The Vienna Years

The time Hitler spent in Vienna was significant in the evolution of his political ideas. He became very interested in politics, especially German nationalistic politics. Nationalistic politics centered upon the idea that German-speaking people should be in control of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. At the time, there were 14 different nationalities making up the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.

Other political ideas that Hitler began to believe in while living in Vienna included:
1. German speaking people were superior,
2. Germans were the natural leaders of Central Europe,
3. "Inferior" people should be moved out of Austria,
4. Austria should join Germany.

Hitler also was heavily influenced by the ideas of an ex-monk named Lanz Von Liebenfels. Liebenfels preached a crude form of the theory put forth by Charles Darwin called " survival of the fittest." The ex-monk believed that the German race was genetically superior to all other races, and, therefore, should rule over "less genetically gifted" people.

Liebenfels also spoke of a future race war that would be fought between the superior and inferior races. This war would require that more pure Germans be bred to fight the inferior genetic races. He also identified the Jews as one of the "inferior" races.

Unfortunately, Hitler came to believe and support these biologically inaccurate ravings and theories. Furthermore, he used many of these theories to explain the problems of Germany. Jewish people were soon to be blamed for all problems, real or imagined, by Hitler. Many of these ideas became the cornerstones of Hitler's rule as a dictator of Germany. These ideas, once committed to policy, were to have tragic results for the future of Europe.