Hit·ler  (hĭt'lər)  Austrian-born founder of the German Nazi Party and chancellor of the Third Reich (1933-1945). His fascist philosophy, embodied in Mein Kampf (1925-1927), attracted widespread support, and after 1934 he ruled as an absolute dictator. Hitler's pursuit of aggressive nationalist policies resulted in the invasion of Poland (1939) and the subsequent outbreak of World War II. His regime was infamous for the extermination of millions of people, especially European Jews. He committed suicide when the collapse of the Third Reich was imminent (1945). Hit·ler'i·an (hĭt-lîr'ē-ən) adj. |
A German political leader of the twentieth century, born in Austria. Hitler's early program for Germany is contained in his book Mein Kampf. He dreamed of creating a master race of pure Aryans, who would rule for a thousand years as the third German Empire, or Third Reich. Hitler led the Nazi party, and began to rule Germany in 1933 as a fascist (see fascism) dictator with the title der Führer (“the leader”). He supervised the murder of six million Jews and other supposed enemies of the Reich (see Holocaust). Hitler began World War II by invading Poland in 1939. He committed suicide in 1945 when Germany's defeat was imminent.
Note: The official greeting between Nazis was “heil (“hail”) Hitler.”