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In March 1933, shortly after becoming Chancellor, Adolf Hitler addressed the German Parliament, the Reichstag. This was a pivotal moment in Germany's history, as Hitler rose to power amid political chaos and economic struggles after World War I. His speech aimed to unite the country and promised recovery, resonating with many and allowing him to gain control. This meeting laid the groundwork for his oppressive policies, impacting Germany and the world significantly. -
On April 1, 1933, The Nazis arrested Communists, Socialists, and other political opponents to silence them. They started a boycott of Jewish businesses across Germany. They encouraged people to avoid shopping at Jewish-owned stores. One image from this time shows a woman reading a boycott sign in the window of a Jewish department store, showing the rising discrimination against Jews under the Nazi regime. -
After Austria was incorporated into Nazi Germany in March 1938, the Jewish community in Vienna faced severe persecution, including humiliation, violence, and property confiscation. In response, many Austrian Jews attempted to flee the country, lining up at police stations to obtain exit visas for safety. This reflected the profound fear and urgency they felt during this perilous time. -
On the morning after Kristallnacht or the "Night of Broken Glass," residents of Rostock, Germany, witnessed the tragic sight of a burning synagogue. This orchestrated wave of anti-Jewish violence occurred on November 9–10, 1938, when the Nazi regime targeted Jewish homes, businesses, and places of worship across Germany and Austria. This brutal event marked a significant escalation in the persecution of Jews, foreshadowing the horrors to come. -
In May 1939, the passenger ship St. Louis departed Hamburg with 937 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. Upon arrival in Havana, they were denied entry after the Cuban government revoked their landing certificates. The U.S. also refused them entry, forcing the captain to return to Europe. Tragically, about 250 of these refugees were later killed in the Holocaust, underscoring their desperate search for safety. -
In September 1939, the German military invaded Poland, marking the start of World War II in Europe. This brutal campaign left many areas of Warsaw in ruins, as buildings were destroyed and lives were profoundly affected. The invasion underscored the vulnerability of nations to aggressive military actions. -
About 25% of all Jews who perished in the Holocaust were executed by SS mobile killing squads and police battalions following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. These units carried out the mass murder of Jews, Roma, and Communist officials. The killings often occurred in the presence of German Army members, the German Labor Service, and the Hitler Youth, showcasing the widespread complicity in these atrocities. -
The war in Europe concluded with Germany's unconditional surrender in May 1945, a significant turning point in World War II. In the Warsaw Ghetto, Jews endured unimaginable hardship, often waiting in long lines outside a soup kitchen, desperately seeking food to survive in a time filled with despair and uncertainty. Each bowl of soup offered a small measure of hope amidst their suffering.