I just read on Hegner´s book ( see book reviews ) that Hitler lost his Austrian citizenship in 1925, possibly through not takin part in the war in the Austrian army(?) And later on he received: February 25, 1932 granted German citizenship http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/blhitler.htm Anyone got more info on this?
I read he become a German quite late on, by default because he took a job which was related to the civil service and you have to be a german citizan. Or something along them lines, i can't quite remember
Indeed, Kai. I, of course read about those things in Sir Ian Kershaw's "Hitler 1889-1936" and "Hitler 1936-1945", the best biography of the Führer ever written. Would you like me to look for the details?
Friedrich, If You please! I´d like to know the truth behind this. The citizenship for Germany I can understand, but the Austrian part is a bit vague. Why and when, if it´s possible. In the book I mentioned Hitler was quite obsessed for a moment in Austria 1938 to find the papers on his citizenship...mere interest or more?
Here I have it: Hitler had tried to get the German citizenship in Bavaria in 1929 and Thüringen in 1930. Both times it had been refused. Then he was made Regierungsrat (goverment adviser) at Braunschweig's Landeskultur-und Vermessungsamt (Delagation for Agriculture and Agrimensure of the State). As goverment employee he obtained German citizenship. On February 26th 1932 he swore loyalty to the German Weimar Republic, a state which he had decided to destroy.
Thanx Friedrich! Seems like Mr Frick had his hands in it...?? http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Holocaust/Frick.html In the beginning, Frick was unsuccessful when he tried to grant Hitler German citizenship by appointing Hitler as police officer in Thuringia, thus conferring German citizenship automatically. Later he succeeded with a similar maneuver. This was expressly confirmed by Otto Meissner, former State Secretary and Chief of Hitler's Presidential Chancellery, in an affidavit which reads in part as follows: "Frick also, in collaboration with Klagges, Minister of Brunswick, succeeded in naturalizing Hitler as a German citizen in 1932 by having him appointed a Brunswick government official (Counsellor of Government). This was done in order to make it possible for Hitler to run as a candidate for the office of President of the Reich." (3564-PS)
This is one of the great "What if". Why did the silly German recruiting officers, seeing the Austrian passport of this relatively 'old' man didn't deport him back to Austria and conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian Army as IT MUST HAVE HAPPENED?
If I remember right the Austrian Military already denied Hitler entrance into the military because they deemed him unfit for service. This may have been before the war im not sure. During the occupation of Austria Hitler then tried to find the papers which contained information that he was unfit for service.
