Explanation: For Russification in Partitioned Poland, see Russification of Poles during the Partitions. For Germanization in Poland during World War II, see Germanisation in Poland (1939–1945).
After partitioning Poland at the end of the 18th century, the Kingdom of Prussia and later the German Empire imposed a number of Germanization policies and measures in the newly gained territories, aimed at limiting the Polish ethnic presence and culture in these areas. This process continued through its various stages until the end of World War I, when most of the territories became part of the Second Polish Republic, which largely limited the capacity of further Germanisation efforts of the Weimar Republic until the later Nazi occupation. The genocidal policies of Nazi-Germany against ethnic Poles between 1939 and 1945 can be understood as a continuation of previous Germanization processes.
Yes Hitler in his youth dreamed of becoming an artist but after he failed he wrote a book titled "Mein Kampf" which stated his political ideas and beliefs and he joined the Nazis. What gave him power was his speeches to the public about restoring the military and helping those in the middle class. His ideas that the Jews were the problem gave German citizens a sense of hope that soon all their problems would be solved.
