Adolf Hitler was a German politician and leader of the Nazi Party, who rose to power as Chancellor in 1933 and later Führer in 1934. He initiated World War II in Europe by invading Poland in September 1939. Hitler's aggressive foreign policies were aimed at establishing German hegemony in Europe, which led to the Holocaust – a systematic genocide of Jews, homosexuals, Roma, disabled individuals, and other minorities – resulting in the deaths of millions of people. Hitler's reign of terror lasted until his suicide in 1945, following the Allied invasion of Germany. Today, Hitler is widely regarded as one of the most evil and destructive figures in human history.