As the eldest child, Hitler receivedhis father's civil service pension. It was more money than many people receivedin wages and meant that Hitler did not have to find employment. He spent mostof the morning in bed reading and in the afternoon he walked around Vienna studyingbuildings, visiting museums, and making sketches. In 1909 Hitler should have registered formilitary service. He was unwilling to serve Austria, which he despised, so heignored his call-up papers. It took four years for the authorities to catch upwith him. When he had his medical for the Austro-Hungarian
Army in 1914 he wasrejected as being: Unfit for combatant and auxiliary duty - too weak.Unable to bear arms.The outbreak of the First World Warprovided him with an opportunity for a fresh start. It was a chance for him tobecome involved in proving that Germanywas superior to other European countries. Hitler
claimed that when he heard thenews of
War: "I was overcome with impetuous enthusiasm, and falling on myknees, wholeheartedly thanked Heaven that I had been granted the happiness tolive at this time. Rejecting the idea of
fighting for Austria, Hitlervolunteered for the German Army. In times of war medical examinations are notso rigorous.Hitler liked being in the army. For thefirst time he was part of a group that was fighting for a common goal. Hitleralso liked the excitement of fighting in a war. Although fairly cautious in hisactions, he did not mind risking his life and impressed his commanding officersfor volunteering for dangerous missions. His fellow soldiers described him as odd and peculiar. One soldier from his regiment, HansMend, claimed that Hitler was an isolated figure who spent long periods of timesitting in the corner holding his head in silence. Then all of a sudden, Mendclaimed, he would jump up and make a speech. These outbursts were usuallyattacks on Jews and Marxists who Hitler claimed were undermining the wareffort.Hitler was given the job of
dispatch-
runner.It was a dangerous job as it involved carrying
messages from regimentalheadquarters to the front-line. On one day alone, three out of eight of theregiment's dispatch-runners were killed. For the first time since he was atprimary school Hitler was a success. Hitler won five medals including theprestigious Iron Cross during the First World War. His commanding officerwrote: As a dispatch-runner, he has shown cold-blooded courage andexemplary boldness. Under conditions of great peril, when all the communicationlines were cut, the untiring and fearless activity of Hitler made it possiblefor important messages to go through.
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