adolf hitler

there are many hidden or lesser-known facts about adolf hitler, the former leader of germany and the nazi party. here are a few examples:

– hitler was born in austria, not germany. he only moved to germany as an adult and later became a german citizen.
– hitler was a vegetarian and did not drink or smoke. he was also a teetotaler, meaning he abstained from alcohol.
– hitler was a talented painter in his youth, but he was rejected twice from the academy of fine arts in vienna.
– hitler was a decorated veteran of world war i, having served as a member of the german army. he was awarded the iron cross, second class, for his service.
– hitler was a german nationalist, but he also had a deep hatred for the jews and believed in the concept of a "master race" of blond-haired, blue-eyed aryans. he and the nazi party implemented policies of genocide against the jewish population during the holocaust.
– hitler was obsessed with the occult and the supernatural, and he believed in the power of astrology and the supernatural. he also believed in the existence of a "aryan race" that was superior to all other races.
– hitler was a totalitarian dictator who controlled every aspect of german society during his time in power. he used propaganda, violence, and other tactics to maintain his grip on power and suppress opposition.

these are just a few examples of some of the lesser-known facts about adolf hitler. it is important to remember that hitler was a deeply flawed and evil individual who caused immense suffering and devastation during his time in power.

after becoming chancellor of germany, he survived 44 assassination attempts or plots, large and small. hitler was guarded by an eight-man personal protection team, a 50,000-person ss security regiment, and a thousand palace guards. these attempts failed by chance, poor planning, or reasons that remain uncertain. some of the most notable:

one plot involved placing a bomb on hitler’s plane. by 1943, germany’s heavy losses on the eastern front created widespread frustration in the public and strong opposition to hitler inside the military. major general hans oster in military intelligence had despised hitler from the beginning and searched for a chance to act. colonel von tresckow volunteered to carry out the plan, but they first needed to lure hitler to smolensk, a city near the front. field marshal von kluge agreed to issue the invitation. tresckow originally planned to shoot hitler during an inspection meal, but von kluge objected, saying such a killing would dishonor the army and ruin its reputation. they instead created a time-delayed bomb hidden in a liquor bottle and had hitler’s aide, heinz brandt, carry it as a gift. the bomb was powerful enough to split the plane apart midair and make the death appear accidental. however, it never detonated. the cold conditions inside the aircraft may have prevented it from activating, but even after landing the device remained inert. the failure was never fully explained. tresckow later took his own life to avoid arrest, and oster was eventually executed for his role.

another attempt came from georg elser, a carpenter who viewed hitler as a dangerous warmonger and wanted to stop him before a world war began. in 1938, elser stole gunpowder from army supply depots and traveled to the burgerbraukeller beer hall in munich, where hitler had delivered speeches early in his political career. elser hid inside the building at night and constructed a concealed chamber in the speaker’s platform to hold a time-delayed bomb. on the day of the speech, hitler left earlier than usual because of weather conditions affecting his travel schedule. thirteen minutes after he departed, the bomb exploded, killing eight people and injuring sixty-three. elser was captured while trying to flee to switzerland, tortured, and later imprisoned in a concentration camp. he survived for several years but was executed in 1945 on hitler’s personal orders as germany faced defeat.

a third attempt came from maurice bavaud, a 22-year-old devout catholic angered by hitler’s harsh treatment of the church and rumors that he intended to replace christianity with a racial, nationalist belief system. to get close to hitler, bavaud read mein kampf and dressed to blend in as a nazi sympathizer. he attempted to approach hitler at his mountain residence, but guards turned him away. he then traveled to munich for an annual parade where hitler would appear in an open motorcade. armed with a small pistol, he positioned himself to fire at close range. however, when the crowd raised their arms in salute, his view was blocked, he panicked, and he fled. while trying to stow away on a train to france, he was caught, interrogated, and executed by guillotine at ploetzensee prison in 1941.

the most famous attempt was operation valkyrie. by 1944, most of germany’s military leadership believed the war was lost. soldiers at the front described death as relief compared to continued fighting. many senior officers believed hitler had to be removed so peace could be negotiated with western powers while germany continued resisting the soviet union. colonel claus von stauffenberg, who had lost an eye and a hand in battle, volunteered to plant a bomb during a meeting at hitler’s wolf’s lair headquarters. stauffenberg placed a briefcase containing explosives near hitler and left under a prepared excuse. the bomb exploded, killing four and injuring twenty, but hitler survived with minor wounds and partial hearing loss because the meeting table had been moved, redirecting the blast. the conspirators were quickly arrested, put in show trials, and executed. stauffenberg himself was killed by firing squad the same day by general fromm, who hoped to hide his own knowledge of the plot. hitler then spoke to the nation by radio, claiming destiny had protected him. his rule continued until he died by taking cyanide the following year.