In 1910 Vienna, a 21-year-old Adolf Hitler is a nobody, living in a men's hostel and selling postcard paintings. Yet, 30 years later, he would become Germany's most powerful man, plunging the world into World War II, causing 65 million deaths and the extermination of six million Jews. The film explores how this 'nobody' became the architect of the Final Solution, following the exhaustive chronology established by historian Harald Santner.

Adolf Hitler, having served in the German army, is devastated by Germany's defeat in 1918. He believes the loss was due to internal enemies, particularly blaming Jews as a scapegoat. This marks the beginning of his virulent anti-Semitic tirades, stemming from his perception of Jews as a 'secret guiding hand' behind perceived national downfalls. His anti-Semitism becomes a central pillar of his thinking, expressing a desire for the 'removal of the Jews'.

Born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, in 1889, Hitler's early life saw him as a poor student who loved drawing. His ambition to become an artist was opposed by his father, who frequently beat him. After his father's death in 1903, Hitler pursued his dream, moving to Vienna. However, he was twice rejected by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, a trauma he later described as the worst moment of his life. This period is marked by his increasing alienation and a developing rage against the elite, particularly the Jewish community, whom he saw gaining prominence in Vienna.

After his mother's death in 1907, Hitler, initially distraught, returns to Vienna. He lives off his inheritance but sinks into depression, becoming homeless by 1909 and residing in men's hostels. He scraps a living selling postcard paintings, harboring resentment against society and identifying Jews as adversaries. Although he later claimed his anti-Semitism developed during this time, historians note that his autobiography, 'Mein Kampf,' served propaganda purposes to create the 'Adolf Hitler myth.'

Hitler volunteers for the German Army in 1914, seeing the war as an opportunity to find purpose. He serves as a courier, demonstrating courage and determination, earning an Iron Cross Second Class. After Germany's defeat, he remains in the army. In 1919, he is recruited as a propaganda agent due to his oratorical skills. Influenced by anti-Bolshevik and anti-Semitic lectures, his hatred for Jews intensifies, leading him to articulate his early Nazi doctrine in a letter advocating for the 'removal of the Jews'.

In September 1919, Hitler joins the German Workers Party (DAP), later renamed the NSDAP (Nazi Party). He quickly becomes its star speaker, meticulously crafting his speeches and using powerful oratory to captivate audiences. He criticizes the Treaty of Versailles, democracy, and blames Jews for Germany's problems. His popularity explodes, with party membership skyrocketing. By 1921, he becomes the leader of the Nazi Party, aiming to lead the entire nation.

In the 1920s, Hitler secures his position politically, using private funds and the SA (paramilitary organization) to assert power. Inspired by Mussolini, he attempts a putsch in Munich in November 1923, taking Bavarian government officials hostage. The putsch fails, leading to a confrontation with police and several deaths. Hitler narrowly escapes harm but is later arrested. During his trial, he uses the platform to spread his message and gain national fame. He is sentenced to five years in Landsberg Prison, but serves only 13 months, during which he writes 'Mein Kampf',

In Landsberg Prison, Hitler writes 'Mein Kampf,' outlining his ultranationalistic ideology, emphasizing the superiority of the Germanic race, and advocating for the elimination of Jews. He describes Jews as 'parasites, germs, vermin,' and uses the term 'eradicate' for their fate. The book also details his foreign policy plans, including the reunification of Germanic populations and expansion into Russia. Upon his release in 1924, Hitler is convinced of his divine protection and sets out to conquer Germany through democratic means.

Hitler's financial backers allow him to live luxuriously and fund a massive electoral campaign. He uses modern media and rallies to spread his message, gaining significant support amidst the Great Depression. By 1932, the Nazis are the largest party. On January 30, 1933, Hitler becomes Chancellor. He quickly establishes a dictatorship, using the Reichstag fire as a pretext to suppress communists and suspend civil liberties. He dismantled democratic institutions, censored the press, and opened the first concentration camp at Dachau for political opponents.

Hitler focuses on making Germany a superpower, initiating vast public works for military ends, and preparing for war. He plans to rearm Germany, defying the Treaty of Versailles. To consolidate his power within the military, he eliminates the SA leadership during the 'Night of the Long Knives' in June 1934, including Ernst Röhm, a close associate, to gain the army's support. After Hindenburg's death, Hitler assumes presidential powers, becoming the head of the armed forces.

Obsessed with war as a path to German happiness, Hitler orchestrates rearmament in secret. In 1936, he re-militarizes the Rhineland, testing international resolve without resistance. This is followed by the Anschluss, Germany's annexation of Austria in 1938, fulfilling his dream of uniting German-speaking nations. These bloodless victories boost his popularity. At the Munich Conference in September 1938, Britain and France appease Hitler by allowing him to annex Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia, hoping to avoid war. Chamberlain famously declares 'peace for our time', unaware of Hitler's true intentions.

Following diplomatic successes, Hitler escalates terror against German Jews. Kristallnacht in November 1938 sees widespread destruction of synagogues and Jewish businesses, and thousands of Jewish men arrested and sent to concentration camps. This marked a turning point in Nazi anti-Semitic policies, transitioning from exclusion to violent persecution. In January 1939, Hitler publicly predicts the extermination of European Jews in case of a new world war, a 'morbid prophecy' that reveals his plans for genocide.

Hitler makes critical decisions at his retreat in Obersalzberg, Bavaria, which serves as a secondary chancellery. He uses the scenic setting to project an image of himself as a 'chancellor of the people,' masking his war preparations. While maintaining a carefully hidden relationship with Eva Braun, his mistress, he signs a non-aggression pact with Stalin in August 1939 to facilitate his invasion of Poland.

On September 1, 1939, Hitler invades Poland, initiating World War II, despite opposition from his generals. Within weeks, Poland falls to his 'blitzkrieg.' Germany divides Poland with the Soviet Union, and Hitler paraded through Warsaw. Convinced of his military genius, Hitler decides to take personal charge of operations. The conquest brings 3 million Jews under Nazi control, leading to their ghettoization and the systematic implementation of deportation and extermination plans, with daily living conditions being 'inhuman'.

In 1940, Hitler invades Norway and Denmark, then turns his attention to France. Despite initial postponements, the offensive in May 1940 quickly crushes French forces. Hitler, euphoric, views this as revenge for World War I. He later visits Paris, reinforcing his image as a war leader. However, the Battle of Britain proves to be his first setback, as the British resist fiercely. This leads him to ensure his art collection, his 'precious possession,' is secured, revealing his priorities.

On June 22, 1941, Hitler launches a massive invasion of the USSR, seeking to destroy Bolshevism. He believed it would fall quickly, like France. This invasion also served as a new plan for the 'Final Solution,' initially intended for deportation to the occupied Soviet territories. Einsatzgruppen, special units, systematically kill Jews and political opponents in mass executions, with 40% of Holocaust victims being killed in these shooting operations. Hitler’s generals eventually slow down the offensive by urging a shift to Moscow, which ultimately leads to a disastrous winter campaign. Hitler, blaming his generals, removes 30 of them and assumes command himself.

From June 1941, Hitler remained at his Polish headquarters, the 'Wolfsschanze' (Wolf's Lair), a heavily fortified complex, for over two years. This shift marked a change from his mobile leadership, suggesting a loss of control. The 'Wolf's Lair' was an elaborate fortress with extreme security measures. It was in Poland, in autumn 1941, that Hitler finalized his plan for the 'Final Solution.' The Wannsee Conference in January 1942 formalized the systematic extermination of 11 million Jews, leading to their rounding up and transport to death camps like Auschwitz. Hitler explicitly endorsed Jewish genocide, believing it would regain geopolitical advantage.

In summer 1942, Hitler, from his Ukrainian headquarters, orders the capture of Stalingrad. The ensuing battle results in a catastrophic defeat for Germany, marking a turning point in the war and revealing Hitler's strategic flaws. This devastating loss deeply affects him, as evidenced by a previously unseen photograph from a religious ceremony in Austria. His health declines, exhibiting symptoms of Parkinson's and relying on numerous medications from his personal physician. Despite these setbacks and the increasing Allied bombings, Hitler returns to Berlin in early 1945, still believing victory is possible.

In March 1945, as Berlin is heavily bombed, Hitler retreats to his Führerbunker, an indestructible underground complex. There, he directs the final stages of the war, increasingly detached from reality. On April 22, he finally acknowledges the war is lost. On April 28-29, he marries Eva Braun in the bunker amidst the chaos. On April 29, he drafts his political testament, reaffirming his anti-Semitic ideology and blaming the German people and his generals for the defeat. On April 30, 1945, Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide. His body is burned outside the bunker to prevent it from being desecrated.

Hitler's partially burned remains are discovered by Soviet soldiers and identified through dental examination. Stalin and his successors kept this information secret for years, possibly to sow confusion among the Western Allies and justify a tough stance on post-war Germany. Hitler's remains undergo multiple reburials before being incinerated and dispersed in 1970. The documentary concludes by emphasizing Hitler's 12 years in power as one of the most destructive periods in history, responsible for tens of millions of deaths and highlighting him as the 'personification of evil'.