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Decree on Combating the Gypsy Plague is passed
Ordered the enforcement of existing anti Roma and Sinti laws, as well as the deportation of non-german Roma and Sinti. It also called for regular police raids and roundups on Roma and Sinti communities, as well as non-Romani people who lived in a "gypsy-like" manner. This was also the basis of opening camps to detain Romani peoples. -
Buchenwald is Established
Buchenwald and it's satellite camps would later comprise one of the largest concentration camps in the Holocaust. It was originally used to house political prisoners, and following Kristallnacht had approximately 10,000 Jews moved to this camp. It would later be used for Roma, Sinti, Jehovah's Witnesses, and German deserters. -
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, or The Night of Broken Glass, a night of vandalization, destruction and violence against jewish owned businesses, homes and synagogues. Named such for the shattered windows of storefronts. The pretext for which was the assassination of Ernst Vom Rath, a German Diplomat; at the hands of a Polish Jew. -
The Decree on the Elimination of Jews from German Economic Li is Passedfe
This law prevented Jews from operating, stores and sales agencies, as well as from selling goods or services of any kind. These types of laws were not only passed on the national level, but on the state, regional and municipal levels as well. -
Piotrkow Trybunalski Ghetto Established
The first of the Nazi's Ghettos in Poland founded just after the invasion. Following the founding of this ghetto many Jews from across Nazi occupied territories were sent here, eventually totalling 20,000 at a time, across 182 buildings. -
Reichstag Speech
Hitler's speech to the German people announcing his intent to exterminate the Jewish race. This speech highlighted his beliefs and antisemitism. -
Auschwitz is Established
Auschwitz, the most famous of the concentration camps, is established. This camp alone was responsible for approximately 1.1 million deaths over the course of The Holocaust. -
Warsaw Ghetto is Sealed
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest ghetto, containing more than 350,000 Jews, approximately 30% of the cities population. At this point, the Warsaw Ghetto, occupying roughly 1 mile of city, is sealed off from the rest of Warsaw. -
The First Jews are Deported to Concentration Camps
Even prior to the Wannsee Conference, Jews began being deported from ghettos to concentration camps. This marked the beginning of "The Final Solution" -
Decree Forcing Jews to Wear Yellow Star of David Identifier Passed
A decree issued by Reinhard Heydrich, forced jewish people above the age of 6 to wear a clearly displayed yellow start of david inscribed with the word "Jew" at all times. This allowed for identification, segregation, humiliation and to prepare for the next steps in The Holocaust. -
Mass Killings Begin at Chelmno Extermination Camp
The beginning of Hitler's Final Solution started at Chelmno, a concentration camp in Poland, toward the end of 1941. This is notable both as a starting point, and for being prior to the Wannsee Conference. -
Wannsee Conference
A meeting of high ranking Nazi Party members and other government officials to discuss and plan out The Final Solution. Though the final solution technically began its implementation shortly before this meeting.