(1889-1945) Austrian born German dictator, chancellor of Germany, 1933-45, who led his country to defeat during World War II. While living in Vienna, 1907-13, the young Hitler, a poverty-stricken, solitery art student drop out, adopted his polical philosophy: Aryan "superman" must master the world at the expense of non-Aryan "subhumans".During World War II, Hitler was twice wounded and twice decorated. After the armistice, he was assigned by the army to spy on the German workers' party on Munich. The tiny nationalistic group appealed to him; he joined and re-organized it into the National Sotailist or Nazi party, adopting the Swastika symbol and "heil" salute.
After attempting a coup d'etat(the Munich Putsch) in 1923, Hitler served a short term in prison, where he dictated the successful Mein Kampf("My Struggle") with his new wealth, he purchased a villa in Berchtesgaden.
Hitler took the legal way to power. Using his spiecal talents for speechmaking, he held emotional mass meetings throughout Germany, calling on the people to make Germany triumphant over all. By 1930 the Nazi party was the secound largest in the country. Appointed chancellor in 1933, within a year Hitler had asumed full dictorial powers and the title Fuhrer ("leader"). To consolidate his power, he outlawed all but Nazi-controlled organisations used the secret police (the Gestapo) to spy, and concentration camps to punish (and to exterminat millions of Jews). He purged the army, lauched a rearmeant program, and began to build his empire. Hitler absorbed Austria in 1939. Most of Western Europe rhen fell to the Fuhrer, who had personal command of his troops. Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, but Hitler, crazed with pwer, had lost his military judgment. His failure to capture Stalingrad was the turning point; unable to cope with defeat, he refused to recognize it or to nefotiat for peace.
He survived several assassination attempts by those who realized Germanys sure deafet. Early in 1945, ill and half mad, Hitler retreated to the bunker in Berlin chancellery. There he was joined by his mistress Era Braun, ehom he married before they commited suicide, April 30, 1945.
