Adolf Hitler
One of the most important historical figures in Germany is Adolf Hitler. The Holocaust and World War II in Europe were caused by Adolf Hitler's policies. Hitler participated in World War I military service and received the Iron Cross twice for valor.
He rose to the position of party head for the National Socialist German Workers (Nazi) Party after the war. He supported Pan-Germanism, anti-Semitism, and anti-communism as a leader while criticizing the Treaty of Versailles. During the Great Depression, his captivating oratory, supported by Nazi propaganda, gained a sympathetic audience in Germany.
As chancellor in 1933, Hitler immediately solidified his position of authority. After assuming the position of Führer in 1934, he quickly converted Germany into a one-party totalitarian dictatorship. In his first six years in office, Germany's economy recovered quickly from the Great Depression, World War I-era restrictions were lifted, and regions inhabited by millions of ethnic Germans were annexed.
The start of World War II in Europe is often regarded as being mostly due to Hitler's belligerent foreign policies. The British and French declared war on Germany after he oversaw a massive rearmament program and attacked Poland on September 1st, 1939.
