A political leader, or a politician, can be anyone who has taken up the

responsibility of governing a tribe, city, state, region or even an entire nation.

History has given us a plethora of political leaders, both good and bad, who have
dedicated their lives to the betterment of their countries and the people living in
the country. Political leaders are not just people who govern nations during peace
times but also during times of crisis. They are people who are responsible for
making and implementing strategies and policies meant to better serve the
interests of the country they govern. These leaders are chosen through various
processes, some examples of which would be through elections, in a democratic
nation, and through lineage or birthright, in case of a monarchy, or even
dictatorships wherein one individual declares himself the head of state. A look at
the political leaders hall of fame would reveal names like Abraham Lincoln,
Mahatma Gandhi, Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill and even Genghis Khan. What
follows next are the biographies of some of the most famous politicians along
with information on their lifes story, trivia about them, their timelines and some
other interesting facts about their professional and personal lives.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Famous as: President of India, Scientist

Nationality: Indian

Born on: 15 October 1931 AD Famous 15th October Birthdays

Zodiac Sign: Libra Famous Libras

Born in: Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu

Works & Achievements: Served as the 11th President of India, was Chief Project Coordinator
for Pokhran II nuclear tests.

Little did Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma know that their son would grow up to be the first
citizen of India. An Indian scientist and administrator, Kalam served as the 11th President of
India from 2002 until 2007. One amongst the most respected people of the country, Kalam
has contributed immensely both as a scientist and as a president. His contribution at the
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has been immense. He was responsible for
numerous projects such as Project Devil and Project Valiant and launch of the Rohini-1,
besides developing missiles under the missions Agni and Prithvi. For the same, he has been
popularly tagged as the "Missile Man of India". Kalam has been honored with great laurels
and awards for his work by both the Government of India and other countries. Currently,
Kalam serves as a visiting professor in various esteemed institutes and universities of India.

Childhood & Early Life

 A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born to Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma on October 15, 1931. He
came from a family whose financial conditions werent sound enough. As a means to support
his familys meagre income, Kalam took up odd jobs in his childhood but never gave up on
his education.
He graduated from Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli in 1954 but not
satisfied with his degree, he left for Madras later next year to study aerospace
engineering. He enrolled at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT).

Career
After graduating from MIT, Kalam took up the position of chief scientist at the
Aeronautical Development Establishment of Defense Research and Development
Organization (DRDO). However, the profile didnt appeal Kalam much who shifted to the
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) where he was the project director of India's first
indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle.
His years at the ISRO were the most crucial ones, as they left a lasting impact on him.
Kalam lead many projects and turned out to be successful each time.
In the 1970s, Kalam directed two projects, namely, Project Devil and Project Valiant,
which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV
programme.
A milestone was achieved when locally built Rohini-1 was launched into space, using the
SLV rocket. Upon watching the raving success of Kalam, the government agreed for
initiation of an advanced missile program under his directorship. He played a pivotal role in
developing missiles under the missions Agni and Prithvi.
Kalam was the Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program
(I.G.M.D.P) which researched in simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of
taking planned missiles one by one.
From 1992 until 1999, Kalam was appointed as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime
Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation. It was
during this time that Kalam served as the Chief Project Coordinator for Pokhran II nuclear
tests, after which he was fondly called the Missile Man of India.
Kalam succeeded K. R. Narayan to serve as the 11th President of India from 2002 until
2007. It was a highly one-sided contest. With his appointment, Kalam became the first
scientist and first ever bachelor to occupy the Rastrapati Bhawan.
During his tenure as a President, Kalam was both appreciated and criticised. The latter
was mostly due to his inaction in deciding the fate of 20 mercy petitioners.
In addition to all the profiles that Kalam holds, he has authored numerous influential and
inspirational books. Amongst all his books, India 2020 was the widely read and appreciated
one. It forecasted an action plan which advocated India turning into a knowledge superpower
and as one of the developed nations of the world by the year 2020. His other books include,
Ignited Minds, Mission India, Inspiring Thoughts and The Luminous Sparks
In 2011, he launched his mission for the youth of the nation called the What Can I Give
Movement with the main aim to defeat corruption in India.
Currently, Kalam serves as the visiting professor in various esteemed institutes and
universities of India, such as Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Indore,
Chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram,
Aerospace Engineering at Anna University (Chennai), JSS University (Mysore).
A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM TIMELINE
1931:

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born on 15th October.

1954:

Graduated from Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli.

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1955:

Enrolled at the Madras Institute of Technology to study aerospace engineering.

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1960:

Joined Aeronautical Development Establishment of Defense Research and Development

Organization (DRDO) as a chief scientist.
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1969:

Was transferred to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

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1992-1999:

Served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence
Research and Development Organisation.
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2002-2007:

Served as the 11th President of India.

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Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth President of the United States. Read this brief biography
and timeline to find more on his life and childhood

Abraham Lincoln Biography

Abraham Lincoln
Also Listed In: Political Leaders

Famous as: American President.

Nationality: American

political ideology: Republican (18541865), National Union (18641865)

Born on: 12 February 1809 AD Famous 12th February Birthdays

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius Famous Aquarians

Born in: Hodgenville, Kentucky, U.S.

Died on: 15 April 1865 AD

place of death: Petersen House, Washington, D.C., U.S.

father: Thomas Lincoln

mother: Nancy Lincoln

siblings: Sarah Lincoln Grigsby, Thomas

Spouse: Mary Todd

children: Robert Todd Lincoln, Edward Baker

Works & Achievements: Preservation of the United States, Abolition of Slavery in America

Abraham Lincoln. 7 People do.

Turn the pages of America's political history, and you are sure to find one man who clearly
outshines all others and manages to attract the attention and interest of all, till date, -
Abraham Lincoln! Nicknamed 'Honest Abe' or 'Father Abraham', Lincoln was, by far, one of
the most powerful and greatest Presidents' that America has ever witnessed. Rising from a
modest and humble beginning, it was his sheer determination and honest effort that led him
to the nation's highest office. An astute politician and proficient lawyer, he played a vital role
in unification of the states and led from the front for the cause of abolishing slavery from the
country, eventually giving people equal rights, irrespective of caste, color or creed. He not
only envisioned but actually brought to the forefront a truly democratic government which
was led by the concept of 'by the people, of the people and for the people'. What's more,
Lincoln led the country when it faced its greatest constitutional, military and moral crises. He
not only turned up victorious but also was effective in strengthening the national government
and modernizing the economy. He was a saviour of the Union and an emancipator for the
slaves. However, just as astonishing was his rise to the top-notch position and his eventual
governance, his death was equally bewildering as he became the first U.S President ever to
be assassinated. Though in his life Abraham Lincoln has been felicitated with no awards and
honors, as there did not exist any awards then, he has till date retained a spot in the Top Three
Presidents since 1940s. As for the presidential ranking polls conducted since 1948, Lincoln
has been rated at the very top in the majority of polls.

Childhood & Early Life

Born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Lincoln, in a log-cabin in Hardin County Kentucky,
Abraham Lincoln was the second of the three children of the couple. He had an elder sister
Sarah and a younger brother Thomas who died in infancy.
Senior Lincoln was a hardworking man. Through his relentless efforts, he became one the
richest men in the country. He was respected and honoured by one and all. However, the
blissfulness did not last long as Thomas Lincoln lost all what he had, which led to the family
shifting base to the present Spencer County, Indiana.
Religiously, the Lincolns attended Separate Baptists church and had opposing views
regarding alcohol, dancing and slavery. They completely believed in restrictive moral
standards.
 In 1818, tragedy struck the family as Nancy Lincoln left for the heavenly abode, after
suffering from milk sickness. The death of his mother had devastating effect on young
Lincoln who grew alienated from his father. However, the gap was abridged by his
stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston whom he grew close to.
Billed as lazy and indolent by most due to his dislike for the hard labor associated with
frontier life, Lincoln wronged all as he grew up to be responsible and dedicated. He
completed all the chores expected of a boy from a household and became an adept axe-man
in his work, building rail fences. He also dutifully submitted all his earning to his father.
As far as his education is concerned, Lincoln made extraordinary efforts to attain
knowledge. Though both his parents were illiterate and unschooled, they encouraged Lincoln
to read and write, especially his stepmom Sarah. It is estimated that all through his life
Lincoln did not have not more than 18 months of formal education.
Since there was not much scope of formal education in the Indiana wilderness, he walked
for miles at stretch to borrow a book. He was an avid reader and had read all the then popular
books several times, including the Bible. Thus, the knowledge and wisdom that Lincoln
possessed was mostly self-taught.
The family shifted base to Coles County, Illinois in 1831, after fearing milk sickness. At
the age of 22, Lincoln set off on his own. His first stop was in a village of New Salem in
Sangamon County, where he took up a job of transferring goods by flatboat from New Salem
to New Orleans via the Sangamon, Illinois, and Mississippi rivers Added By Anonymous
Abraham Lincolns mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, died of milk disease on October 5,
1818. She was buried in a grave which was located just behind the family cabin. Added By
Anonymous

In 1832, Lincoln shifted to New Orleans, where, along with a friend, he bought a small
general store. However, since the venture did not turn out to be profitable, he sold his shares
and instead, tried his hand at politics. He started campaigning for a seat at the Illinois General
Assembly.
Though Lincoln had gained popularity through his skilled storytelling ability, his lack of
proper formal education, money and powerful friends lead to his loss. Meanwhile, while
taking part in the assembly, Lincoln also served in the Black Hawk War as a captain in the
Illinois Militia.
 After working as a postmaster and county surveyor, Lincolns gave in to his wish to
become a lawyer. He started reading law books to equip himself with the knowledge required
in the field. Lincolns social skills and antics at story-telling were honed during this phase of
life.
In 1834, his second campaign turned out to be successful as he won election to the state
legislature and ran as a Whig.
In 1836, Lincoln moved to Springfield Illinois where he enrolled himself to the bar and
started practicing law under John T. Stuart.
Lincolns reputation as an able and efficient lawyer grew up leaps and bounds. He began
known for his tough and challenging cross-examinations and closing arguments. Over the
years, Lincoln worked with a number of professional lawyers including Stephen T. Logan and
William Herndon.
Lincolns political career was progressing steadily as well. In his four years of successive
term at the Illinois House of Representatives as a Whig representative, he was known for
voicing against the perils of slavery and abolitionism. He regularly spoke for economic
modernization in various sectors including banking
Rising popularity and great work earned Lincoln a seat at the U.S. House of
Representative in 1846, where he served a two-year term. A true Whig supporter, he stood for
his party beliefs and participated in all votes. He even made speeches that stressed on
abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia.
As far as foreign and military policies are concerned, Lincoln was heavily against
Mexican-American War and President Polk and instead supported the Wilmot Proviso. His
stand against the President earned him negative publicity as Lincoln lost political support
from not only his district, but even earned the nickname spotty Lincoln.
In the 1848 presidential elections, Lincoln changed his preference as he shifted to the
General Zachary Taylor camp for the Whig nomination. Though Taylor won the elections,
Lincoln lost to Justin Butterfield for the office of the Commissioner of the General Land
Office. Instead, he was offered a position of a secretary or governor of the Oregon Territory.
He refused the same to resume his law practice.
Lincolns career as a lawyer was steadily growing as was his reputation and status. He
even appeared before the Supreme Court of the United States. Out of his 175 appearances at
the Illinois Supreme Court, 51 times he stood as a sole counsellor out of which he won on 31
occasions. His client list included big names from the country.

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Work on Anti-Slavery
 While the northern states of US had banned slavery and were against suppression of
people belonging to the lower class or caste, the southern states and the newer territories in
the West still did not think of same as morally unethical. As such, to cast a similar influence,
Lincoln switched back to his political career by the 1850s and strongly opposed the Kansas-
Nebraska Act.
According to the Act, Douglas had permitted the settlers to determine whether or not they
wanted to allow slavery in the new territory. He even argued that the national Congress had
no role to play in the matter that he adjudged as only locally important.
Lincolns stand against slavery was prominently visible in his Peoria speech which he
gave on October 16, 1854. According to it, he strongly hated slavery due to the monstrous
injustice that it represented and also the deprival of equality of rights among men.
Lincoln ran for the seat at the US Senate from Illinois in 1854. Though he was
comfortably leading ahead of others in the first six rounds, it was his strong opposition for the
KansasNebraska Act that lead to his downfall as there was a split amongst the Whigs.
It was his take on anti-slavery along with an appeal for Free Soil, Liberty that shaped
the new Republican Party. At the 1856 Republican National Convention, Lincoln was second
in the contest to become the party's candidate for vice president.
In 1858, Lincoln won the state Republic partys vote which nominated him for the U.S
Senate. With this started the series of Lincoln-Douglas debates, which have earned the
reputation of being the most popular debates in American history.
Lincoln and Douglas were tangent apart from each other in terms of their political outlook
and physical appearance. While Lincoln professed the seizure of slavery, Douglas promoted
his Freeport Doctrine according to which local people of a state were free to decide whether
or not slavery should be practiced in their state.
Lincolns Republican Party won great many votes, but the Democratic Party bagged a
number of seats thus re-electing Douglas to the Senate. Despite the loss, Lincoln was
committed towards eradicating slavery from the nation and insisted that the moral foundation
of Republic required opposition to slavery. Added By Anonymous

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Campaign for Presidency

 In 1860, a campaign was organized by the political operatives in Illinois which ran in
support of Lincoln for the presidency. Interestingly, he surpassed well known candidates such
as William Seward of New York and Salmon P. Chase of Ohio at the Republican National
Convention in Chicago.
It was Lincolns moderate take on slavery, his support for national infrastructure and the
protective tariff which won him the nomination and the subsequent popularity. He beat
Southern Democrat Douglas, John C. Breckinridge of the Northern Democrats and John Bell
of the Constitution Party to pave his way to the most coveted political position, garnering a
total of 180 electoral votes of the 303.
Eventually, on November 6, 1860, Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United
States.
On March 4, 1861, he assumed the office and became the first ever President from the
Republican Party. He selected a strong cabinet, which consisted of many of his political rivals
such as William Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates and Edwin Stanton.

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Tenure as a President - Succession & Civil War

 Lincolns succession into the White House was mostly due to his attaining maximum
support from North and West. However, the South was enraged about the result and decided
to withdraw itself from the Union and form a separate nation by the name, Confederate States
of America.
The states included in the Confederate States of America were South Carolina, Florida,
Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Led by Jefferson Davis, these states
considered themselves as independent and sovereign.
Lincoln, however, in his inaugural address in March the following year refused to
recognize the Confederacy, declaring secession illegal. Though there were attempt to come to
a compromise and settlement, Lincoln admonished all such offers and stood by his stand for
free-soil and slave-free states.
As much as Lincoln hated war, he had to live with the same as secessionists were enraged
by Lincolns orders and instead announced war. What turned worse was that other southern
states like North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas also joined the Confederate.
They took hold of the Fort Sumter and with this started what is termed as Americas costliest
and most deadly conflict. Added By Anonymous
Lincoln appointed troops to head towards Washington and protect the capital. He
withdrew $2 million from the Treasury for war material, called for 75,000 volunteers into
military service and suspended the writ of habeas corpus, eventually arresting and
imprisoning suspected Confederate sympathizers without a warrant. He also developed strong
ties with the border slave states and worked towards keeping the war from being an
international conflict. Added By Anonymous
Lincoln met dead end at all sides. Crushing the opponent seemed difficult and losing to
them impossible. As for his stand, while the Copperheads felt that Lincoln was too stubborn
on his stand for anti-slavery, Radical Republicans criticized him for moving slowly in
abolishing slavery. To add to the woes, Lincoln faced defiance and vilification from generals,
his Cabinet, his party, and a majority of the American people. Added By Anonymous
Lincoln kept a close eye on the progress of the war and was aware of every minute
detailing. He regularly consulted with the governors, selected generals and checked military
effort. His main priorities with the war were based on two things Washington should be
well defended and an aggressive war should be conducted that would satisfy the demand in
the North for prompt, decisive victory.
General McClellan was appointed as the general-in-chief of all the Union armies. Though
the first year and a half was difficult due to the defeats and dropping morale and support for
re-unification of the nation, the victory at the Antietam gave Lincoln some sort of relief and
the idea to reshape the war from uniting the nation to abolishing slavery.
Meanwhile, midterm elections in 1862 brought bad news for the Lincoln-led government
as the public had questioned the ability of the administration and its failure to bring a speedy
end to the war. Other factors that acted otherwise for the government was rising inflation,
new high taxes, rumors of corruption, suspension of habeas corpus, the military draft law, and
fears that freed slaves would undermine the labor market.
As for the war, Lincoln had understood that the end of the war could be near if a string of
victories was put together. They were able to register success at the Charleston harbour and
the Battle of Gettsyburg.

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Emancipation Proclamation
Lincolns idea for a slave-free nation was not just undermined by the South but by the
Constitution as well, which committed the issue to individual states. As such, efforts taken by
the Federal government alone could not resolve the issue.
To put an end to slavery, Lincoln offered the states compensated emancipation in return
for their prohibition of slavery. He believed that this method would help curtail slavery from
within the roots.
Thus, the Second Confiscation Act was passed on July 1862 according to which the
slaves were guaranteed freedom. The main purpose behind this act was to weaken the
rebellious war that the opponents had raised. Though Congress was not successful in
permanently dissolving slavery, it did show Congress support for liberating slaves owned by
slave owners.
Same time, Lincoln came with the first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation according
to which he stated that all persons held as slaves in the Confederate states will be free and
liberated.
The Emancipation Proclamation was official issued on September 22, 1862 and came into
practice since January 1, 1863. It declared the slaves in the 10 states not present in the Union
as free.
The next few months were spent preparing the army and the country for emancipation.
Abolition of slavery became a military objective and to fulfil the same, the Union armies
proved tough. The more they advanced towards South, the more slaves were being free and
liberated and thus, the objective was nearing accomplishment. In a short time, all the slaves,
the number counting up to three million were freed from Confederate territory.
Once free, the slaves were absorbed by the military as more and more black recruitments
seemed to occur. This was the original policy that the government promised to act upon after
the issuance of Emancipation Proclamation.
In 1863, Lincoln and the rest of the Republican and other supporters attained partial
victory. Emancipation of slaves had become a national war effort and a democratic
government which was of the people, by the people and for the people had evolved. Lincoln
commented that the war was an effort to bring in liberty and equality for all.

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Re-Election & Re-Construction

With Americas most deadly conflict, the Civil War, and the unstable economic
conditions, Lincolns re-election as a President seemed to be doubtful and uncertain.
Nevertheless, a master politician that he was, he worked hard to build the strength of the
party, fetched support for his policy and fend efforts by Radicals to drop him in the 1864
elections.
What resulted was a magnanimous win of Lincoln, where he gained support from all
states, excepting three, and receiving almost 78% of the Union soldiers vote. He had
managed to bag 212 out of the 233 electoral votes. On March 4, 1865, Lincoln was official
sworn in as the President and gave his second inaugural address.
Post the re-election, Lincoln made reintegration of the Southern states and re-unification
of the nation as the number one agenda on his list of to-dos. The administration of the
Southern states was re-formed.
While Tennessee was under the guidance of General Andrew Johnson, General Frederick
Steele was the military governor for Arkanas. General Nathaniel P. Banks upheld the plans of
restoring the statehood in Louisiana.
Radical Republican, Salmon P. Chase filled up the chair of the Chief Justice in the
Supreme Court. He was chosen, as Lincoln believed that he would uphold the emancipation
which until then was applicable to selected states.
Lincoln increased pressure on the Congress to abolish slavery for good throughout the
nation and not in certain states only with the help of a constitutional amendment.
The proposed constitutional amendment that would pave way for the exit door for slavery
was brought before Congress but failed to pass in its first attempt. Later, it became part of the
Republican/Unionist platform and eventually was passed in the second meeting. The passed
bill was next sent to the state legislatures for ratification, with it becoming the Thirteenth
Amendment to the United States Constitution on December 6, 1865.
The surrender of Lee at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia, in April 1865, official
brought an end to the Civil War. His surrender brought forth the surrender of several other
rebel armies and leaders.
The unification of the states eventually led to the consequence for the name of the country
United States. Though the Civil War was the most implacable of the conflicts in America, it
did led to the dominance of a singular name, United States for the country by large.
Lincoln was largely responsible for harbouring the sails of the American political system
towards republicanism. At a time when the world focussed on the sanctity of the constitution,
Lincoln believed that majority rule had to be restrained with the constitutional checks and
limitations.
Other than this, Lincoln during his term of presidency vetoed four bills, the most
important one being the Wade-Davis Bill with its harsh program of Reconstruction which the
Radicals had passed. He also was behind the creation of the first U.S. income tax on incomes
greater than $800. He was also responsible for the creation of system of national banks by the
National Banking Act.

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His Assassination
John Wilkes Booth, the assassinator of Lincoln, had contact with the Confederate secret
service. It is believed that Booth initially planned to abduct Lincoln in exchange for the
release of Confederate prisoners. However, enraged by Lincolns speech of giving blacks
voting rights and thus equal status in the society, Booth resolved to assassinate him.
The tragic incident occurred during the screening of the play, Our American Cousin at the
Ford theatre, which Lincoln went to watch along with First Lady, Henry Rathbone and Clara
Harris. His main bodyguard, Ward Hill Lamon was not present and John Parker took to the
temporary vacant position.
 Joining the driver for drinks at the interval, Parker left Lincoln unguarded, a setting which
Booth capitalized on. He shot Lincoln at point-blank range on his head mortally wounding
him. He then stabbed Major Henry Rathbone and escaped.
Although Lincoln was provided medical help by an Army surgeon, Doctor Charles Leale,
who was sitting nearby at the theatre, lack of breath and dropping pulse rate worsened the
condition. Lincoln was taken to Peterson House, where he was in coma for nine hours before
succumbing to death on April 15, 1865.
Meanwhile, Booth was tracked down 10 days later on a farm in Virginia, some 70 miles
south of Washington, D.C. He put up a brief fight, finally losing out to Sergeant Boston
Corbett who killed him.
Lincolns body was wrapped in the flag and escorted to the White House by Union
officers. His coffin was first laid in the East Room and later in the Capitol Rotunda from
April 19 through April 21.
He made his final journey alongside his son in the executive coach for three weeks from
the White House to Springfield, Illinois, stopping at various cities across the North for large-
scale memorials. People gathered in huge numbers paid their tributes to the great politician
ever, through bands, bonfires, hymn singing or silent reverence.

Lincoln was interred in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois, U.S. His tomb is
called the Lincoln's Tomb. Posthumously, Lincoln was honoured by the United States and a
memorial was constructed in Washington D. C with the name Lincoln Memorial. It is by far
the most famous and visited memorials.
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Personal Life & Legacy

Lincolns first love was Ann Rutledge, whom he had met while relocating to New
Orleans. The two shared a cordial relationship which ended abruptly following her death on
August 25, 1835 from typhoid and fever.
He was involved with Mary Owens from Kentucky. Their relationship was blissful and
cordial but until a time after which the two separated, as both had developed second thoughts
about their relationship.
Lincoln met Mary Todd in December 1839. Hailing from a wealthy slave-holding family
in Lexington, Kentucky, the two shared a great chemistry which led to their engagement the
following year. However, Lincoln broke off the engagement only to marry her a year later on
November 4, 1842.
The couple was blessed with four children, all sons. However, barring Robert Todd
Lincoln, the eldest, none of the children survived till adulthood. As parents, the Lincoln
couple were noted for their lenient attitude. They were extremely fond of children and the
death of the little ones caused a strong impact on their personal lives.
In Lincoln's memory, Lincolns sculpture was unveiled at Mount Rushmore. Ford Theatre
and Peterson House in Washington and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and
Museum, located in Springfield, Illinois are other memorials dedicated to this proficient
politician.
To honor him, Lincolns portrait appears on two denominations of United States currency,
penny and $5 bill. Whats more, there are many postage stamps that bear his likeness.

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Trivia
 He was the first President to be born out of the thirteen states. Additionally, he was the
first president born in Kentucky and the first to wear a beard.
He was the first US President to be assassinated.
He is the only president to have a patent to his name. The patent was for a device which
assisted in freeing the ships that would get aground in shallow waters.
Interestingly, unlike other presidents, he would keep all his important papers, mail,
bankbook and so on in his stovepipe hat. Probably, this is the reason why it was called his
desk and memorandum book and sometimes his filing cabinet.
He is responsible for the institution of Thanksgiving Day in United States of America.
Until then, the day was celebrated sporadically and on irregular dates. He declared the final
Thursday in the month of November as Thanksgiving Day.
A man with outstanding capability, he earned quite a few nicknames in his life, some of
which are Honest Abe, The Rail Splitter, The Great Emancipator, and Father Abraham.

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Adolf Hitler was the infamous dictator of Germany who carried out the genocide of Jews and
was majorly responsible for the World War II. Know more about his life in this biography.

Famous People

Leaders

Adolf Hitler Biography

Adolf Hitler
Also Listed In: Political Leaders
Famous as: Nazi Leader, German Dictator and Chancellor of Germany

Nationality: German

political ideology: National Socialist German Workers' Party (19211945)

Born on: 20 April 1889 AD

Zodiac Sign: Aries Famous Arians

Born in: Braunau am Inn

Died on: 30 April 1945 AD

place of death: Berlin

father: Alois Hitler

mother: Klara Hitler

siblings: Gustav, Ida

Spouse: Eva Braun (m. 19451945)

Works & Achievements: Chancellor of Germany.

Adolf Hitler. 6 People do.

'Germany will either be a world power or will not be at all', said the head of the Nazi Party
and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Adolf Hitler. He was the Chancellor of
Germany during the Third Reich and the chief mastermind behind World War II. Known to
the world as the indomitable 'Fuhrer', he was responsible for the mass and systematic
extermination of millions of Jews and non-Aryans, whom he deemed unfit or inferior to the
ideal 'Aryan' race. The founder of Nazism and a staunch anti-Semite, he made efforts to build
a territorially larger and purer nation for German folk through his megalomaniac ways which
prompted and also ended the World War, leading his country to abyss. He was also a prolific
writer, artist and a militarist, known for his exceptional leadership talents and his effervescent
nature. This German leader rose to prominence from the rank of a mere soldier owing to his
exceptional oratory skills and went on to become one of the most feared despots of his time.
His dream to establish 'New Order' in Germany was a culmination of his long and tyrannical,
yet fascinating dictatorship. He transformed the face of the-then Weimar Republic into a
single-party autocracy, based on the dictatorial ideology of a total 'Nazi German' hegemony.
Hitler's early years with the Nazi Party and his aggressive foreign policies were considered
one of the main factors for the outbreak of World War II, which ultimately led to his downfall
and a mass destruction around Central and Eastern Europe.

Childhood & Early Life

 Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, to Alois Hitler and Klara Polzl. He was
the fourth of the six children born to the couple and was only 3-years-old when the family
moved from Austria to Germany.
He was a very bright child and was very popular at school, but often clashed with his
father over his interest in fine arts. This led to Hitlers detachment from his family and he
became a reclusive, discontented, resentful child, with an unstable temperament towards his
father.
He was deeply attached to his lenient, hard-working mother, whose battle against cancer
and consequent demise in December 1908 was a shattering blow to his already upset life.
It is believed that young Hitler showed an early interest in German nationalism,
condemning the authority of Austro-Hungary. This nationalism would later play a major role
in Hitlers policy formations.
Hitler tried to enter The Academy Of Fine Arts and got rejected twice. Added By
Anonymous

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Vienna & Early Anti-Semitic Views

 After spending four years in Linz, a Jewish colony, he dropped out of school at the age of
16, and moved to Vienna with dreams of becoming a painter. He applied to the Viennese
Academy of Fine Arts twice and his rejection both times shaped his pathological hatred of
Marxists and the cosmopolitan Habsburg monarchy.
He was homeless for some years and sold his artworks to earn a little wherewithal for
sustenance. The prevalent racial and religious prejudice in Vienna at the time is said to have
sown the seeds of anti-Semitism in him.
Later, hawking sketches in low taverns, he lived from hand-to-mouth and compensated
for the frustrations of a solitary bachelors life in despondent shelters and cheap cafes,
listening to others discussing grandiose dreams of a greater Germany.
It was during his years in Vienna that he was able to discern the Eternal Jew symbol and
started believing that Jews were the root cause of all chaos, corruption and obliteration in
ethos, politics and economy.
On the day of a meeting at the 'Wolf's lair', 20 July 1944, there was an attempted bombing
during the meeting. He survived but was injured; he later went to meet Mussolini at the train
station where he recounted the incident to Mussolini.

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Role In World War I

 In May 1913, Hitler left Vienna for Munich and joined the 16th Bavarian Infantry
Regiment when war broke out in August 1914, serving as a dispatch runner. He proved to be
a courageous, able soldier and was awarded his first Iron Cross for bravery.
Twice injured, he landed up in a hospital in Pomerania, temporarily blinded and was
driven to powerless rage owing to the 1918 German Revolution as well as the countrys
military defeat during World War I.
After recovery, he was convinced that fate had picked him to rescue a disgraced nation
from the manacles of the punitive Treaty of Versailles, which he condemned.
In the summer of 1919, Hitler observed the uprising of a small yet powerful group,
known as the German Workers Party. On September 16, 1919, he entered the same party and
soon changed its name to the Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party. By July 1921, he
had imposed himself as the partys Chairman.

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Rise To Prominence & The Nazi Party

 Hitlers powerful oratory talent was discovered and he was made the chief speaker of the
Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party. He also gave the group its new symbolthe
swastika, a Hindu symbol for prosperity. His fervent conviction, boisterousness and
theatrical quality of speeches, established him as the Fuhrer (leader in German) of the
movement, with over 3,000 members in the party as compared to the initial membership of
40.
He decided to organize his party on the basis of powerful squads such as the storm-
troopers called, the Sturmabteilung (SA) and Hitlers black-shirted bodyguards, the
Schutzstaffel (SS).
He focused his propaganda against the November Rogues, the people he considered as
internal enemies, who signed the Treaty of Versailles and who, according to him, were
responsible for all of Germanys domestic problems. His views of the Versailles Treaty gave
birth to socialistic ideas of the Aryan race supremacy and extreme-nationalist policies.
By 1923, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse and Hitler sought to
overthrow the Bavarian government in Munich, by bursting into a beer hall in the city. This
eventually grew to become the infamous, Beer Hall Putsch, where 3,000 of Hitlers men
attempted to putsch (or overthrow) the existing Munich government.
He was arrested and tried on February 26, 1924 and was sentenced to five years of prison.
However, he was released after nine months of prison term and dedicated his only major
work, Mein Kampf, to his loyalist, Rudolf Hess.
The failure of the Putsch, the ban on the Nazi Party and his jail term, made Hitler stronger
and he vowed to come back with the army and the police under his command.
In 1925, the ban on the Nazi Party was lifted and Hitler regained permission to speak in
public and established himself as the ultimate arbitrator.
In the 1928 elections, owing to the onset of the Great Depression and the consequent
threat to the German economy, people chose not to vote for Hitlers Nazi Party and he won a
mere 12 seats.
Despite this defeat, the Nazis began to win over large industrial and army circles and with
the backing of the press, Adolf Hitler received tremendous nationwide exposure. Cunning as
he was, he played on the national sentiment of revolt and of a desire for strong leadership,
using all the modern techniques of mass persuasion. He thus, presented himself as Germanys
sole knight in shining armor.
Consequently, in the 1930 elections, the Nazis won majority votes, winning a whopping
107 seats at the Reichstag. The same year, he officially acquired German citizenship and ran
for presidency on April 10, 1931, but was defeated by von Hindenburg.
In 1932, after the Nazis emerged as the largest political party in Germany with nearly
fourteen million votes to their credit, he was appointed as Chancellor of Germany on January
30, 1933.
Once in the saddle, Hitler moved swiftly, wiping out rivals, ousting free trade unions and
the Jews from any role whatsoever in the political and social workings of the country. He
even won a majority at the last democratic elections in Germany on March 5, 1933 with the
help of nationalists and a generous use of intimidation, terror and persuasion.
Hitler was considered the undisputed dictator of the Third Reich and by the beginning of
August 1934, and after the death of von Hindenburg, he had all the powers of the state in his
hands.
In the next four years, he enjoyed a dazzling string of domestic and international
successes, outwitting rival political leaders abroad just as he had defeated his opposition at
home.
 In 1935, he abandoned the Treaty of Versailles and began building his army by recruiting
five times its permitted number. He built the Luftwaffe and supplied military aid to forces in
Spain, which brought about the Spanish victory in 1939
The German armament program led to full employment in Germany and an uninhibited
expansion of military production. This, reinforced by his foreign policy successes like the
Rome-Berlin pact of 1936, the Anschluss with Austria and the liberation of the Sudetan
Germans, brought Hitler to the apex of his popularity.
Hitlers tactics bludgeoned the British and the French into the humiliating Munich
Agreement of 1938 and the dismantlement of the Czechoslovakian state in 1939.
The next designated target for Hitler was Poland, an ally of Britain and France. In order to
deal with a possible two-front war, the Nazi dictator signed a friendship and non-aggression
pact with Soviet Russia; this he later breached.

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World War II & War Crimes

On September 1, 1939, German forces invaded Poland while their leader tried to secure
Lebensraum, or Germanys free living space, by driving out the Polish from their lands.
The first phase of World War II was dominated by German Blitzkrieg tactics which
involved sudden attacks on airfields or other military installations, using fast mobile armor
and state-of-the-art bomber aircrafts. Poland was overrun in less than a month and Holland,
Belgium and France were taken down in six weeks thereafter.
The fall of France left Britain helpless, but the British refused to bow down. The Battle of
Britain, where the RAF prevented the Luftwaffe from gaining control over British skies, was
Hitlers first setback. He retreated and decided to postpone his British attack for later and
joined his Italian allies who were fighting in North Africa. He annexed parts of Greece,
Yugoslavia and the island of Crete, with the help of the Italians.
Although he had signed a non-aggression pact with Soviet Russia, he invaded its
territories nonetheless on June 22, 1941, thinking that USSRs destruction would leave
Britain without any potential support.
With the inclusion of America in the World War by the end of 1941, Britain refused to
accept Germanys right over continental Europe. This led to the implementation of Hitlers
Final Solution of the Jewish Question, which was under deliberation since 1939.
The Final Solution of the Jewish Question according to Hitler, was a complete
extermination of the Jewish race. The execution of this plan was expedited due to British
insubordination despite his explicit threat that any insubordination would spell doom for the
Jewish community across the world.
Jew-eradication measures were already taken in areas of Poland and Germany, where
the Jews were sent to concentration camps and exterminated in masses. He also targeted
Russian soldiers in an attempt to annihilate Bolshevism from its roots.
Over 100 camps were set up in Germany and a 100 more outside the country. What
followed was a series of gruesome events where thousands of Jews and others unsuited for
the Aryan race, were herded together and systematically killed. The grotesque killing
methods included starvation, shooting and even, lethal gas chambers disguised as shower
chambers.

1941 onwards, Jews were even gassed in trucks and killed by firing squads. Many large
concentration camps like Majdanek and Auschwitz became highly infamous and
accounted for more than 1,00,000 victims per day.
Within a couple of months, Hitler extended his armies across the Baltic and the Black
Sea, but the Soviet Union did not collapse like Hitler had expected. Instead of trying to seize
the heart of Moscow, he ordered a pincer movement around Kiev to seize Ukraine and
proclaimed on October 1941, that the Soviet Union had fallen due to the merciless Russian
winter.
The failure of the Italians in the Middle East and the entry of the United States in the War
were visible signs of the coming German defeat, which became apparent in 1942. However,
Hitler was convinced that it was his military and general staff that was weak and indecisive
and he became more prone to hysterical fury and brooding. His health too, began to decline at
this point of time.
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Fall Of The Third Reich

By the beginning of 1943, the Third Reich lacked the resources to fight off impending
doom. All that remained of Hitlers Reich, was the mass Nazi responsibility to exhume the
dead from concentration camps, burn their bodies, destroy all evidence of crime and plow
concentration camps under.
Hitlers generals grew increasingly frustrated by his refusal to trust them in their
respective fields and recognizing the inevitability of their defeat, they planned a small anti-
Nazi Resistance to assassinate the Fuhrer on July 20, 1944. The plot failed and Hitler
ruthlessly assassinated all the conspirators.
The gassing of the Jews, Poles and Soviets continued till November 1944, along with
numerous brutal medical experiments conducted on Jews in camps.

Towards the end of the war and his life, Hitler grew cynical and indulged in endless,
night-long monologues, gesturing over maps and suggesting that his secret V-1 and V-2
rockets may turn the war for Germany.
As the Soviets approached Berlin and the Anglo-Americans, along with the Allies, closed
in on Hitlers Germany, the Fuhrer ordered the destruction of various industries, transport
systems and communications, believing that if he did not survive, Germany too should be
destroyed.
The same ruthless nihilism and passion for destruction which led to the death of over six
million Jews in death camps for the so-called biological cleansing, finally turned on his own
people. The Third Reich was doomed.
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Personal Life & Legacy

Researches and studies have suggested that Hitler suffered from a number of health
problems, such as skin lesions, coronary sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, syphilis and irritable
bowel syndrome.
He met Eva Braun, his long-term mistress, in 1929, and married her on April 29, 1945. It
is also rumored that he had an affair with his half-niece, Geli Raubal, who committed suicide
in her apartment in 1931, under mysterious circumstances.
He was addicted to amphetamine after 1937 and became a regular user of the drug in the
fall of 1942.
As a result of the assassination attempt in 1944, he suffered ruptured eardrums and over
200 wooden splinters had to be removed from his leg.
On April 30, 1945, he committed suicide, shooting his wife and himself in the mouth with
a pistol. Their bodies were carried to the gardens of the Reich Chancellery, doused with petrol
and burned.
This final, grisly act of self-destruction fittingly symbolized the career of a political leader
whose main legacy to Europe was the ruin of its civilization and the futile sacrifice of
precious human life for the sake of race and power. Berlin fell on May 2, 1945 and so did
Hitlers twelve years of tyrannical, totalitarian rule.
Almost immediately after the death of Hitler, the Nazi ideology was universally regarded
as diabolical and he came to be known as the main author of the war leaving over 50 million
dead and millions more homeless and grieving.
Many of his generals were convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity and were
tried at court, some of whom were even put to death. The fall of Hitlers Germany led to the
onset of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States.

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Trivia
This European Dictator loved the circus, because he took pleasure in the idea that
underpaid performers risked their lives to please him. He even personally remembered each
of the performers names.
This infamous European leader was a vegetarian, hated smoking and drinking and loved
dogs immensely.
This Nazi German was fascinated by hands. His library contained a number of sketches of
hands belonging to famous people throughout history.
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