Who was Adolf Hitler really, and what factors contributed to the shaping of his character? Was he a mistake of nature or an extreme example of a demagogue who embodied, through his words and actions, the darkest prejudices of humanity?

Paul Ham avoids the superficial approach of a psychopathic monster and delves deeper into the Hitler phenomenon. He illuminates a period in the Führer's biography that has never been presented before, focusing on events that marked his childhood, such as the love for his mother and the conflict with his father, his megalomania, his detachment from reality when it suited him, a teenage romance – characteristic of his troubled personality – and the rejections from the School of Fine Arts.

He demonstrates that World War I forged the character of the young Hitler on all levels – psychologically, emotionally, and politically – fueling his bitterness and transforming him into a vindictive political machine.

At the same time, he attempts to sketch the building materials of his character – the feeling of hatred he experienced, his pervasive aggression, the obsessive search for those he held responsible for "stabbing in the back" the beloved German army, and his intense desire to find his role in a world that had rejected him – all of which fueled his rage over Germany's defeat and its well-known consequences.

With rich journalistic writing, a comparison is made between the present day and the conditions that led to Hitler's rise to power, as well as an analysis of contemporary far-right and fascist parties. Paul Ham, with a new approach, brings to light highly shocking elements.