The Life of Adolf HitlerHitler's background was not very privileged. Born in Austria, near the German border in Braunau, to a humble customs official and former waitress, he had a childhood dominated by his domineering and often violent father. However, when his father died he was able to act more freely. From an educational point of view Hitler was not a genius as party members would later claim, he achieved nothing but mediocre grades in most of his secondary school classes. He was, however, inspired by a nationalist history teacher called Dr. Leonard Poetsch, who was a German nationalist. After leaving school he went to Vienna to enroll at the Viennese School of Fine Arts, but twice failed the entrance exam and was also rejected from the School of Architecture. This was the beginning of a change in Hitler's outlook on life, as he now began to see enemies in the people and institutions around him because of these refusals. Furthermore, there is no doubt that he was strongly influenced by the strong anti-Semitic sentiments of Vienna at that time. It was also during his stay in Vienna that he began to read many books. However his reading was highly selective and he only read what supported his developing ideas. No doubt he read some of the authors already discussed such as Chamberlain, Nietzche and Lanz von Liebenfels, as well as many authors in favor of a pan-Germany. This increased his faith in the völkisch movement and created in Hitler's mind a synthesis between a great German empire and a pure German Volk. World War I was a turning point in Hitler's life. He managed to join the Bavarian Infantry Regiment and became a runner. He also won the Iron Cross and was gassed twice. It was here, however, that Hitler found a place to belong, he appreciated the order and structure that the military brought to his life. When news of the German capitulation reached Hitler, who was recovering from a gas attack, he was devastated.,