On Hitler's Mountain Analysis

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On Hitler’s Mountain is a memoir of a young girl’s life in the time of the Nazis’ rise to power. This riveting story is written by Irmgard A. Hunt who was born on May 28, 1934. Her and her family resided in the Bavarian village of Berchtesgaden in Germany. This Bavarian village happened to be on the very mountain that Hitler chose to place his future headquarters and retreat. Living in close proximity to Hitler’s retreat meant that Hitler influenced Irmgard and her family’s domestic lives and thoughts. Irmgard had a little sister named Ingrid; her parent’s names were Albine Pohlmann and Max Paul. Irmgard called them Mutti and Vati which is the German terminology for mom and dad. The family had enough wealth to meet their necessities. Growing …show more content…

Hitler’s suicidal death was announced along with the continual list of the German army’s casualties. Eventually, the people of Berchtesgaden were told to hang a white sheet on their balcony or out their windows to signify to the oncoming American troops their surrender. Necessities were getting scarce until the day of the Währungsreform (currency reform). This was the beginning of new hope and a new life in West Germany. Democracy was being rebuilt and gave people a sense of local empowerment. New houses were being built along with the recovery of jobs. Irmgard’s spirits began to lift once again along with many others. Germans were ready to face and forget the country’s …show more content…

Irmgard speaks of how the Nazis were in full control of the German government, military, and media. They gained access to education, books, the news, how people greeted one another, and they even influenced the names parents gave their children. Albine had to change her daughter’s name from Ruth, a Christian name, to Ingrid. The Nazis even controlled what holidays the people signified and how they celebrated them. For example, Hitler urged the women to make their Christmas cookies into Nordic trees of life or Celtic runes. Irmgard also wrote of how Hitler would kill children who had defects. In addition, she spoke of how on September 1, 1939, Hitler sent fifty German divisions into Poland. The troops’ uniforms were also described in detail. Being a young girl in school, Irmgard could write about the tools and techniques they used in school. Every first grader had a Setzkasten, a flat wooden case containing cardboard rectangles depicting upper- and lowercase letters. The people of Berchtesgaden could listen to Hitler’s speeches on either the Munich or Salzburg radio stations. Irmgard was also able to describe Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest with the swastika flags fluttering in the wind. Another piece of historical information was the chemical, white fog released in order to hide the mountain from approaching enemy planes. Moreover, she wrote of how Polish women were brought to Selb

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