Alois Hitler Sr, was an Austrian civil servant best known as the father of Adolf Hitler, the German dictator. Though Alois’ name is inextricably linked with his son’s, Alois himself was a careerist who began his life in a humble household. From training to be a cobbler, and working as one for a few years, he went on to build a career spanning four decades during which he was posted at multiple places in Austria, his home-country. In the civil service, he ascended the career ladder as high as his limited formal education allowed. However, admirable though his professional career was, Alois’ personal life was not admired as it was full of affairs and also illegitimate children born came out of unlawful unions. Alois himself was illegitimate child, born to an illiterate rural woman. However, it was from his union with his lawful wife at the time of his death- with whom he had the longest married relation - that Adolf Hitler was born.
