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The Early Years
Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn on the Austro-German border on 20th April 1889. Hitler was intelligent but he was bored by his formal education, except for history, which was taught with a strong German nationalist bias. -
Drifting of Vienna
Having moved to Vienna in 1907, his failure to get into Art school came as a major blow. His money from an orphan's pension and borrowed from relatives eventually ran out, and he was forced to take refuge in men's hostels where he lived from 1909 to 1913. -
The Drifter
With no formal qualifications, Hitler became an aimless drifter and failed at artist before he joined the army on a outbreak of war in August 1914.There he was not considered worthy of promotion because of 'a lack of leadership qualities', although his award of the Iron Cross First Class showed that he did not lack courage.