WWII Timeline

By miriahaubrey

  • Vladek & Anja Meet

    Vladek and Anja met one another in Sosnowiec, Poland

  • Get Married

    Vladek and Anja get married after Vladek had moved to Sosnowiec

  • Richieu

    Richieu was born in Sosnowiec where the couple was married.

  • Declaring Independence

    Slovaks declare their independence because of German pressure.

  • Integrity of the Borders

    France and Great Britain guarantee the integrity of the borders of the Polish state.

  • Vladek Drafts

    Vladek drafted into the Polish Army fighting against the Nazis.

  • Initiating WWII in Europe

    Germany invades Poland, starting WWII in Europe.

  • Declaring War on Germany

    Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.

  • Vladek Becomes a Prisoner

    The Nazis had taken Vladek in to become a prisoner. Poland is soon defeated after.

  • Jew Identification

    Jews were now forced to wear the Star of David for identification, including Elie Wiesel and his family.

  • Vladek Returns

    Vladek returns to Sosnowiec

  • Denmark and Norway get invaded

    Germany invades Denmark and Norway, Denmark surrenders on the day of the attack; Norway holds out until June 9th.

  • Becoming Residents

    Elie and his family became residents of Hungary

  • Beginning of Studying

    Twelve year old Elie began studying the Kabbalah.

  • The Bombing of Pearl Harbor

    Japan bombs Pearl Harbor.

  • Declaring War on Japan

    The US enters WWII by declaring war on Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

  • Jews get moved

    All the Jews in Sosnowiec get moved to the Ghetto.

  • The War comes to Germany

    British bomb Cologne, bringing the war to Germany for the first time.

  • Vladek's Father is Taken

    During a mass inspection Vladek's father is taken from the ghetto.

  • The Plan to Kill

    The plan to kill all the European Jews was beginning to go into action.

  • Anja's Parents Don't Survive

    Anja's parents are not able to escape death and are sent to a death camp where they die.

  • The killing of Jews

    By now, more than 4 million European Jews are killed.

  • Jews get deported

    Around 440,000 Hungarian Jews are deported from Hungary, most of them to Camp Auschwitz.

  • Elie and His Family are Deported

    Elie Wiesel (15 at the time) and his family are deported in May to Auschwitz from Sighet. Only his two older sisters survive along with him.

  • Death of Hitler

    Hitler commits suicide

  • The US drops a bomb.

    The US drops a bomb on Hiroshima.

  • The End of WWII

    Japan formally surrenders on August 14, 1945 ending WWII.

  • Liberating Auschwitz and Buchenwald

    Soviet troops liberate Auschwitz in January and US troops liberate Buchenwald on April 11.

  • Elie and His Father Get Moved

    SS units take over Auschwitz in January. Elie and his father get moved to Buchenwald concentration camp near Germany.