The Meaning of Hitler was written by a German journalist by the name of Sebastian Haffner. In this book, Sebastian Haffner probes the historical, political, and emotional forces that molded Adolf Hitler's character. Sebastian Haffner also examines closely Hitler's rise to power as Führer of Germany, as well as his great achievements.
             Adolf Hitler began by making a mess of his life. He dropped out of school at the age of 14, failed his entrance exam at the Vienna Academy of Arts twice, and spent the time from his eighteenth to his twenty-fifth year in Vienna and then in Munich doing nothing and aspiring to nothing. Then, in 1914 when World War I broke out, Hitler volunteered for the Bavarian army. Hitler was a good soldier and received a couple of awards for bravery but never ranked higher than corporal. In 1918, when Germany finally surrendered, Hitler was very upset. He believed that it was the Jews and the Communists who betrayed the "fatherland", and it was at this time that his hatred for the Jews most likely began.
             In 1919, Hitler joined a small radical Right-wing party, which called itself the "National Socialist German Workers' Party", or Nazi party, where he soon became the leader. The party was small at first but Hitler's great skill at deliberating speeches attracted more and more listeners, and it soon became a major political party with many followers. Since the country was in chaos after World War I and was faced with the Great Depression, the Germans saw hope in Adolf Hitler. Unemployment was at about 40% and rising and people were starving and poor. In his speeches, Hitler blamed the Jews and Communists for their misfortunes. So why did so many Germans follow Hitler? When he took power, Germany and all of Europe was suffering from the Great Depression and were looking for answers and hope. Hitler was their answer. No factor contributed more to Hitler's success than the eco...