world War I

When he committed suicide in 1945, Hitler was wearing the Iron Cross First Class medal, earned for his service in World War I. The honor was especially important to Hitler, who had portrayed himself as a hero during the conflict. Although he was wounded during the First Battle of the Somme (1916), recent research challenges Hitler's account of his war experience. Some believe that he saw little if any front-line action and instead was a runner at the relatively safe regiment headquarters. This would counter his claims that he was in danger "probably every day." In addition, while he stated that he was temporarily blinded during a mustard-gas attack in 1918, purported medical documents state that he suffered from "hysterical blindness." He was recuperating when Germany surrendered. Oddly, his citation for the Iron Cross First Class fails to mention a specific incident of bravery, leading some researchers to speculate that it was given to honor Hitler's length of service and his general likability with officers, notably Hugo Gutmann, a Jewish lieutenant who recommended that Hitler receive the award.