Florida Holocaust Museum - Third Reich

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Timeline for Room 2: Third Reich
Image	Date	Description
	1889	Adolf Hitler, the future dictator of Germany and Führer of the Third Reich, was born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau am In, an Austrian town on the German border. His father, Alois Hitler, was a customs official with a reputation as a disciplinarian. He frequently quarreled with his son. His mother, Klara, was very affectionate toward Adolf. While Hitler attended high school, the Hitler family moved to the larger town of Linz. Photo: Alois Hitler, Adolf Hitler's father.
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	1907-13	Hitler at the age of 18 moved to Vienna, the first large city he had ever inhabited. Here, he spent a derelict life, imbibing ideas about the dangers of “racial mixing” and antisemitism. Having failed to gain admission to the Viennese Academy of Fine Arts, he lived off his modest inheritance from his mother and occasional work painting postcards. He became an ardent fan of Wagnerian opera. In his autobiography, Mein Kampf, Hitler recalled, “Vienna was a hard school for me, but it taught me the most influential lesson of life.” Drawing: Self-portrait of young Adolf Hitler.
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	1914	Hitler moved to Munich, Germany and enlisted in the German army just before the outbreak of World War I. After years of loneliness, Hitler found his purpose as a soldier in the 16th Bavarian Reserve Regiment. During his four years in the trenches he grew increasingly angry at the pacifists and fiercely loyal to the German nation. Photo: Adolf Hitler during World War 1.
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	1919	The German generals surrendered in November 1918, and the Kaiser fled Germany. The new government proclaimed Germany the Weimar Republic and adopted a progressive constitution. The leaders of the new Republic signed the Versailles Treaty, which imposed harsh terms on Germany for World War I. The Republic had enemies from the left of the political spectrum (e.g. Communists) and from the extreme nationalists of the right, who criticized the Republic for signing the Treaty of Versailles. Among the right-wing parties was the small German Workers’ Party founded in Munich. In September 1919, Hitler joined the German Workers’ Party. Poster: German Worker's Party poster with statement, "Hitler builds with help. Buy German goods."
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	1920	The German Workers’ Party was renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (the Nazi Party). Hitler took a leadership position and established the 25-point party program. The Nazi Party also established the Sturmabteilung (SA; Stormtroopers; Brown Shirts), a paramilitary organization that drew members from the veterans of World War I who had been part of the Freikorps. The SA was organized by Hermann Goring, an ace flier of World War I, and commanded by Ernst Röhm, a former Army captain. Hitler developed the image of strength for the new party adopting the symbol of the swastika and the designation führer for the leader. Also, Rudolf Hess, Joseph Goebbels, Julius Streicher and Alfred Rosenberg were among the early membership of the Nazi Party; they helped Hitler develop the propaganda and image for the party. Photo: Hermann Goring, Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe, President of the Reichstag, "second man" in the Third Reich. (1893-1946.)
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	1923	In March 1923, the Nazis establish the Schutzstaffel (SS; Protection Squad), an elite bodyguard for Hitler. The squad, led by Heinrich Himmler, was completely loyal to Hitler. The Weimar Republic experienced hyperinflation which reached its apex in November 1923. The inability of the republican leadership to curb the inflation fostered social and political turmoil. Some of the artists of the time, such as Georg Grosz and Albert Birkle, mirrored the popular discontent. On November 8-9, 1923, Adolf Hitler and Nazi Party followers attempted the overthrow of the Bavarian government in an action that has become known as the Beer Hall Putsch. The putsch failed; Hitler received a light sentence (9 months) because many of the judges were sympathetic to his political vision. While Hitler was incarcerated, the Nazi Party lost following. Hitler used his jail time to transcribe his autobiography, Mein Kampf. Poster: Propaganda poster enticing young men to join the SS.
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	1925	Adolf Hitler’s autobiography, Mein Kampf, was published. After Hitler was released from prison, the Nazi Party was revived by a large rally in Munich. Julius Streicher resumed publication of Der Stürmer. The Weimar Republic under the leadership of Gustav Stresemann sought to improve German relations with other powers and stabilize the economy. German culture flourished in the mid and late 1920s and the Nazi Party had little public recognition. Image: Cover of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.
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	1929	The crash of the New York Stock Market on October 29, 1929 had a major impact on the German economy. Unemployment mounted. Social discontent with the leadership of the Weimar Republic benefited the extremist parties such as the Communists and Nazis. The Nazis gained increasing public recognition for agitating against the Republic. Photo: Masses of people after receiving news of the US Stock Market Crash of 1929.
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	1933	January 30, 1933: The German President, Paul von Hindenburg, appointed Adolf Hitler Chancellor of Germany. February 27, 1933: The German Reichstag building was set afire and the Nazis blamed the Communists. A presidential decree granted Hitler emergency powers and on March 23, the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, granting Hitler dictatorial powers; the government ordered the arrest of 100 Communists. April 1, 1933: The government ordered a one-day boycott of Jewish shops and professionals. May 10, 1933: The Nazis ordered the burning of books that had an “un-German spirit.” Among the volumes destroyed were works by John Dos Passos, Thomas Mann, Karl Marx, Ernest Hemmingway, Upton Sinclair, Emile Zola, H.G. Wells, Andre Gide, Signmund Freud, Maxim Gorky, Helen Keller, Friedrich Foster, Marcel Proust, Jack London, and Erich Maria Remarque. Top Photo: Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by the German President Paul von Hindenburg on January 30, 1933. Bottom Photo: Sign posted on a Jewish shoe store window persuading people to buy only from German shops. This was part of a boycott of Jewish shops on April 1, 1933.
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	1934	June 30, 1934: Hundreds of actual and presumed opponents of the Nazi Party were rounded up and executed in an action that has since become known as “The Night of the Long Knives.” Among the victims were former leaders of the SA including Ernst Röhm, once chief of the SA, and Gregor Strasser, one of the early organizers for the SA. An earnest effort to persecute homosexuals got underway after the purge. Moreover, the SS gained increasing prominence in the Nazi regime. August, 1934: President von Hindenburg died. Hitler proclaimed himself Führer of the German Reich and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. From then on, members of the Armed Forces were required to take a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler. Photo: Former leader of the SA, Ernst Röhm and other presumed actual opponents, were rounded up and killed in "The Night of the Long Knives." June 30, 1934.
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	1935	The SA was incorporated into the SS. Leni Riefenstahl’s film, Triumph of the Will, chronicled the events of the Nazi Party Rally at Nuremberg in 1934 that deified Adolf Hitler. The Nazi Party began measures that defied the Treaty of Versailles. Heinrich Himmler as chief of the SS started the lebensborn homes designed to “accommodate and look after racially and genetically valuable expectant mothers.” Top Photo: The Lebensborn Program was initiated by Heinrich Himmler. The purpose was to create a race of genetically superior beings. Bottom Photo: Crowd cheering Adolf Hitler.
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	1936	June 17, 1936: Himmler was appointed chief of the German police; the terroristic apparatus of the Nazi government had become increasingly refined. Reinhard Heydrich, Himmler’s right- hand man, became chief of the Berlin Gestapo and head of the SD, the security apparatus for the entire Reich. Heydrich’s work was essential for increasing the terroristic apparatus of the Third Reich. Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Enlightenment and Propaganda, banned criticism of Nazi film. August 1-16, 1936: The Summer Olympics were held in Berlin, providing the world community an opportunity to see the Third Reich. The German government toned down its antisemitic policies. Americans participated in the Olympic Games despite protest from some Americans critical of the antisemitic policies in Germany. Top Photo: Reinhard Heydrich (1904-1942) Himmler’s right-hand man, became chief of the Berlin Gestapo and head of the SD, the security apparatus for the entire Reich. Bottom Poster: From February 6 to February 16, 1936, Germany hosted the Winter Olympics at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps.
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	1937	July 1937: The Degenerate Art exhibition was held in Munich, displaying art by Jews and other artists “unacceptable” to the Nazis. A concurrent exhibition displayed the approved Nazi art. Mandatory aryanization measures compelled Jews to give up their property to Aryans. Jews had to sell their property at great loss. November 8, 1937: The German Museum in Munich showed "The Eternal Jew" exhibition in which Jews were linked to Bolshevism. Top Photo: July 1937, the "Degenerate Art Exhibit" was held in Munich. Bottom Photo: November 1937, the German Museum in Munich held the "Eternal Jew Exhibition."
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	1938	March 12, 1938: The German Army marched into Vienna Austria, and Germany annexed Austria (an action known as the Anschluss). Antisemitic measures formerly introduced in Germany were introduced in Austria. July 6-14, 1938: The United States called for an international conference to be held in Evian France in order to discuss ways for dealing with the Jewish refugee question. Thirty two nations attended the conference and most of these nations were unwilling to liberalize their immigration laws to allow more Jews to enter their countries. The Dominican Republic was the exception allowing for Jews to enter the Republic with payment from the American Joint Distribution Committee. September 1938: The Sudetanland Crisis became a central focus of European affairs. The Nazi government demanded occupation of the Sudetanland in Czechoslovakia, claiming it was once part of Austria. The Allied Powers failed to prevent this occupation; the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain signed a friendship treaty with Germany claiming that his actions brought “peace in our time.” Top map: Depicts the Anschluss of March 1938. Middle photo: US delegate Myron Taylor delivered a speech at the Evian Conference in July 1938. Bottom photo: Czechoslavakians during the Sudetanland Crisis in September 1938.
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	1939	August 23, 1939: Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. September 1, 1939: Germany invaded Poland. September 3, 1939: Great Britain and France honored their commitments to Poland and declared war on Germany. World War II began. Top photo: Russian dictator Josef Stalin and German Foreign Minister Jeachim von Ribbentrop signed the Nazi-Soviet NonAggression Pact of 1939. Map:Areas ceded in Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 1939. Middle photo: A German military train bound for Poland at the outbreak of the war bore an inscription that read, "We are traveling to Poland to thrash the Jews." With 3.3 million Jews residing in Poland, the Nazis planned for the racial reordering of Europe and put forth their first major test. Rapid military victories were followed by massive relocations of Polish gentiles and Jews. Jews were concentrated in urban centers and placed under the authority of the SS. The process of ghettoization was an important step in the future destruction of Polish Jewry. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Bottom photo: Rooftop photo of two British men searching the skies for enemy aircraft after Britain declared war on Germany.
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	1940	April 1940: Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. May 10, 1940: Germany invaded Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. June 22, 1940: French government signed armistice with Germany. June 1940: Nazis were at their pinnacle of success. Germany expanded from 180,976 square miles to 323,360 square miles and a population of 65 million to 106 million. Top photo: Denmark surrendered to Germany in April 1940. Life remained much the same for most Danish citizens, but not for the Jews. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Middle photo: Pro-Nazi Dutch parade in the streets of Amsterdam shortly after the occupation in summer of 1940. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Bottom photo: Adolf Hitler and Albert Speer stood in Paris after the Armistice was signed with France in June 1940. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Map: The Greater Reich and occupied areas of Europe in 1940 after the conquest of Poland, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the entrance of Italy.
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	1941	June 1941: Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact broken. December 1941: Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States entered World War II. Top photo: In June 1941, German officers examined orders for the attack on the Soviet Union which broke the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. The attack was code-named "Barbarbossa." Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Middle photo:A captured Japanese photo that shows the Battleship Row during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hickam Field burned in the distance. Bottom photo: Wannsee Haus where the Final Solution would be initiated in January 1942. Courtesy of the Holocaust Chronicle.
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	1942	January 20, 1942: Wannsee. Nazis lost in the Soviet Union and lost the campaign in North Africa. November 11, 1942: Vichy, France. November 19, 1942: Counter offensive at Stalingrad. Top photo: On November 1, 1942, the Allies executing Operation Supercharge broke and overran the Axis lines at El Alamein in North Africa. Here, British General Bernard Montgomery watched as his tanks moved across the North African desert. Courtesy of The History Place. Middle photo: Henri-Philippe Pétain was born in Cauch-a-la-Tour in 1856. He joined the French Army in 1876, attended the St Cyr Military School and spent many years as an infantry officer and an army instructor. In 1940, at the age of 83, Pétain agreed to head the Vichy government in occupied France. Pétain fled to Switzerland after the Normandy landings but when he returned in April, 1945, he was arrested and charged with treason. Pétain was found guilty of and sentenced to death for aiding the German enemy. The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. Henri-Philippe Pétain died in prison in 1951. Bottom photo:The counter offensive at Stalingrad in December 1943. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive.
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	1943	July 1943: Allies mounted a successful invasion of Sicily. Map: The allied plan for the invasion of Sicily and Axis dispositions in July 1943. Allied troops are coded in blue and the Axis is in red. From United States Military Academy’s Department of History.
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	1944	March 19, 1944: Occupation of Hungary. June 6, 1944: D-Day. July 20, 1944: Attempted assassination of Hitler initiated and organized by General Friedrich Olbricht. July 23, 1944: Majdanek liberated. November 28, 1944: Himmler ordered gas chambers at Aushwitz destroyed. Top photo: Hungarian Jews being led away from their homes shortly after the occupation of Hungary in March 1944. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Second photo: American soldiers landing on Omaha Beach, Normandy. France on D-Day. Third photo: General Friedrich Olbricht initiated and organized a July 20th 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Fourth photo: The trial of the July 20th 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Bottom photo: Prisoners leaving Majdanek after liberation on July 23, 1944. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive.
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	1945	January 14, 1945: Soviet forces entered Prussia. January 28, 1945: Liberation of Aushwitz April 30, 1945: Adolf Hitler committed suicide. May 7, 1945: Germans surrendered. November 20, 1945: Nuremburg Trials. Top photo: By 1945, the Red Army had encroached far into German occupied territory. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Middle photo: Following the liberation of Auschwitz in January 1945, these children were seen leaving the children's barracks. Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archive. Bottom photo: Hitler's bunker following the Allied invasion of Berlin in 1945. Hitler and his immediate family committed suicide before Allied soldiers could capture the bunker.
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Timeline for Room 2: Third Reich