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Hitler becomes Chancellor
Hitler is elected Chancellor of Germany, and becomes a totalitarian dictator. -
Dachau Opened
Taking place in Munich, Germany, Dachau was the first concentration camp that Hitler started only 2 months after being elected Chancellor. 243,000 people were murdered here. This had a large impact on the holocaust, as it was the first official concentration camp and thousands of people were murdered here. -
Boycott of Jewish Businesses
Jewish businesses are boycotted by Germans because Hitler made illegitimate claims that the Jewish were holding all of the money and hurting the German economy. -
Nuremburg Laws
Nazis announced new laws institutionalizing many racial theories of Nazi ideology. These laws excluded German Jews from Reich citizenship and also restricted them from marrying or having sexual relationships with anyone with German blood. -
Kristallnacht
It was claimed that a Jewish teenager had murdered an important German diplomat, so the Nazis ordered massive, coordinated attacks on the Jews over night. -
Germany Invades Poland
German forces bombarded Poland from the air and on land. Hitler wanted to regain lost territory and ultimately rule Poland. This was basically the start of World War II. -
Auschwitz Concentration Camp Established
The Auschwitz concentration camp was the largest of its kind. It included 3 camps that all used prisoners for forced labor. About 1.1 million people were killed in Auschwitz camps. This was a major part of the Holocaust, as it cost so many people, not just Jews, but mostly Poles, their lives. -
"Final Solution" Begins
The Nazis used the term "final solution" to refer to their plan to annihilate the Jewish people. This was the official beginning of the killing of the Jewish people. -
Liberation of Auschwitz
As Soviet forces approached Auschwitz, the SS began to evacuate the camps and forced nearly 60,000 prisoners to march West from the camp. Any prisoners falling behind were shot and killed. When the Soviet army reached Auschwitz they liberated the 7,000 remaining prisoners. This was a very important day in the history of the holocaust because Auschwitz was the largest concentration camp, and had finally come to an end.
