Hitler's Early Days Part I

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20th 1889 in Braunau-am-Inn, Austria. Adolf had four other sibling, two of which died in infancy, one died at the age of six and one Sister who outlived him. His Father had died when he was thirteen . Adolf did very poor in school finally leaving without completing his tuition. His real ambition was to be an artist. Between the ages of sixteen and nineteen he neither worked or went to school, instead developed and interest in politics and history. In October of 1907 he applied to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts and was rejected. In October of 1908 he applied for a second time and did not even make it to the test.
His Mother Klara died when he was nineteen and since he had no relatives able or willing to support him,
So, in 1909, he moved to Vienna in the hope of somehow earning a living. Within a year he was living in homeless shelters and eating at charity soup-kitchens. He had declined to take regular employment and took occasional menial jobs and sold some of his paintings or advertising posters whenever he could to provide sustenance.
In 1913 still penniless he moved to Munich. At the start of World War one in 1914, he volunteered for the German army and was accepted into the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment . He fought bravely and was promoted to corporal and decorated with both the Iron Cross Second Class and First Class. He wore this medal until his dying day. Ironically the Captain who recommended him for the award was a Jew.
The day the Armistice was announced Adolf was in Hospital recovering from temporary blindness caused by a British gas attack in the Ypres Salient. In December 1918 he was back with his regiment.

Picture is a portrait by Hitler himself