Adolf Hitler's Early Years
Adolf Hitler's childhood was different than most, but alike at the same time.

Here you will see what went on in his family, what happened during decision making of secondary school, and what he did after school before he became the man everyone knows.Adolf Hitler was born April 20, 1889. Adolf lived with his family on a small farm outside of Linz, Austria. His mother's name was Klara.

Hitler became very attached to her in his childhood. Alois was the name of his father. His father was in the Austrian Civil Service. Alois was used to giving orders so he demanded a lot of chores around the farm for the children.

When Hitler was seven, the family moved off the farm to Lambach, Austria. To Hitler this meant fewer chores and more time for play. There Hitler went to an old Catholic Benedictine Monastery School. He took part in boy's choir and also did very well at this school.

He thought very highly of the priest and considered to be one for a while. At age nine he was caught smoking a cigarette by a priest. He was forgiven and not punished. His brother, Alois, Jr.

, described Hitler as quick to anger. He loved to play Cowboys and Indians when he was young. This gave way to battle re-enactments. Adolf's little brother, Edmund, died at the age of 6 from the measles.

This was the first time Hitler had to confront a real death instead of the fake ones he sees when he was playing. This seemed to shake him up badly. His little brother was buried in a cemetery right outside of Hitler's room. He developed a dream to be an artist before he entered secondary school (1).
There were two different secondary schools, classical and technical.

Hitler wanted to enter the classical school to become an artist, but his father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and go to the technical school. He ended up going to the technical school and did not do so well. He was held back his first year. Hitler thought that if his father would see how poorly he was doing in technical school that his father would allow him to go to the classical school where he could fulfill his dream. This career choice brought many arguments between Adolf and his father because his father thought that the idea of becoming an artist was ridiculous. Hitler thought of it as being horrible to sit in an office all day long dealing with nothing but paperwork.

He figured that being an artist would solve all of his problems. His father still would not listen to him and this caused a mean struggle between father and son. Hitler's second year of technical school went better than the first, but he still failed math. There was a history teacher at school who touched Hitler greatly. His name was Dr.

Leopold Potsch. He told Hitler tales of German figures such as Bismark and Frederick the Great. This began Hitler's obsession with German Nationalism. Hitler's father died suddenly in January 1903, and this made him head of the house (1).
Hitler left school at the age of sixteen to pursue his career as an artist. In October 1907, he left home to go to Vienna.

While he was there he lead a bohemian, vagabond existence. He was rejected from the Viennese School of Fine Arts, but he still stayed in Vienna for five years. When war broke out in August 1914, he joined the Sixteenth Bavarian Infantry Regiment. He served as a dispatch runner.

Hitler proved that he was a good soldier when he received the Iron Cross for bravery. Hitler never made it past the rank of Lance Corporal. He was badly hurt about three weeks before the end of the war and spent three months recuperated in Pomerania at a hospital (2).There are a lot of things that happened to Hitler while he was growing up to become such a harsh person, but there are some things that happened to him that happened to each and every one of us. Like the arguments between father and son.

Every child growing up has a period in there life where they think their parents don't listen to what they or what they want in life. Some of these things could have made him violent, but I think he chose to be the way he was. There wasn't a reason. He just wanted to do it.
Works Cited
1. http://www.

historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/boyhood.htm
2. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/hitler.html