During the First World War, Adolf Hitler served in France
and Belgium in the 1st Company, Bavarian Reserve
Infantry Regiment 16, he had previously been denied by
the Austrian Army. He was an infantryman in the 1st
Company during the First Battle of Ypres in October
1914 which was his first battle. The 16th Bavarian
Reserve Regiment had entered the battle with 3,600 men
but at its end mustered only 611 men, a casualty rate of
roughly 89%. By December 1914, Hitler’s own company
of 250 was reduced to just 42 able body men. After the
battle, Hitler was promoted from Schutze (private) to
Gefreiter (lance corporal). He was assigned to be a
regimental message-runner.
The Regiment fought in many battles, including the First
Battle of Ypres (1914), the Battle of the Somme (1916),
the Battle of Arras (1917), and the Battle of
Passchendaele (1917) to name a few.
Hitler was twice decorated for bravery. He received the
Iron Cross Second Class in 1914 and the Iron Cross
First Class in 1918, a medal which was rarely given to a
lance corporal. Hitler’s First Class Iron Cross was
ironically recommended by Lieutenant Hugo Gutmann, a
Jewish adjutant in the his Regiment. Lieutenant
