Vladek Speigleman and Elizer Wiesel's life in WWII

By bifurcatedstars
  • Vladek Spiegelman's Birth

    Vladek Spiegelman's Birth

  • Eliezer Wiesel born in Sighet, Transylvania

    Eliezer Wiesel born in Sighet, Transylvania

  • Hitler becomes Führer

    When President Paul von Hindenburg dies, rather than call new elections as required by the constitution, Hitler's cabinet suddenly passes a law proclaiming the presidency vacant and transferring all power to Hitler.

  • Richieu, Vladek and Anja's first son, is born

    Vladek and Anja's son Richieu is born on October 15 in Sosnowiec, Poland.

  • Hitler invades Poland

    Hitler invaded Poland on the 1st of September. Britain and France declare war on Germany two days later.
  • Period: to

    The Phoney War:

    The Phoney War of World War II was a period of limited military activity in Europe, following the invasion of Poland in September 1939, and before the Battle of France in May 1940.

  • Britain and France Declare war on Germany

  • Royal Air Force attacks the German Navy

  • United States proclaims its neutrality

  • Canada declares war on Germany

  • Vladek returns to Sosnoweic

    Vladek returns to his family and learns about the curfew, discrimination, and other dangers that suddenly became the standard of everyday life. Histextile factory was taken and an Aryan manager was put in his place.

  • German 'Blitzkrieg' overwhelms Belgium, Holland and France.

  • Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, causing the US to enter the war

  • Mass murder of Jewish people at Auschwitz begins.

  • Operation Typhoon; Germans advance on Moscow

    Operation Typhoon begins and the Germans advance on Moscow

  • American naval victory at Battle of Midway, in June, marks turning point in Pacific War.

  • Germany defeats Stalingrad

    The Surrender at Stalingrad marks Germany's first major defeat

  • Italy declares war on Germany

  • Eliezer Wiesel is deported to Auschwitz

  • Wiesel Deported to Auschwitz Concentration Camp

  • German assassination attempt on Hitler fails

  • D Day: The Allied invasion of France, Paris is liberated in August.

  • Wiesel's father dies of dysentery and starvation

  • Vladak Speigleman is sent to Dachau

  • Truman becomes president of the US

    Truman becomes President of the US on Roosevelt's death, Attlee replaces Churchill.

  • Germany surrenders

    Russians reach Berlin; Hitler commits suicide and Germany surrenders on 7 May.

  • Russia declares war on Japan

  • Japan surrenders after bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

    After atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrenders on 14 August.

  • World War II ends

  • Art Spiegleman is born in Stockholm, Sweden

    Art is their second child.

  • Wiesel begins studying journalism in France

  • Eliezer Wiesel hit by a car...

    Wiesel moved to New York eventually and while there, he was walking with his friend when suddenly he was hit by a taxi cab. He was given surgery and had 47 fractures. Elie Wiesel stated how it was very ironic how he survived two concentration camps during the Holocaust but was almost killed while crossing the street. He was forced to be in a wheelchair for a year. This caused a pause in his career and he did not contribute to his work for an extended period of time.

  • Vladek's wife Anja commits suicide:

    Anja Speigleman commits suicide, which Art, their son, later depicts in his comic entitled "Prisoner on the Hell Parent".

  • Vladek dies of congestive heart failure

  • Wiesel returns to Auchswitz with Oprah