"Genesis and Catastrophe: A True Story" is a short story

Short story

A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...

 written by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...

 included in his 1962 book Kiss Kiss

Kiss Kiss (book)

Kiss Kiss is a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl, first published in 1960 by Alfred Knopf. Most of the constituent stories had been previously published elsewhere.It contains the following short stories:*"The Landlady"*"William and Mary"...

. It is a fictionalized account based upon a true historical incident. It is also known as "A fine son".

Plot summary

The story begins with Klara

Klara Hitler

Klara Hitler née Pölzl was an Austrian woman, the wife of Alois Hitler and the mother of Adolf Hitler.-Family background and marriage:...

, a Germanic woman, who has just given birth to a son. She is fearful that this child will die, as she has had three children previously, and all of them have died. Her husband, Alois

Alois Hitler

Alois Hitler was an Austrian civil servant who was the father of Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...

, remembers how small and frail the new baby is, even compared to the others. The doctor

Doctor of Medicine

Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...

 and midwife assure the mother that the baby is healthy. They beg the father to show more compassion toward his wife and to hope for the child's survival. The story ends with Klara praying, "He must live, Alois. He must, he must... Oh God, be merciful unto him now..." Her son's name is Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...

.

Adaptations

Genesis and Catastrophe was adapted into an episode of the television series Tales of the Unexpected

Tales of the Unexpected

Tales of the Unexpected may refer to:*Tales of the Unexpected , a 1950s-1960s comic book*Tales of the Unexpected , a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl...

by Ronald Harwood

Ronald Harwood

Sir Ronald Harwood CBE is an author, playwright and screenwriter. He is most noted for his plays for the British stage as well as the screenplays for The Dresser and The Pianist, for which he won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay...

 in 1980 and into a short film in 2000 by director

Film director

A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...

 Jonathan Liebesman

Jonathan Liebesman

Jonathan Liebesman is a South African film director.-Personal life:Liebesman was born in Johannesburg, South Africa...

.