It's the turn of the 20th century and a young man named Adolf Hitler has arrived in Vienna full of hope and ambition. A passionate artist, he is determined to win a place at the acclaimed Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. But there are one or two obstacles in his way, not least the fact that his work is deemed somewhat, well... mediocre.

To add to his frustration, his good friend August 'Gustl' Kubizek is thriving after being accepted to the Vienna Conservatory. The pair spend their free time wandering around the city, soaking in its culture and envisaging their illustrious careers in the arts, but young Adolf's future is balanced on a knife edge. If he achieves his goal and gets into art school he can live the bohemian life he has been daydreaming about for years. If he is rejected, there's a small chance his incurring wrath might have far-reaching consequences.