Events in the History of

the Holocaust
30 January 1933

Hitler Appointed As Chancellor

President Hindenburg invites Hitler to take the office of Chancellor of Germany, following inconclusive
elections.

27 February 1933
On 5 March 1933 elections for the Reichstag take place. Although this is not a genuinely free election,
since many Social Democrats and Communists were already in hiding or exile, the Nazi Party gains only
44% of the vote.

21 March 1933

‘Day Of Potsdam’
22 March 1933
Dachau Established
Dachau Concentration Camp is opened near Munich as a place of incarceration for political prisoners. In
this propaganda photograph the commandant of Dachau inspects newly arrived prisoners.

1 April 1933
Boycott Day
On 1 April 1933 the Nazis proclaim a country-wide boycott of Jewish-owned businesses and shops.  SA
and SS men are stationed in front of the shops. It is the first mass action the regime takes against the Jews
of Germany.

7 April 1933
‘Reform’ Of The Civil Service
On April 7, 1933 The Nazi government passes the Law for the Reform of the Civil Service.  The law bans
Jews and dissidents from the Civil Service.  After the intervention of President Hindenburg, Jewish front-
line soldiers of the First World War are excluded from the ban.

21 April 1933
Ban On Ritual Slaughter
The ritual slaughter of animals according to Jewish dietary laws is prohibited.

10 May 1933
Book Burning
Public burning of ‘Jewish’ and ‘un-German’ books by Nazi students in Berlin and elsewhere in Germany.

14 July 1933
Sterilisation Law
On 14 July 1933 the Law for the Prevention of Offspring with Hereditary Diseases is passed, mandating
compulsory sterilisation of the disabled. Coming into effect in 1934, up to 400,000 people were sterilised
as a result. The law was the first of many and led to the programme of euthanasia of certain classes of the
‘incurable’.

20 July 1933

Reich Concordat
On 20 July 1933 the Roman Catholic Church signs a Concordat with the Nazi government, making the
Vatican the first state to recognise Nazi Germany.

25 August 1933
Haavara Agreement
On 25 August 1933 the Nazi government, the Zionist Organisation of Germany and the Anglo-Palestine
Bank sign the Haavara Agreement.  This allows Jewish emigrants from Germany to transfer part of their
property to Palestine in the form of export of German goods.

17 September 1933
Reich Representative Council Of German Jews
The Reich Representative Council of German Jews is set up through an independent Jewish initiative. It
was later renamed the Reich Representative Council of Jews in Germany (a subtle but important
difference), and was replaced in 1939 on the orders of the Nazis by the Reich Union of Jews in Germany,
seen by the Nazis as a vehicle for ‘cleansing’ the Reich of Jews chiefly by means of emigration.

2 August 1934
Death Of Hindenburg
On 2 August 1934 the German President Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934) dies.  Following Hindenburg’s
death, Hitler merges the two offices President and Chancellor, proclaiming himself Reichsfuehrer, and
consolidating all power in his own hands.

3 September 1934

NSDAP Party Rally At Nuremberg

On 3 September 1934 the annual rally of the Nazi Party begins at Nuremberg, lasting until 10 September. 
The rally is chronicled by Leni Riefenstahl  (1902-2003) in her propaganda film ‘Triumph of the Will’.

23 January 1935
Referendum On Saar
On 23 January 1935 ninety percent of the electors vote for a re-union of the Saar with Germany instead of
remaining under French control. The referendum is supervised by the League of Nations. The Saar
becomes German on 1 March.

16 March 1935
Germany Renews Conscription
On 16 March 1935 Germany renews universal military conscription, in violation of the Treaty of
Versailles.

1 April 1935

Benches ‘For Aryans Only’

Benches in parks are being more and more marked as ‘For Aryans only’ or ‘For Jews’.

25 May 1935
Anti-Jewish Riots
On 25 May 1935 the SA stirs up anti-Jewish riots in Munich.

31 May 1935
Jews Barred From Military Service
Jews barred from military service","From 31 May 1935 Jews are barred from serving in the
German armed forces.

18 June 1935
Anglo-German Naval Agreement
On 18 June 1935 Germany and the United Kingdom sign the Anglo-German Naval Agreement. It eases the
restrictions imposed on Germany after the First World War and regulates the size of the German navy in
relation to the Royal Navy.

16 July 1935
Anti-Jewish Demonstrations
On 16 July 1935 violent anti-Jewish demonstrations break out in Berlin.

6 September 1935
Sale Of Newspapers To Jews Prohibited
On September 6 1935 the sale of newspapers to Jews is prohibited.

15 September 1935
Nuremberg Laws
On 15 September 1935 Hitler proclaims the antisemitic Nuremberg Laws at the annual party rally of the
Nazis. The Nuremberg Laws consist of two separate laws, namely the ‘Law for the Protection of German
Blood and German Honour’ and the ‘Reich Citizenship Law’. The first prohibits marriages and
relationships between Jews and Germans; the second strips Jews of their German citizenship. This image
from a schoolgirl’s textbook shows the rules for determining who would now be defined as a ‘Jew’ under
German law.

15 September 1935
Prohibition Of Credits To Jews
As of 15 September 1935 German banks are prohibited from granting credits or loans to Jews.

18 October 1935
Marriage Protection Laws 6 February 1936
From 18 October 1935 people with ‘hereditary diseases’ are barred from marrying

6 February 1936
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games are held at the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen from 6 February to 16
February.

7 March 1936
Invasion Of Rhineland
On 7 March 1936 the German army reoccupies the Rhineland, which has been demilitarised since the
Treaty of Versailles.

9 May 1936
End Of Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The end of the second Italo-Abyssinian War, leading to the incorporation of Ethiopia into the Italian
Empire

12 July 1936
Sachsenhausen Camp Established
On 12 July 1936 the Sachsenhausen concentration camp is established in Oranienburg, near Berlin.

17 July 1936
Spanish Civil War Begins
On 17 July 1936 the Spanish Civil War begins, following a fascist coup.

1 August 1936
Olympic Games
On 1 August 1936 the XI. Olympic Summer Games are declared open at Berlin

25 October 1936
Agreement On The Rome-Berlin Axis
On 25 October 1936 Hitler and Mussolini sign a treaty of friendship, preparing the way for the Rome-
Berlin Axis that would later become an alliance in May 1939.

18 November 1936
Germany Sends Military Support To Franco In Spain
On 18 November 1936, volunteer troops from the German Luftwaffe (known as the Condor Legion) are
sent to Spain to fight on the side of Francisco Franco’s Fascists.

25 November 1936
Germany And Japan Sign The Anti-Comintern Pact
On 25 November 1936, Germany and Japan sign the Anti-Comintern Pact. The agreement aims to
safeguard German and Japanese interests from Soviet threat.

1 December 1936
Compulsory Membership Of Hitler Youth
In December 1936, membership of the Hitlerjugend or HJ (Hitler Youth) becomes compulsory.

26 April 1937
German Bombing Of Guernica
On 26 April 1937, the Spanish city of Guernica is bombed by the German airforce and destroyed

15 July 1937
Buchenwald Camp Established
On 15 July 1937 a concentration camp is established at Buchenwald in Germany.

19 July 1937
Exhibition Of ‘Degenerate Art’ Opens
On 19 July 1937 the propaganda exhibition ‘Entartete Kunst’ or ‘Degenerate Art’ opens in Munich. It
presents paintings, sculptures and books from Germany’s public galleries that are considered to be ‘un-
German’ and therefore unacceptable.

25 September 1937
Mussolini Visits Germany
On 25 September 1937, Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) visits Germany and meets with Hitler. Three
months later Italy withdraws from the League of Nations.

6 November 1937
Italy Joins The Anti-Comintern Pact
On 6 November 1937, Italy becomes a member of the Anti-Comintern Pact.  The pact was established
between Germany and Japan in November 1936 against the Soviet Union and the Communist International
(Comintern).

8 November 1937
Exhibition Entitled ‘The Eternal Jew’ Opens In Munich 1 January 1938
On 8 November 1937, a ‘degenerate-art’ exhibition called ‘The Eternal Jew’ is opened in Munich. The
travelling exhibition promotes Nazi stereotypes of Jews through photographs and links Jews with
bolshevism. Three years later, in 1940, a Nazi propaganda film is made with the same name.

1 January 1938
Jews Barred From Red Cross
From 1 January 1938, Jews are forbidden to become members of the German Red Cross.
 12 March 1938
German Invasion Of Austria And The Anschluss
On 12 March 1938, the German Army invades Austria and enters Vienna. Austria is annexed by Germany
and Austria’s 200,000 Jews are now subject to the same antisemitic legislation as German Jews.

28 March 1938

Jewish Organisations In Germany Lose Official Status

On 28 March 1938, the Government recognition of Jewish community organisations in Germany is
revoked.  All Jewish organisations lose their official status.

14 June 1938
Compulsory Registration Of Jewish Businesses
From 14 June 1938, all businesses owned or run by Jews have to be registered and marked as Jewish.

15 June 1938
Mass Arrests Of ‘Asocial’ Jews
On 15 June 1938, any Jew previously convicted of a crime, even petty criminal offences, are arrested and
taken to the concentration camps at Buchenwald, Dachau and Sachsenhausen.

6 July 1938
Conference Of Evian
Between 6 July and 15 July 1938, representatives of 32 states and 24 voluntary organisations meet in
Evian-les-Bains, France, to discuss the international refugee problem. The conference formed the
Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees (ICR) but it had minimal powers and limited support.

17 August 1938
Compulsory Middle Name For Jews
On 17 August 1938 a law is passed stating that all Jews in Germany (except those with ‘typical’ Jewish
first names) are required to take a new middle name by 1 January 1939; ‘Israel’ for men and ‘Sara’ for
women. The names must be registered at the registry office and used on all official documents.

27 September 1938
Barring Of Jewish Lawyers In Germany
On 27 September 1938, Jewish lawyers are banned from practicing law in Germany

29 September 1938
The Munich Conference
At the end of September 1938, a conference is held in Munich in order to resolve the ‘Sudetenland crisis’
and discuss German territorial demands. Czechoslovakia is not invited to attend the conference, but the
main European powers – Britain, France, Italy and Germany – take part. The meeting ends with the
‘Munich Agreement’, signed in the early hours of 30 September 1938, which effectively divides
Czechoslovakia between Germany, Poland and Hungary. The settlement cedes the Sudetenland to
Germany, provided that Germany will raise no further territorial demands.

5 October 1938
Jewish Passports Stamped With A ‘J’
Jewish citizens are stamped with a large ‘J’ for Jew. This prevents Jews attempting to emigrate to
Switzerland by pretending to be Christians

10 October 1938
Annexation Of The Sudetenland
By 10 October 1938, the Sudetenland is occupied by the German ‘Wehrmacht’ and annexed by Germany,
forcing the majority of the Czech population to flee to other areas of Czechoslovakia.
 28 October 1938
Germany Expels Polish Jews
On 28 October 1938, approximately 18,000 Jews living in Germany but holding Polish passports are
expelled to the Polish border. The Poles refuse to accept them and they remain stranded in the town of
Zbaszyn.

9 November 1938

November Pogrom
During the night of 9-10 November 1938, a pogrom, organised by the Nazis, takes place against Jews
throughout Germany and annexed Austria. Synagogues are desecrated and destroyed, and Jewish owned
shops are looted and ransacked.  91 Jews are killed and thousands of Jewish men are taken to concentration
camps.

15 November 1938
Expulsion Of Jewish Children From German Schools
As of 15 November 1938, Jewish children are no longer permitted to attend German schools. They have to
attend special Jewish schools.

15 March 1939

German Invasion Of Czechoslovakia

On 15 March 1939, Nazi troops invade Czechoslovakia and occupy Prague.

23 August 1939
The German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
On 23 August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union sign a non-aggression pact in Moscow.  Also known
as the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, the agreement delays the war on the Eastern Front.

1 September 1939
Germany Invades Poland
On 1 September 1939 German Forces invade western Poland.
 1 September 1939
Beginning Of Operation T-4
In a letter dated 1 September 1939, Hitler authorises the euthanasia of adults as part of Operation T-4 to
eliminate mentally and physically disabled children and adults from the Third Reich. The program was
officially ended in August 1941, but in reality the killing continued until 1945.

3 September 1939
Declaration Of War
On 3 September 1939, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.

21 September 1939

Deportation Of Sinti And Roma

During the years of the Nazi regime, the Sinti and Roma, like the Jews, were persecuted and murdered. On
21 September 1939, the Nazi party made the decision to deport Germany’s Sinti and Roma to special
internment camps in Poland. This photograph of a young Sinti or Roma woman held at Auschwitz was
taken by the SS for their files

8 November 1939
Attempted Assassination Of Hitler
On 8 November 1939, Georg Elser (1903-1945) tries to assassinate Adolf Hitler during a local party
meeting of the Nazi party at the Bürgerbraukeller in Munich.  The assassination fails, Elsner is arrested and
imprisoned in Sachsenhausen and Dachau, where he is killed in April 1945.

23 November 1939
Obligatory Armbands For Jews In Poland
From 23 November 1939, all Jews in Poland are forced to wear an armband depicting a Star of David
whenever they are in public.

30 November 1939
The USSR Invades Finland
Three months after Germany’s invasion of Poland, on 30 November 1939, the Soviet Union invades
Finland.  The invasion signals the beginning of the Winter War, lasting until 13 March 1940.

9 April 1940
The German Army Invade Denmark And Norway
On 9 April 1940, the German Army invaded Denmark and Norway as part of Operation Weserübung.

30 April 1940
Sealing Of Lodz Ghetto
On 30 April 1940 the Jewish Ghetto in Lodz is sealed off from the rest of the city – all non-Jewish
inhabitants have to leave and guards are put in place.

10 May 1940
Churchill Becomes Prime Minister
On 10 May 1940 Churchill becomes Prime Minister of an all-party coalition in Britain.

26 May 1940
Evacuation Of Allied Forces From Dunkirk Begins
The evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk, codenamed ‘Operation Dynamo’, began on 26 May 1940
and lasted until 4 June 1940.  In nine days, over 300,000 troops were evacuated. This picture shows
German soldiers and policemen inspecting Dunkirk after the evacuation.

14 June 1940
Occupation Of Paris
On 14 June 1940, Paris is occupied by German troops.

10 July 1940
Battle Of Britain Begins
On 10 July 1940, the German Air Force attack British targets, beginning the Battle of Britain.

7 September 1940
Beginning Of The Blitz
On 7 September 1940, the German air raids of Great Britain begin.  Known as the Blitz, the bombing lasts
until May 1941.

27 September 1940
Tripartite Pact
On 27 September 1940, Germany, Italy and Japan sign a 10-year military and economic agreement, also
known as the ‘Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis’

3 October 1940
France Introduces Antisemitic Legislation
On 3 October 1940 the first antisemitic statute is passed by the government of Vichy – the ‘Statut de Juifs’.
It defines as Jewish any person with three Jewish grandparents or, if the spouse is Jewish as well, two
Jewish grandparents.

28 October 1940
Italian Invasion Of Greece
On 28 October 1940, Italian troops invade Greece

15 November 1940
Sealing Of The Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto is the largest of the Jewish ghettos set up by the Germans. Established on 16 October
1940 it is sealed on 15 November 1940. Its population is approximately 440,000 people, more than three
quarters of Warsaw’s population. However, the area of the ghetto encompasses only 4.5 % of the total area
of Warsaw.

1 March 1941
Auschwitz-Birkenau Constructed
On 1 March 1941 the construction of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the second camp of Auschwitz, begins. It soon
becomes the most brutal and overcrowded of the camps at Auschwitz.

6 April 1941
German Invasion Of Greece And Yugoslavia
On 6 April 1941 Germany invades Greece and Yugoslavia.

22 June 1941
Operation Barbarossa Begins
On 22 June 1941 German armed forces invade the Soviet Union, breaking the German-Soviet Non-
Aggression Pact of 1939.

20 August 1941
Deportation Of Parisian Jews
From 20 to 21 August 1941 approximately 4,000 Jews are deported from Paris to the transit camp at
Drancy. From Drancy, French Jews are deported to extermination camps including Auschwitz.

15 September 1941
Deportations To Transnistria
On 15 September 1941, deportations to camps in Transnistria, Western Ukraine begin. Approximately
150,000 Bessarabian Jews are deported, and approximately 90,000 of them die.  In total more than 270,000
Romanian Jews were murdered during the Holocaust

23 September 1941
Experimental Gassing At Auschwitz
On 23 September 1941, the first experimental killings with gas take place at Auschwitz.

29 September 1941
Killings At Babi Yar
From Kiev the Germans herd thousands of Jews to the nearby ravine of Babi Yar. On approaching a fenced
off area they are forced to undress, hand over their valuables and walk forwards in ranks of ten. When
these small groups reach the edge of the ravine, they are shot. Between 29 and 30 September 1941, 33,771
Jews are shot.

1 November 1941
Construction Of Belzec Camp Begins
The construction of Belzec camp begins in southeast Poland. Four months later the systematic murder of
Jews begins in Belzec.

24 November 1941

Theresienstadt Established
On 24 November 1941 Theresienstadt is established. It initially serves as a collection and transition camp
for Jews from Bohemia and Moravia. Following the Wannsee Conference on 20 January 1942,
Theresienstadt is also used as a camp for prominent and elderly Jews from Germany and other European
countries.

25 November 1941
Ordinance To Reich Citizenship Law
On 25 November 1941, the 11th Ordinance to the ‘Reichsbürgergesetz’ (Reich Citizenship Law) comes
into effect and all Jews residing outside of Germany lose their citizenship and become stateless refugees.
They forfeit all their belongings and assets in Germany.

7 December 1941
Japanese Attack Pearl Harbour
On 7 December 1942, Japanese air forces attack the American naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. The
American navy incurs heavy losses

8 December 1941
United States Declare War On Japan
On 8 December 1941, the United States, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Japan.

11 December 1941
Hitler Declares War On The United States
On 11 December 1941, four days after Pearl Habour, Germany and Italy declare war on the United States.

20 January 1942
Wannsee Conference
On 20 January 1942 a meeting of fifteen German Civil Service and Nazi Party representatives takes place
to discuss the measures needed to implement the so-called ‘Final Solution’.

27 March 1942
First Transport Of French Jews To Auschwitz
On 27 March 1942 the first transport of French Jews to Auschwitz takes place.

24 April 1942
Ban On Use Of Public Transport
As of 24 April 1942 Jews are banned from using public transport within the ‘German Reich’.

27 May 1942
Assassination Of Heydrich
On 27 May 1942 Reinhard Heydrich, SS-Obergruppenführer and Head of the Reich Security Main Office
is shot in Prague; he dies one week later.

2 June 1942
First Deportations To Theresienstadt
On 2 June 1942 the first German Jews are deported to Theresienstadt.

30 June 1942
Closing Of Jewish Schools
On 30 June 1942 Jewish schools in Germany are forced to close.

15 July 1942
Deportation Of Jews From Amsterdam
On 15 July 1942 the deportation of Amsterdam’s Jews from Westerbork transit camp to Auschwitz-
Birkenau begins.

22 July 1942
Deportations From The Warsaw Ghetto
On 22 July 1942, mass deportations of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto to Treblinka begins.

28 October 1942
First Deportation From Theresienstadt To Auschwitz
On 28 October 1942, the first transport from Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia arrives at Auschwitz.

December 1942
United Nations Declaration
Several national parliaments issue a joint statement condemning the mass killings Jews by the Nazis in
Eastern Europe.

16 December 1942
Transportation Of Sinti And Roma To Auschwitz
On 16 December 1942 a decree is passed in Germany stating that all German Sinti and Roma are to be
deported to Auschwitz and destroyed.

18 January 1943
Jewish Resistance In The Warsaw Ghetto
On 18 January 1943 the Germans resume deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto. This sparks the first acts
of overt resistance from the Warsaw Jews leading to violent fighting in the ghetto. Thousands of Jews are
deported to Treblinka.

2 February 1943
German Surrender At Stalingrad
On 2 February 1943 the German Army surrenders to Soviet forces at Stalingrad, Russia. This is considered
to be a significant turning point in the war.

19 April 1943

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

On 19 April 1943 the final liquidation of the Warsaw ghetto begins with over 2,000 soldiers invading the
ghetto. The Jews revolt, armed with pistols and rifles, fighting the Germans in the streets. On 20 April
1943 the Germans begin burning down the ghetto. Any Jews emerging from the burning buildings are
murdered. The uprising of the Warsaw ghetto becomes a symbol of Jewish resistance.

25 July 1943
Dismissal And Arrest Of Mussolini
On 25 July 1943, mounting pressure resulting from military set-backs leads to a vote of no confidence in
Mussolini and he is dismissed from office. Mussolini is imprisoned and replaced by Pietro Badoglio.

2 August 1943
Uprising At Treblinka
The Jewish inmates of Treblinka stage a violent revolt on 2 August 1943 that allows approximately 350 of
the camp’s inmates to escape. Many who escape are recaptured and murdered.

2 October 1943
Rescue Of Danish Jews
On 2 October 1943 the Germans begin the ‘Final Solution of the Jewish problem’ in Denmark. A large
number of Danes protect and help to save between 7,000 and 8,000 Danish Jews by conveying them to
Sweden by sea. Only 485 are arrested and deported to the Bohemian ghetto of Theresienstadt.

3 November 1943
Operation ‘Erntefest’
On 3 November 1943, on the order of Heinrich Himmler, Jewish inmates of the concentration camps of
Trawniki, Poniatiowa and Majdanek were murdered. A total of circa 43,000 people were murdered on that
day. This ‘operation’ was code-named ‘Erntefest’ or ‘harvest festival’. The motivation was the fear the
Nazis felt after the uprisings of inmates at Sobibor and Treblinka.

18 March 1944
German Occupation Of Hungary
German troops occupy Hungary in ‘Operation Margarethe’.

10 April 1944
The Auschwitz Protocols
Alfred Wetzler and Rudolf Vrba, both Slovakian Jews, escape from Auschwitz on 10 April 1944. They
write a detailed eyewitness report on the camp and the fate of the Jews. The document is translated and
passed on to the West in May 1944.

15 May 1944
Deportation Of Hungarian Jews
Following the German occupation of Hungary, the first deportations of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz
begin on 15 May 1944.

6 June 1944
The Allies Invade Mainland Europe
On 6 June 1944 the Allied forces land on the beaches of Normandy. The Battle of Normandy begins,
signalling the first phase of the liberation of Europe. The day is known as D-Day.

3 July 1944
Formation Of Jewish Brigade
On 3 July 1944 the British War Cabinet begins consideration of a Jewish Brigade within the British army. 
The Brigade is finally approved by Churchill in September 1944.

23 July 1944
Red Cross Visit To Theresienstadt
On 23 July 1944 Red Cross representatives visit Theresienstadt. The Germans prepare the visit by opening
fake shops, cafes etc.

23 July 1944
Liberation Of Majdanek
On 23 July 1944 the Soviet army liberates Majdanek. Many of Majdanek’s prisoners have previously been
sent to Auschwitz by the Germans in anticipation of the approach of the Soviet army.

18 January 1945
Death March From Auschwitz
On 18 January 1945, realising that the Soviet army is approaching, the Germans force 58,000 prisoners of
Auschwitz on Death Marches to the concentration and labour camps in Germany.

27 January 1945
Liberation Of Auschwitz
On 27 January 1945 the Soviet army liberates Auschwitz and frees the remaining 7,650 prisoners.

13 February 1945
Dresden Air Raid
From 13 to 15 February 1945, the British and American air forces carry out bombing raids on the German
city of Dresden.

11 April 1945
Liberation Of Buchenwald
On 11 April 1945 American forces liberate approximately 21,000 prisoners from Buchenwald and its sub-
camps.

15 April 1945
Liberation Of Bergen-Belsen
On 15 April 1945 British forces liberate the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
 28 April 1945
Death Of Mussolini
On 28 April 1945 Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci are captured near lake Como while attempting
to flee Italy. They are both executed.

29 April 1945

Liberation Of Dachau
On 29 April 29 1945 the concentration camp at Dachau is liberated by American forces.

30 April 1945
Hitler’s Suicide
Hiding in the Reich Chancellery, Hitler marries his mistress, Eva Braun on 29 April and writes his political
last will, naming Martin Bormann as his deputy. On 30 April 1945 both he and Eva Braun commit suicide.

2 May 1945
Fall Of Berlin
On 2 May 1945 the Soviet Army occupies the city of Berlin, fighting its way from street to street.
 7 May 1945
Germany Surrenders
On 7 May 1945 at 2.41pm, General Jodl and Admiral Friedeburg sign documents of unconditional
surrender at Eisenhower’s headquarters.

8 May 1945
VE Day
8 May 1945 is declared the Day of Victory in Europe by Churchill and Truman. Throughout the allied
countries the population celebrates the victory.

16 July 1945
Potsdam Conference
On 16 July 1945 at the Potsdam Conference, Germany is partitioned into four zones. A Soviet zone in the
East, an American zone in the West, a British zone in the North-West and a French zone in the South-
West. Berlin is placed under quadripartite control.

9 August 1945
Atomic Bomb In Hiroshima
The US aircraft, the Enola Gay, drops the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima at 8.15am. 80,000 people are
killed immediately. Thousands more will die of their injuries and radiation sickness.

9 August 1945
Atomic Bomb In Nagasaki
A second atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki, killing 40,000 immediately. President Truman threatens
further atomic bombing.

15 August 1945
Japan Surrenders
Japan’s surrender is announced on 15 August 1945 in a radio address by Emperor Hirohito. The
government signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on 2 September 1945, officially ending World
War II.

20 November 1945
Nuremberg Trials
On 20 November 1945 the trials of 22 top-level Nazi war criminals begin at Nuremberg. The court is
composed of judges from the four Allies. Twelve of the defendants are sentenced to death.

 Resources
Le Carl Lutz Fought the Nazis through Paperwork

GalFRFreddie Oversteegen Killed Nazis with Her Sister




Teacher, Johan van Hulst, Saved Hundreds of Jewish

Children

Virginia Hall Was One of World War II's Most Dangerous

Spies

Raoul Wallenberg Swedish diplomat who saved thousands

of Jews from certain death during World War II.

Ella Gartner fought to be liberated from Aushwitz-

Birkenau, the only remaining Nazi death camp still in
operation.

Roza Robota
An activist in the Zionist underground of Poland, she
was deported to Auschwitz in 1942. She became a link
between the women's camp and the resistance
that was forming within the men's camp.

 Information
Originally designed and developed by the London Jewish Cultural Centre