Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

Chapter IVHITLER FINDS HIS HOMEON APRIL 26, 1896, IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT, A SON was born toFriedrich Hess, a wholesaler and exporter. The boy was named Rudolf.Friedrich Hess was a German; his family came from the town ofWunsiedel in northern Bavaria. One branch of the Hess family isresident in Switzerland. Friedrich Hess is one of those numerousGermans who, by origin or career or both, are connected with foreigncountries. Up to his fourteenth year, his son lived with him inAlexandria. Then the apparently not too gifted boy was sent to aGerman school in Godesberg on the Rhine. He studied business inHamburg and French Switzerland, though he would rather have gone infor mathematics. At the outbreak of the war in 1914, he volunteered. Hewas twice wounded; a bullet passed through his lung. He wanted tobecome an aviator; and achieved his aim against great difficulties. Theinfantry regiment in which he fought until 1916 was a special kind oftroop, consisting in large part of students and other intellectuals whohad volunteered for service. In German war history it is known as theList Regiment, after its first commander, Colonel von List. Underincompetent leadership the regiment incurred staggering losses in 1914.The flower of Bavaria's intellectual youth was mowed down, and theList Regiment achieved a mournful immortality. Everyone who escapedwith his life could consider himself fortunate, enjoying the specialprotection of Providence. Hess came out alive. One day he reported tothe regimental commander who succeeded List, a Lieutenant-ColonelTubeuf. Beside Tubeuf stood his orderly.