Born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau, Austria, Hitler's early life was marked by poverty, rejection, and hardship. His father, Alois Hitler, was a strict and abusive parent, whose death in 1903 led to a significant change in Hitler's fortunes. The young Hitler moved to Vienna, where he twice attempted to enter the Academy of Fine Arts, only to be rejected. These early failures had a profound impact on Hitler's psyche, fueling his sense of resentment and frustration.