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World War II and the Holocaust A Timeline 1918 World War I ends— Germany suffers a terrible defeat and much of German territory is divided among the Allied powers (France, Poland, etc.). Germany is forced to pay a huge sum (war reparations) for all the damage of the war. Adolf Hitler (shown left-under x) during World War I with fellow German soldiers. The dog had the name Fuchsl and was actually Hitler's pet during the war until it was stolen from him. (Photo credit: U.S. National Archives) 1919 Hitler begins his campaign for power. He becomes one of the leaders of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterparti (National Socialist German Worker Party), generally called the Nazi party. 1923 Inflation creates an economic crisis in Germany. (Before WWI a little more than 4 German Marks = $1. In 1923 5,000,000,000 = $1.) Many Germans are without work and/or food. Upon being paid, workers would rush to stores to buy anything they could get, as they knew the prices would be higher in a matter of hours 1932 The Nazi party is the most powerful party in Germany Nazi party rally in city of Nürnberg in 1927 Nazi SS troopers hold back an enthusiastic crowd as they salute Hitler at 1938 rally Jan. 1933 Adolf Hitler is appointed to be chancellor of Germany. Feb. 1933 The Reichstag, the German parliament building, was set on fire. Emergency powers granted to Hitler as a result of the fire. May 1933 Burning of books throughout Germany. “Where books are burned, human beings are also destined to be burned.” --Heinrich Heine, poet 1820 June 1934 “Night of Long Knives” Many of the SA (storm trooper) leadership are killed. Aug. 1934 German President von Hindenburg dies. Hitler becomes Fuhrer (Leader). Sep. 1935 Nuremberg Race Laws against Jews decreed. Mar. 1936 Nazis occupy the Rhineland Mar. 1938 Nazi troops enter Vienna. Hitler announces Anschluss (union) with Austria. Sep. 1938 Jews are prohibited from all legal practices. A Nazi boot-boy enjoys holding a sign as he pickets outside the Jewish shop Tietz in Berlin. This is a picture of the "ideal German." Oct. 1938 Nazi troops occupy the Sudentenland. Nov. 1938 Kristallnacht—The Night of the Broken Glass. Many thousands of Jewish-owned stores and businesses are broken into and robbed. Synagogues are burned. Jews are arrested and degraded. Some are killed. Sep. 1939 Nazis invade Poland (largest Jewish population in Europe). Jews in Germany are forbidden to be out after 8pm in winter and 9pm in summer. England and France declare war on Germany. German troops stage a victory parade through the streets of Warsaw, Poland. September 1939. Sep. 1939 Instructions are issued to the SS in Poland stating that Jews are to be gathered into ghettos near railroads for the future “final goal.” Starving Jewish boy in the Warsaw ghetto, probably 1942. Quarantine against typhus was enforced vigorously in the ghetto, victims and contacts being locked into their apartments. Nov. 1939 Yellow stars required to be worn by Polish Jews over age 10. Wedding of Sallie Schryver and Flora Mendel, Amsterdam, 1942. This photo shows the star being worn by the bride and groom. Feb. 1940 Krakow Ghetto (70,000 Jews) and Warsaw Ghetto (400,000 Jews) are sealed off. Close-up of a group of Jewish children, who pose on the street in the Warsaw ghetto. Photo and text, USHMM Archives. A group of Jews chop up furniture to use as fuel in the Krakow ghetto. Photograph and text, USHMM Archives. Jews were forced to do manual labor in the ghetto June 1941 Hitler orders the Final Solution to the Jewish question. Auschwitz is chosen as an extermination camp. Beds in the wooden barracks where prisoners shared 4 to a bunk. Jan. 1942 Mass killings of Jews using Zyklon-B begin at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Mar. 1942 Jews from Lublin, Slovak Jews, and French Jews are deported to Belzec and Auschwitz. Jews from the Lodz ghetto board trains for the death camp at Chelmno. June 1942 SS report 97,000 persons have been “processed” in mobile gas vans. These grey buses transported the patients from Eichberg to Hadamar, where they were put to death as part of the Nazi euthanasia program. Sep. 1942 Reduction of food rations for Jews in Germany. This formidable page of a German rationing book seems rather complicated. It was issued in Strassburg during November 1944. The title Reichseierkarte means "egg coupons of the Reich" Everything had a patriotic name. Eggs were not just eggs, but "Reich eggs". A larger version is available by clicking on the image. Apparently the Germans had large rationing books with pages like this for every major rationed food item. SS begins cashing in possessions and valuables of Jews from Auschwitz and Majdanek. By Feb. 1943, over 800 boxcars of confiscated goods will have left Auschwitz. After liberation, an Allied soldier displays a stash of gold wedding rings taken from victims at Buchenwald. An enormous pile of clothing taken from children who were gassed at Auschwitz Bales of hair shaven from women at Auschwitz, used to make felt-yarn. Jan. 1943 First resistance by Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto One of the most famous photos taken during the Holocaust shows Jewish families arrested by Nazis during the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland, and sent to be gassed at Treblinka extermination camp. This picture and over 50 others were taken by the Nazis to chronicle the successful destruction of the Ghetto. June 1943 Krakow Ghetto is liquidated. German soldiers tormenting Jews, Olkusz, southern Poland, July 31, 1940. Liquidation of the ghetto in Krakow, Poland, with belongings of deported Jews strewn about the streets, March 1943 Sep 1943 Newly built gas chamber opens at Auschwitz. With its completion, the four new crematories at Auschwitz have a daily capacity of 4,756 bodies. Jan 1944 Soviet troops reach former Polish border May 1944 Jews from Hungary arrive at Auschwitz. By May 24 (8 days after they arrived), an estimated 100,000 have been gassed. Between May 16 and May 31, the SS report collecting 88 pounds of gold and white metal from the teeth of those gassed. Oct. 1944 Last use of gas chambers at Auschwitz Door to an Auschwitz gas chamber. The sign reads, "Harmful gas! Entering endangers your life." Nov. 1944 Crematories are destroyed at Auschwitz. Death marches begin. The ruins of crematory II at Auschwitz-Birkenau, destroyed by the SS using explosives on January 20, 1945, along with crematory III, just seven days before the death camp was liberated by the Soviets. Crematory IV had been destroyed by inmates during a revolt on October 7, 1944. Crematory V was blown up by the SS on January 26, 1945, as the Soviets were approaching. Prisoners being evacuated from Dachau concentration camp walk along a street in Gruenwald on a forced march to an unknown destination. Jan. 1945 Soviet troops liberate Auschwitz A roomful of shoes confiscated from murdered prisoners. Photo credit: Copyright ©1995 Philip Trauring Auschwitz prisoners greet Soviet troops during liberation in January, 1945. April 1945 Hitler commits suicide in his Berlin Bunker. May 1945 Germany surrenders to the Allies. General Alfred Jodl, Chief of the Operations Staff in the German High Command, signs the document of unconditional German surrender at General Eisenhower's Headquarters in Reims, France, May 7, 1945. On Jodl's left is Admiral Von Friedeburg of the German Navy, and on his right is Major Wilhelm Oxenius of the German General Staff. Nov. 1945 Nuremberg Trials of Nazis begin. The former leaders of Hitler's Third Reich on trial in Nuremberg, Germany. Country Initial Jewish Population Estimated % Killed Estimated Killed Number of Survivors POLAND 3,300,000 91% 3,000,000 300,000 USSR 3,020,000 36% 1,100,000 1,920,000 HUNGARY 800,000 74% 596,000 204,000 GERMANY 566,000 36% 200,000 366,000 FRANCE 350,000 22% 77,320 272,680 ROMANIA 342,000 84% 287,000 55,000 AUSTRIA 185,000 35% 65,000 120,000 LITHUANIA 168,000 85% 143,000 25,000 NETHERLANDS 140,000 71% 100,000 40,000 BOHEMIA MORAV 118,310 IA 60% 71,150 47,160 LATVIA 84% 80,000 15,000 95,000 Initial Jewish Population Estimated % Killed Estimated Killed Number of Survivors SLOVAKIA 88,950 80% 71,000 17,950 YUGOSLAVIA 78,000 81% 63,300 14,700 GREECE 77,380 87% 67,000 10,380 BELGIUM 65,700 45% 28,900 36,800 ITALY 44,500 17% 7,680 36,820 BULGARIA 50,000 0% DENMARK 7,800 .8% 60 7,740 ESTONIA 4,500 44% 2,000 2,500 LUXEMBOURG 3,500 55% 1,950 1,550 FINLAND 2,000 .03% 7 1,993 NORWAY 1,700 45% 762 938 TOTAL 9,508,340 63% 5,962,129 3,546,211 Country 50,000 What will you remember?