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Period: to
Rise of Hitler
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German Reichstag is destroyed
The German Reichstag is destroyed by fire. The plot and execution is almost certainly due to the Nazis but they point the finger at the communists and trigger a General Election. -
Enabling Act passed
The Enabling Act passed—powers of legislation pass to Hitler’s cabinet for four years, making him virtual dictator. -
Hitler Withdraws
Hitler withdraws from the League of Nations. In the following months, he trebles the size of the German Army and ignores the arms restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. -
Hitler becomes chancellor
Hitler becomes chancellor of a coalition government, where the Nazis have a third of the seats in the Reichstag. -
Night of the Long Knives
Hitler crushes all opposition within his own party—thus eliminating any of his rivals. -
Death of President Hindenburg
After the Death of President Hindenburg, Hitler becomes “Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor” and abolishes the title of President. -
Hitler Rearms
Hitler re-arms Germany with the aim of undoing the Treaty of Versailles and uniting all the German peoples. Military conscription is introduced. -
Austrian Chancellor
The Austrian Chancellor, leader of the Austrian Nazi Party, invites the German army to occupy Austria and proclaim a union with Germany -
Neville Chamberlain meets Hitler
British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain meets Hitler in Germany. Britain, France and Italy sign the Munich Agreement which gives the Sudetenland (the German populated borderlands of Czechoslavakia), to Germany. -
Crystal Night
In what is historically referred to as Crystal Night, 7,500 Jewish shops are destroyed and 400 synagogues are burnt. The attack is portrayed as a spontaneous reaction to the death of a German diplomat by a Jewish refugee in Paris. It is actually orchestrated by the Nazi party who also kill many Jews and send 20,000 to concentration camps. -
Peace treaty with Russia
Peace treaty with Russia secured with the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Hitler invades Poland and after 3 weeks of lightning war or ‘Blitzkrieg’. The country is divided between Russia and Germany. -
Where Nazis occupy
The Nazis occupy Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium and France. Romania and Yugoslavia are invaded. -
Germany attacks Russia
Germany attacks Russia, ignoring the peace pact. Operation Barbarossa, The German invasion of Russia, begins. -
Germans surrender
Although commanded by Hitler to stand and fight, the Germans surrender in the battle of Stalingrad. From this point in the war, Germany is continually retreating. -
Assassination attempt
Hitler survives an assassination attempt by Colonel Stauffenberg, who places a bomb in a briefcase under a table close to Hitler. As a result, Hitler purged the army of all possible suspects -
Soviet troops enter Nazi Germany
Soviet troops enter Nazi Germany -
Berlin
Hitler decides to stay in Berlin to the last.
Berlin completely besieged by the Soviet Army Fronts of Marshals Koniev and Zhukov. -
Hitler's death
Hitler commits suicide with his wife of two days, Eva Braun; their bodies are believed to have been cremated.