-
The Terror Begins(1933-1939)
Communists, Socialists, and other political opponents
of the Nazis were among the first to be rounded up and
imprisoned by the regime. -
Adolf Hitler appointed Chancellor
-
Jewish Boycott
The Nazis initiated a boycott of
Jewish shops and businesses on
across Germany. Many Germans continued to enter
the Jewish stores despite the
boycott, and it was called off after
24 hours. In the subsequent weeks
and months more discriminatory
measures against Jews followed
and remained in effect. -
Enemies of the State(1933-1935)
Although Jews were their primary targets, the Nazis
also persecuted Roma (Gypsies), persons with mental
and physical disabilities, and Poles for racial, ethnic, gay people, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of war, and political
dissidents suffered oppression and death. -
Nazi Race Laws
restricted future German citizenship to those
of “German or kindred blood,” and excluded those
deemed to be “racially” Jewish or Roma (Gypsy).The laws prohibited marriage and sexual
relationships between Jews and non-Jews. -
Search for Refuge
Following the incorporation of
Austria by Nazi Germany and the unleashing
of a wave of humiliation, terror,
and confiscation, many Austrian
Jews attempted to leave the
country. -
The War Begins
Sections of Warsaw lay in ruins following the invasion
and conquest of Poland by the German military begun
that propelled Europe into World War II. For most of the next two years, German forces occupied or controlled much of continental Europe.By the end of 1942, however, the Allies were on the
offensive and ultimately drove back the German forces. The war in Europe ended with the unconditional surrender of Germany in May 1945. -
American responses
the passenger ship St. Louis—seen here
before departing Hamburg—sailed from Germany to
Cuba carried 937 passengers, most of them Jews. Unknown to the passengers, the Cuban government had revoked their landing certificates. After the U.S. government denied permission for the
passengers to enter the United States, St. Louis
returned to Europe. Some 250 of the refugees would
later be killed in the Holocaust.
