears the news that Germany had become a
republic.
His reaction was described in Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf – “There followed terrible days and even worse nights – I knew that all was lost… in these nights hatred grew in me, hatred for those responsible (German politicians, Jewish people) for this deed.” Many people turned to conspiracy theories and blame after Germany lost the war, particularly the idea that Jewish people had stabbed Germany in the back. This is because it was hard to believe that Germany had lost as throughout the war they were being told that they were winning and almost victorious.
It is quite apparent that Hitler’s experience in the war, and his travelling to Vienna were how his anti-Semitic beliefs started. It is also where his unstable personality started to decline and gives an insight on what he was like as Dictator.
Corporal Adolf Hitler received the task of investigating a meeting in Munich in 1919.
He observed a group that was then known as the German Workers’ Party. As he did, he witnessed a speech about Bavaria breaking away from Germany and becoming a nation with Austria, causing him to speak out against the man for fifteen minutes without stopping, angered by his opinion. This resulted in one of the founders of the party, Anton Drexler, inviting him to their next meeting. Drexler also stressed the same political views as Hitler, and he was focused on building a strong, anti-Semitic nation with a large military. Hitler accepts the invitation and joins the committee, pleased to find others with the same views as
him.
The Nazi Party was formed after Hitler put in a massive effort in rder to make the committee succeed. The team put together an anti-Semitic advertisement in the newspaper which made over 100 more people turn up to the next meeting, at which he delivered an exceptional speech. As numbers grew, the name was changed to the National Socialist German Workers’ Party – Nazi Party. Hitler was in charge of advertising and propaganda, and it was soon realised just how good he was at public speaking as his speeches were shown to be extremely effective. A few of the original members of this party considered him to be too overbearing and dictorial and so they formed their own alliance. Hitler fought back by then announcing his resignation from the party, which made them realise that it would fail without the help of him. He was then named Führer (leader) of the party.