The Artist Formerly Known as Adolf Hitler

In 1907 and again in 1908 Adolf Hitler applied for entry at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. He was rejected on both occasions – a professor citing “unfitness for painting”. It seems that this decision has been deemed by many historians as not a significant event. But what if Adolf Hitler had been accepted to the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts? Prior to this rejection, Adolf had sold some of his paintings so it would not have been unthinkable for him to have been accepted. Some have thought that perhaps he had been rejected by Jewish professors and so began his hatred of the Jews.

Again, we have to think about what if Adolf Hitler had been accepted in the Academy of Fine Arts? Would that have change his path and therefore changed the course of history? Would someone else have simply taken his place?

“The Artist Formerly Known as Adolf Hitler,” is a novel that looks at what the world may have looked like had he chose a different course in life. For many people, the name Adolf Hitler is the embodiment and true definition of evil.

The purpose of this book is not to venerate Adolf Hitler. This story is meant to have the reader think in a different way about Adolf Hitler. Was Adolf Hitler predestined to be the architect of one of the most horrendous and evil events in modern history, or was it simply a series of bad choices and decisions and eventually choosing the wrong course in life? There is evidence that in Adolf Hitler’s youth, he had many interactions with Jewish people and in some cases, quite beneficial ones. What were those events or interactions that shaped his opinions to become drastically different in later life?

What if we had to walk a mile in Adolf Hitler’s shoes? Many find such a thought preposterous. But what if we had his formative years? What if we had his physiology? What if we had the same path and obstacles to go down or around as he? Would we make the same decisions? While we may judge people like Hitler, Stalin and Mao as ruthless and evil dictators, had we been born to live their lives, would we have made different choices while in their shoes? To this point, are all human beings just subject to their predestined fate, or do we all the unfettered opportunity to make the correct or incorrect choices that lead us down a certain path?

Another aspect of this novel looks at how the 20th century would have transpired, had Adolf Hitler chosen another path. Is it likely World War II would have occurred? If it hadn’t what would the world look like? The war was directly responsible for the economic upturn for the United States and many countries, lifting them from the malaise of the Great Depression. What would have become of the Soviet Union? Would we have landed a man on the moon? The war brought about economic, political and technological changes to an extent that had neve...