Holocaust Timeline
1869-1932
- Rise of National Socialism
1933-1940
-
1941-Present -
Nazis Come to Power
Mass Murder and After
The Holocaust Timeline
1869-1932 | 1933-1940 | 1941-Present
1869
July 3
The Reichstag of the North German Federation abolished all restrictions on rights based
on religion
1889
April 20
Adolf Hitler born
1893
January 12
Hermann Göring born
1894
Dreyfuss Affair
1897
October 29
Paul Joseph Goebbels born
1899
Action Francaise founded
1900
August 25
Friedrich Nietzsche died
October 7
Heinrich Himmler born
1903
January 3
Alois Hitler (Adolf's father) dies of a lung hemorrhage
1907
October
Hitler took entrance exam for Vienna Academy of Fine Arts (rejected)
1908
October
Hitler applies to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts for the second time (not even
admitted to test)
December 21
Klara Hitler (Adolf's mother) dies of breast cancer
1909
1909
Hitler lives in Vienna at flophouses and hostels for four years
1913
Spring
Hitler leaves Vienna and moves to Germany
1914
Summer
The Great War (World War I) begins
August 3
Hitler petitioned King Ludwig III of Bavaria for permission to join in a Bavarian
regiment (granted)
December
Hitler awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class
1916
October 7
Hitler wounded in the leg by a grenade splinter during the Battle of the Somme
1918
August 4
Hitler awarded the Iron Cross, First Class
October 13
Hitler suffered temporary blindness from a British gas attack
October 28
Munity by sailors at the Kiel Naval Base
November 9
Weimar Republic proclaimed
November 10 Hitler told of end of World War I while in hospital recovering from a British gas attack
1919
Hitler assigned job in the Press and News Bureau of the Political Department of the
Army's district command
Hitler posted to a Munich regiment as an educational officer in the Press and
Propaganda Office of the District Army Command
January 5
The German Workers' party founded
January 15
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg murdered
February 28
Scheidemann government resigned; replaced
June 28
The German delegates sign the Treaty of Versailles
July 31
Weimar Constitution adopted (became law August 11)
September
Hitler received orders to look into the German Workers' Party - Deutsche Arbeiterpartei
(joins)
February 24
German Workers' Party changes its name to National Socialist German Workers' Party Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP) (Nazi)
1920
March 12-17
Kapp Putsch
Summer
Hitler came up with the design for the Nazi flag and symbol
Summer
Hitler organized the Ordnertruppe
1921
Summer
Hitler takes dictatorial control over the Nazi's
October 5
Ordnertruppe officially named Sturmabteilung (SA)
1922
June 24
Foreign Minister Walter Rathenau murdered (shot)
1923
January 11
Ruhr occupied by French and Belgian forces because German was behind on
reparations
November 9
Beer Hall Putsch
November 11
Hitler arrested
1924
February 26
Hitler's trial for treason begins
April 1
Hitler sentenced to five years in prison in Landsberg fortress;
Writes Mein Kampf
December 20
Hitler released from prison
1925
February 28
July
President Ebert died
French troops completed their evacuation out of the Ruhr
1926
September
Germany entered the League of Nations
1927
March 10
End of the ban on Hitler speaking
1929
October 3
Gustav Stresemann died
October 24
"Black Tuesday" - the stock market crash on Wall Street; the beginning of the Great
Depression
1930
June 30
Last French troops removed from Germany
July 16
Chancellor Brüning invoked Article 48
December
The release of the movie Im Westen nichts Neues (All's Quiet on the Western Front),
based on the book by Erich Maria Remarque, was followed by riots led by the Nazis and
then banned
1932
April 10
Hindenburg reelected President
June 16
Hindenburg revoked the ban on the SA and the SS
The Holocaust Timeline
1869-1932 | 1933-1940 | 1941-Present
1933
January 30
Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany
February
January 30
Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany
February 27
Reichstag fire
February 28
Series of emergency decrees declared in Germany - government suspends many civil
rights including freedom of press, speech, and assembly
March 20
Dachau established (originally a concentration camp for opponents of the Nazis)
March 24
Enabling Act passed
April 1
Government organized boycott on Jewish stores (Germany)
April 7
Minister of the Interior (Germany) issued law of civil servants;
Quotas on number of Jewish students allowed in higher education (Germany)
April 26
Formation of the Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizei)
May 10
Book burnings
June
Hitler outlaws all political parties other than the Nazi Party
July 14
Decree declares the Nazi Party to be the sole political party within Germany
August 25
The Haavara agreement signed
September
Jews removed from various fields of entertainment including music, art, and literature
1934
January 26
Germany and Poland sign a ten year non-aggression pact
June 30
The "Night of Long Knives" - the SS purge the SA under Hitler's orders
August 2
Paul von Hindenberg dies
August 3
Hitler assumes powers of both President and Chancellor
1935
January 13
Germany retakes the Saarland
September 15
Nuremberg Laws passed
1936
March 7
Germany forces enter the Rhineland
August 1
The Olympic Games begin in Nazi Germany
October 25
The Rome-Berlin Axis agreement signed
1937
July 16
Buchenwald camp opens
November 25
Germany and Japan sign pact
December 14 Decree states that Gypsies are "inveterate criminals"
1938
March 13
Annexation of Austria (Anschluss)
March 23
Jewish community organizations are no longer recognized by the government
(Germany)
April 24
Jews must register their property (Germany)
April 26
Jewish property expropriated (Austria)
May 29
Jewish role in economy restricted to 20 percent - first anti-Jewish law in Hungary
June 25
July 5-15
July 21
Jewish physicians only allowed to treat Jewish patients (Germany)
Evian Conference - 32 countries met to discuss the refugee and immigration problem
Introduction of identity cards (effective January 1, 1939)
August 17
Jews are required to add "Israel" to their name for men and "Sarah" for women
(Germany)
August 26
The Zentralstelle für Jüdische Auswanderung (Central Office for Jewish Emigration) is
set up in Vienna under Adolf Eichmann
September 27
Jews barred from practicing law (Germany)
September 29
Munich Conference
October 5
Jewish passports are marked with the letter "J" for "Jude"
November 7
Hershel Grynszpan assassinates Ernst vom Rath
November 910
Kristallnacht (Germany & Austria)
November 15
Jewish children expelled from German schools
1939
January 1
May 5
May 15
The Measure for the Elimination of Jews from the German Economy - bans Jews from
working with Germans
Law enacted that defines who is a Jew and further restricts participation in the
economy to 6 percent (Hungary)
Ravensbrück camp established
August 23-24
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
September 1
Hitler announces that he will invade Poland;
Curfew for Jews - 8:00 p.m. (Germany)
September 2
France and Britain order Hitler to leave Poland or they will declare war;
Stutthoff concentration camp established
September 3
France and Britain declare war on Germany
September 17
Soviet Union invades Poland in the east
September 21
Heydrich orders ghettos established in occupied Poland under Judenräte
September 27
October 8
Warsaw (Poland) surrenders
Piotrkow, Poland first ghetto established (unguarded)
October 12
Government General established in Poland
October 18
Jews must wear a Star of David in Wloclawek, Poland (first time introduced)
November 1517
German authorities destroy all the synagogues in Lodz
November 17
Decree forbade Gypsies to leave their residences
November 23
All Jews over the age of twelve must wear a white arm band with a blue Star of David
(Government General, occupied Poland)
December
December 5-6
Leczyca ghetto established (closed in January 1941)
German authorities seize Jewish property (Poland)
1940
February 8
April 9
April 27
Lodz ghetto established (guarded)
Germany attacks Denmark (lasts 5 days) and Norway
Himmler orders creation of Auschwitz
May 1
Lodz ghetto sealed
March 7
"Bloody Tuesday" in the Lodz ghetto
May 10
Germany attacks Belgium (surrenders May 28), Netherlands, and Luxembourg;
Churchill becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain
June 5
Germany attacks France
June 22
France surrenders
June December
Battle of Britain
July 9
German blitzkrieg on London begins
July 19
Telephones confiscated from Jews (Germany)
October 16
Warsaw ghetto established
September 20
Breendonck camp (Belgium) gets first prisoners
September 27
Pact of Berlin (Tripartite Pact) signed between Germany, Italy, and Japan
October 22
Jewish businesses are registered (Netherlands)
November 16
Warsaw ghetto sealed
1941
January 10
All Jews are registered (Netherlands)
February 5
The Law for the Protection of the State - Jews get double punishment for crimes
(Romania)
March 3
March 1
April 6
Krakow ghetto established
Himmler orders a camp at Birkenau (Auschwitz II) built
Germany invades Yugoslavia (surrenders April 18) and Greece
April 13
Japan and the Soviet Union sign a neutrality pact
April 24
Lublin ghetto sealed
June 22
Germany invades the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa)
June 29
"Black Sunday" - in the courtyard of the Iasi police headquarters, several thousand
Jews are shot
June
2
29-July
July 8
July 12
In Dvinsk, all Jewish males from 16 to 60 years old are arrested
Jews in Baltic countries must wear Star of David
Anglo-Soviet Mutual Assistance Pact
July 20
Minsk ghetto established
July 24
Kishinev ghetto established
July 25-27
August 1
August 14
September 19
The "Petliura Days" - pogrom in Lvov
Bialystok ghetto established
Atlantic Charter signed
Jews who are six years old or older must wear a yellow Star of David (Germany)
September 1
Euthanasia Program officially ended
September 3
First gassing tests at Auschwitz
September 36
Two ghettos in Vilna established
September 19
All Jews in the Reich must wear the yellow Star of David in public
September
29-30
Babi Yar
October 8
Vitebsk ghetto liquidated
October 10
Theresienstadt Ghetto established
October 11
Chernovtsy ghetto established
October 23
Jewish emigration from Germany prohibited
November 1
Belzec extermination camp begins construction
November 25
December
December 7
December 8
December 10
The Association des Juifs en Belgique (Association of Jews in Belgium) established
Lwow ghetto established
Japan attacks the United States at Pearl Harbor;
Night and Fog Decree
Chelmno death camp opens near Lodz, Poland
Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, the United States reciprocates
1942
January 20
Wannsee Conference
January 21
Jews in Vilna create the Fareynegte Partizaner Organizatsye (United Partisan
Organization)
February 23
The Sturma sinks after being refused entry into Palestine
March
Start of "Aktion Rheinhard"
March
First transports of Jews to Auschwitz
March 1
Sobibor camp established
March 16
Belzec camp established
March 25
Kolomyia ghetto established
April 29
April 30
May 1
Jews in Netherlands must wear the yellow Star of David
Pinsk ghetto established
Dvinsk ghetto is virtually liquidated
May 27
Heydrich is severely wounded - dies on June 4
June 3
Jews in Belgium must wear the yellow Star of David
June 7
Jews in occupied France must wear the yellow Star of David;
United States wins battle at Midway
June 10
Nazis revenge death of Heydrich - wipe out Lidice, Czechoslovakia
July 20
Jewish uprising at Nesvizh
July 23
Treblinka camp established
July 28
The Zydowska Organizacja Bojowa (Jewish Fighting Organization) established in
Warsaw
August 9
Mir ghetto liquidated - Armed Jews resist
August 16-18
Radom ghetto liquidated
Sept. 15 Jan. 31, 1943
Battle of Stalingrad
November 8
Operation Torch begins
1943
January 18-22
First Warsaw ghetto uprising
February 24
Salonika ghetto established
February 26
First transport of Gypsies to Auschwitz - placed in Auschwitz II in the "Gypsy Camp"
February 29
The Kolomyia ghetto is liquidated
April
Bergen-Belsen established
April 13
Katyn Forest Massacre graves are discovered
April 19
Revolt in the Warsaw ghetto (resisted for 27 days)
June 20
The Ternopol ghetto is liquidated
June 25
July 5
August 2
August 16
Revolt in Czestochowa, Poland ghetto
The Sobibor extermination camp is made a concentration camp under Himmler's orders
Revolt at Treblinka death camp
Revolt of Bialystok ghetto
September 14
The Minsk ghetto is liquidated
September 24
The Vilna ghetto is liquidated
October 13
Italy declares war on Germany
October 14
Revolt in Sobibor
November 3
Aktion Erntefest (Harvest Festival) begins - liquidates the Trawniki, the Poniatowa, and
the Majdanek camps
Nov. 28 Dec. 1
Teheran Conference
1944
January 18-22
First Warsaw ghetto uprising
February 24
Salonika ghetto established
February 26
First transport of Gypsies to Auschwitz - placed in Auschwitz II in the "Gypsy Camp"
February 29
The Kolomyia ghetto is liquidated
April
Bergen-Belsen established
April 13
Katyn Forest Massacre graves are discovered
April 19
Revolt in the Warsaw ghetto (resisted for 27 days)
June 20
The Ternopol ghetto is liquidated
June 25
July 5
August 2
August 16
Revolt in Czestochowa, Poland ghetto
The Sobibor extermination camp is made a concentration camp under Himmler's orders
Revolt at Treblinka death camp
Revolt of Bialystok ghetto
September 14
The Minsk ghetto is liquidated
September 24
The Vilna ghetto is liquidated
October 13
Italy declares war on Germany
October 14
Revolt in Sobibor
November 3
Aktion Erntefest (Harvest Festival) begins - liquidates the Trawniki, the Poniatowa, and
the Majdanek camps
Nov. 28 Dec. 1
Teheran Conference
1944
March 19
Germany invades Hungary
April 5
Jews in Hungary must wear the yellow Star of David
April 7
Alfred Wetzler and Rudolf Vrba escape from Auschwitz - their descriptions of Auschwitz
reach the world and become known as the Auschwitz Protocols
June 6
D-day
July 8
The Kovno ghetto is liquidated
July 20
Soviet troops liberate Majdanek concentration camp; assassination attempt on Hitler
July 28
First major death march begins - Warsaw to Kutno
August 1
Zigeunernacht - 40,000 Gypsies gassed in a single action at Auschwitz
August 1 October 2
Polish rebellion in Warsaw
October 6-7
An uprising at Auschwitz by the Sonnderkommandos
November 2
Gassings at Auschwitz terminated
December 16
Battle of the Bulge
1945
January 17
Soviet troops liberate Warsaw;
"Death March" from Auschwitz begins;
Raoul Wallenberg is arrested by the Soviets
January 19
Soviet troops liberate the Lodz ghetto (877 left out of 250,000 Jews)
January 27
Soviet troops liberate Auschwitz
February 4-12
April 5-6
April 9
Yalta Conference
Buchenwald evacuated
Mauthausen evacuated
April 11
American troops liberate Buchenwald
April 12
Franklin D. Roosevelt dies; Truman becomes President of the U.S.
April 15
British troops liberate Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
April 21
Ravensbrück evacuated
April 28
American troops liberate Dachau;
Mussolini shot by Italian partisans
April 29
Ravensbrück is liberated
April 30
Hitler commits suicide in the Berlin bunker
May 2
Soviet troops take Berlin
May 3
Nazis hand over Theresienstadt to the International Red Cross
May 5
Liberation of Mauthausen
May 7
The Germans surrender
May 8
War in Europe ends (V-E Day)
May 23
Himmler captured
July - August
Potsdam Conference
August 6
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
August 8
The Soviet Union declares war on Japan;
Allies establish the War Crimes Tribunal
August 9
Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki
August 15
November 22
Japan surrenders
Nuremberg trials (ends October 1, 1946)
1948
May 14
Israel is established
1957
The last displaced persons camp is closed
1961
April 11
Adolf Eichmann's trial begins
1962
May 31
Adolf Eichmann is hanged