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Hitler comes to power
Due to poor leadership and the harsh treaty ending WWI, Germany was desperate for something to help. This desperation allowed Hitler to promise to save Germany, through the extinction of those he blamed for all of their problems. Soon, Hitler is appointed chancellor of Germany, bringing the Nazi party to power. -
Period: to
Holocaust
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First Concentration Camp is Established
About 10 miles north of Munich, the very first concentration camp was established by the Nazi's in March of 1933. It was named Dachau. In the early years, the prisoners mostly consisted of German Communists, Social Democrats, trade unionists, and other political opponents of the Nazi regime. -
Enabling Acts are Passed
These acts passed soon after his appointment, gave Hitler the power to make any law or decree he wants without any other approval or notifications of parliament or the president. -
The Nuremburg Laws are passed
A series of race laws that limited the freedom of Jews and many other non-German peoples by prohibiting interracial relations and marriage, and establishing a hierarchy based on race. It also specified what Hitler classified as a Jew, which removed rights from a large portion of Germany's population. -
Night of Broken Glass
After hatred of Jews had been simmering in Germany, this night was one of the first open and widespread acts of violence, occurring all around Germany. This night saw an orchestrated attack on Jewish businesses and homes, organized by the Nazis. -
Period: to
World War II
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Auschwitz is Established
Known as the largest death camp established during the Holocaust, Auschwitz was established in 1940, and by the time of its liberation, had claimed over 1 million lives, most of them Jewish. After about 5 years of running, it was liberated by Soviet soldiers after being abandoned by the Germans. -
Mobile Killing Squads are Established
After a long period of forcing Jews to emigrate or leave, the Nazis decided to exterminate the Jews altogether. The new direction they decided to take was one of mass murder. This was mostly carried out by mobile killing squads who would kill any Jew they could find. They also took many Jewish communities by surprise and then swiftly shooting them. -
Pearl Harbor is Attacked
The United States had been neutral in the war, practicing isolationism, however, early on Sunday, when many people were at church, Japanese bombers flew over and attacked Pearl Harbor. The aircraft carriers they were intending to destroy were not in the harbor at the time of the attack, so they were spared. Civilians were not. This was a major factor that drove the U.S. to join the war. -
Liberation of Auschwitz
The larges concentration/death camp is liberated, freeing hundreds of sick and overworked people many of which were Jews. -
Hitler Dies
After about 12 years in power, Hitler commits suicide in a bunker while hiding from Soviet troops who had stormed Berlin. His political career is known by the mass murder and mistreatment of many groups of people, but mostly Jews. He shot himself in the head before he could be found and tried for his crimes.