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-172- Ad he pondered the problem in aifl laoature way, ha probably vond«red MIJT tta others died nil I Is he certtir.ued to liva. The natural conclusion for e child to draw would be that he waa favored ±n some way or that he was choBon to live for »oua particular purpose* The belief that he n s the "chosen ofle" would have been reinforced by the fact that flfl far afl his mother waa concerned he ma v*xy muah the chosen on* In comparison with her two step-chlldroa who were livifig in tbs hoaa at that tine. Thde belief aust have been strengthened when, i t the age of five, hia baby brother waa bonn* This baby brother hfts undoubtedly played a nach note liaportant role io Adolph1 s lito than has been acknowledged by bin biographers. The pertinent fact at the nonent, however, in that this brother too died before he WAS BLJC yeare old* Xt ws* Adolpb's first real axperience with death and i t must have brought up the problea of death again in a much sore vivid form* A^ain, we con fluraioe, ba asked hlftaeir why ttey died whil« he continuea to be saved* The only plausible anspar to a child at that age would be that be muat be under divliw protection* Thia nay BBBH far-fetched and y*t, aa an adult, Hitler tells us that ha felt exactly this w»y wtaen be was at the front during the war, eian before he had the vlaioa. Then, too, hei apocula-ted on rtiy i t La ttmt comradee all around hi* are killed while he la saved and again he corned to tha REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES