Born fourth of six children to Austrian customs officer Alois Hitler, who had been married twice before, and the former Klara Polzl, Adolf Hitler grew up in a small Austrian town in the late 19th century. He was a slow learner and did often poorly in school; partly as a result, his authoritarian father frequently beat him. Things got worse when Adolf's older brother, Alois, Jr., ran away from home. His mild-mannered mother occasionally tried to shield him, but was ineffectual. Adolf attempte ...[Read Story]