DOCSLIB.ORG

Memorials to the Holocaust Victims in Minsk, Belarus History, Design, Impact

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Memorials to the Holocaust Victims in Minsk, Belarus History, Design, Impact DEGREE PROJECT IN ARCHITECTURE, SECOND CYCLE, 15 CREDITS STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN 2018 Memorials to the Holocaust Victims in Minsk, Belarus History, Design, Impact MARYNA SEMENCHENKO KTH ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Memorials to the Holocaust Victims in Minsk, Belarus History, Design, Impact Maryna Semenchenko Contents Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 4 I. Socio-Historical Background of Belarus within the Studied Subject Belarus and Minsk in the Second World War. Minsk ghetto .................................................... 8 Memory about the Holocaust in Soviet Belarus ............................................................................ 14 Memory about the Holocaust in contemporary Belarus ........................................................... 16 II. Literature Review Holocaust memorials in Belarus .......................................................................................................... 22 Methods for the analysis of memorials ............................................................................................. 26 III. Approach and Methods Studied cases and criteria for their choice ...................................................................................... 34 Research questions and sources of information ........................................................................... 36 Method ............................................................................................................................................................ 38 Approach to the memorials’ analysis ................................................................................................. 40 IV. Findings Case 1. Memorial in the Pit History of the black obelisk .................................................................................................................... 44 History of the walking shadows ........................................................................................................... 48 Informal memorial, formal practices ................................................................................................. 52 Case 2. Memorial in a Former Jewish Cemetery History of the Broken Hearth ................................................................................................................ 62 Memorials to the Holocaust Victims Social practices, not-such-a-social place .......................................................................................... 68 in Minsk, Belarus. History, Design, Impact Maryna Semenchenko V. Discussion Discourse ....................................................................................................................................................... 76 Keywords: memorial, Holocaust, Minsk, memory, public realm Power .............................................................................................................................................................. 77 Design and message ................................................................................................................................. 78 Masters Degree Project in Urbanism Studies, Second Cycle, 15.0 credits, 2018 Implications ................................................................................................................................................. 80 School of Architecture and the Built Environment Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................................... 81 KTH Royal Institute of Technology References ..................................................................................................................................................... 82 Stockholm, Sweden VI. Design Proposal Bridge .............................................................................................................................................................. 92 Poto on a cover: the Pit memorial in Minsk, 1992, by V. Miaževič Appendix A. Interview questions ....................................................................................................... 100 Appendix B. Decisions of Minsk Municipality .............................................................................. 102 During the recent lecture at KTH Open Coming back to a dramatic example of spaces were formed. Both of the Introduction Lab, an Israeli researcher Rachel Kallus Israel, in addition to millions of Jews who studied memorials are located on described her local context as an died in the concentration camps and a territory that used to be a part of intersection of different cultures and shooting operations of the Holocaust, Minsk ghetto during the Second World interests (Kallus, 2018). While working thousands of them perished on their way War. Additionally, World War II and with the community based-projects to a new home being displaced from their the Holocaust in Belarus had specific she interacts with Jewish, Palestinian, countries even after the war (Wyman, features, which required an introduction Ethiopian, and Russian groups that 1989). Though the example of the into Belarusian socio-historical context. are looking for their place both in the Holocaust was unprecedented I consider Due to an attention that this study pays society and in physical urban space. The it as a suitable lens for looking at the to discursive space, this thesis also briefly fact that her work takes place in Israel, current global issues of socio-spatial describes the politics of memory that though, leads to a discussion broader segregation, displacement, and massive were formed in Soviet and contemporary than just a city scale. As a country Israel migration. Such an approach seems to Belarus. Literature and media review as basically appeared for hosting the entire be particularly important at the moment well as a work with archival documents nation which used to seek the place to when communicative and personal allowed to discover how the design of the establish its national state. However memory about this event is disappearing studied memorials was formed and what various groups still struggle for their and transforming a great humanity’s actors were involved in their creation. In place in the cities, this phenomenon has drama into an abstract history lesson. turn, media review in combination with left the city limits and nowadays happens Therefore, the inclusion of a certain direct observations and interviews shed globally. Thousands of people are looking group to physical or social space is a light on social practices that have taken for a new place to live due to wars, linked to its status in a society. The place around the chosen memorials. discrimination, persecution, and climate status, in turn, represents the access to Therefore, this research comprehensively change escaping from the places of their the resources. Additionally to physical analyzed physical, social and discursive origin. and social space, Henri Lefebvre spaces and their relations that together Although international organizations distinguished another dimension, formed two memorial sites in Minsk. declare everyone’s right to have a which could be called discursive space. place to live and a freedom to choose it According to Lefebvre, these three (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, spheres produce the space by mutually 1948) the numerous groups, obviously, affecting and supplementing each other do not have these opportunities, hence, (Lefebvre, 1991). This allows concluding the basic rights turn into rare privileges. that socially and spatially excluded Someone’s location in physical space groups, most probably, are pushed out still affects his or her access to goods, from discursive space as well. Thus, a mobility, education or even safety (Young, lack of representation of a certain group 1999) in a city, national or international in media, art or politicians’ speeches scale. Therefore, limitations linked to a potentially leads to its stigmatization place of origin are related not only to a and further discrimination. In my thesis, quality of life but sometimes to a chance I took into account all of these three to stay alive by finding a shelter. So, an spheres while studying commemorative origin begins determining a life’s value. spaces such as two memorials to the This statement transforms a theme of Holocaust victims in Minsk, Belarus. exclusion and displacement from an Using the abovementioned research exclusively socio-spatial problem into an lens, this study examined the chosen ethical issue. memorials and identified how these 4 5 I Socio-Historical Background of Belarus within the Studied Subject Map I. Minsk 2 km 1 : 100 000 I. Socio-Historical Background of Belarus within the Studied Subject Belarus and Minsk Ascertaining an actual proportion of the occupation, that happened several days Jewish population in pre-war Belarus is after, Minsk did not have a formal rule in the also quite problematic though, obviously, or any plans of evacuation or resistance Jews composed a significant part of the (Epstein, 2008). Second World War. citizens. For an approximate calculation In a month after the occupation, on scholars categorize Belarusian Jews August 1, 1942 Nazis established a ghetto Minsk ghetto into three major groups. The first one in Belarusian capital. It was located includes those
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Best of Belarus and the Baltics in 11 Days
    THE BEST OF BELARUS AND THE BaLTICS IN 11 DAYS ALL TOURS WITH GUARANTEED www.baltictours.com DEPARTURE! 1 TRAVEL SPECIALISTS Vilnius, Lithuania SINCE 1991 Baltic Tours has been among the ranks of the best for 27 years! Since 2007 Baltic Tours in collaboration with well experienced tourism partners have guaranteed departure tour services offering for over 30 tour programs and more than 300 guaranteed departures per year. Our team believes in the beauty of traveling, in the vibe of adventure and the pleasure of gastronomy. Traveling is a pure happiness - it has become our way of living! I have a degree in tourism management and I encourage our guests to explore the Northeastern region of Europe in its most attractive way. I’ve been working in tourism industry since 2013 and I’m assisting customers from 64 countries. Take a look at my personally selected tours and grab your best deal now! SERVICE STANDARDS MORE VALUE GUARANTEED ESCORTED TOURS QUALITY, SAFETY AND SECURITY SPECIAL FEATURES PRE- AND POST- STAYS www.baltictours.com 3 Kadriorg Park, Tallinn, Estonia JUNE-August, 2021 INCLUDING 11 days/10 nights THE BEST OF TALLINN ● ESTONIA 10 overnight stays at centrally located 4* GBE11: 03 Jun - 13 Jun, 2021 BELARUS AND hotels GBE15: 01 Jul - 11 Jul, 2021 10 x buffet breakfast GBE19: 29 Jul - 08 Aug, 2021 RIGA LATVIA Welcome meeting with champagne-cocktail GBE21: 12 Aug - 22 Aug, 2021 or juice THE BALTICS Personalised welcome package LITHUANIA Entrances to Peter and Paul Church in Vilnius, Rundale Palace and medieval Great Guild IN 11 DAYS VILNIUS Hall in Tallinn MINSK Service of bilingual English-German speaking tour leader on all tours BELARUS Service of 1st class buses or 1st class minivans throughout the itinerary Train tickets Minsk-Vilnius, 2nd class, OW Portage at hotels -Charlotte- National Library of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus “First of all, I would like to say a lot of good words for Rasa.
    [Show full text]
  • The Leyb Koniuchowsky Papers and the Holocaust in Provincial Lithuania
    5HVFXHGIURP2EOLYLRQ7KH/H\E.RQLXFKRZVN\3DSHUV DQGWKH+RORFDXVWLQ3URYLQFLDO/LWKXDQLD T. Fielder Valone Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Volume 28, Number 1, Spring 2014, pp. 85-108 (Article) 3XEOLVKHGE\2[IRUG8QLYHUVLW\3UHVV For additional information about this article http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/hgs/summary/v028/28.1.valone.html Access provided by Millersville University Library (17 Feb 2015 20:19 GMT) Research Note Rescued from Oblivion: The Leyb Koniuchowsky Papers and the Holocaust in Provincial Lithuania T. Fielder Valone Indiana University Much of our knowledge of the Holocaust in Lithuania is based on experien- ces in or near Vilnius and Kaunas. In the smaller towns, where tens of thou- sands of Jews lived before the war, so few survived that first-hand accounts are rare; all the less do official German sources offer a window onto events, recording little more than overall numbers. The present contribution draws attention to a lesser-known collection of survivor testimonies gathered after the war by Leyb Koniuchowsky, primarily in Germany’s Feldafing dis- placed persons camp. Case studies of ritual humiliation of Jews by their small-town and village neighbors, experiences in a minor camp complex, and the pursuit of vengeance by one survivor who gained temporary employment in the postwar Soviet security services, point toward the place of oral testimony in elucidating events in hard-to-document places. They raise questions about whether events in better-known localities were “typical” or not. “Stories,” wrote Jorge Semprun, “never begin where they seem to have begun.”1 This story begins with an ending, after the Germans surrendered but well before the scope of Hitler’s crimes was fully understood.
    [Show full text]
  • Holocaust Archaeology: Archaeological Approaches to Landscapes of Nazi Genocide and Persecution
    HOLOCAUST ARCHAEOLOGY: ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO LANDSCAPES OF NAZI GENOCIDE AND PERSECUTION BY CAROLINE STURDY COLLS A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity College of Arts and Law University of Birmingham September 2011 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT The landscapes and material remains of the Holocaust survive in various forms as physical reminders of the suffering and persecution of this period in European history. However, whilst clearly defined historical narratives exist, many of the archaeological remnants of these sites remain ill-defined, unrecorded and even, in some cases, unlocated. Such a situation has arisen as a result of a number of political, social, ethical and religious factors which, coupled with the scale of the crimes, has often inhibited systematic search. This thesis will outline how a non- invasive archaeological methodology has been implemented at two case study sites, with such issues at its core, thus allowing them to be addressed in terms of their scientific and historical value, whilst acknowledging their commemorative and religious significance.
    [Show full text]
  • 1298 Scientific Abstracts Copyright. on August 29, 2021 at Google Indexer
    Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.992 on 19 May 2021. Downloaded from 1298 Scientific Abstracts Yin You Shareholder of: Johnson and Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research AB0534 THE IMPACT OF AXIAL INVOLVEMENT ON ACR & Development, LLC, Yaung-Kaung Shen Shareholder of: Johnson and Johnson, RESPONSE IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS: Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Andrew Blauvelt Speak- RESULTS OF SUBANALYSIS OF THE PATERA STUDY ers bureau: AbbVie, Consultant of: AbbVie, Aclaris, Almirall, Arena, Athenex, T. Korotaeva1, I. Gaydukova2, V. Mazurov2, A. Samtsov3, V. Khayrutdinov3, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dermavant, Dermira, Eli Lilly, FLX A. Bakulev4, A. Kundzer5, N. Soroka6, A. Eremeeva7. 1Nasonova Research Bio, Forte, Galderma, Janssen, Leo, Novartis, Ortho, Pfizer, Regeneron, San- Institute of Rheumatology, Laboratory of Spondyloarthritides and Psoriatic doz, Sanofi Genzyme, Sun Pharma, and UCB Pharma. Arthritis, Moscow, Russian Federation; 2Mechnikov North-Western State DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.960 Medical University, Department of Therapy and Rheumatology of Temporary Disability and Medical Care Quality Expertise, St-Petersburg, Russian AB0533 COMBINATION OF METHOTREXATE AND Federation; 3Kirov Military Medical Academy, Department of Skin and Veneral LEFLUNOMIDE IS SAFE AND HAS GOOD DRUG Diseases, St-Petersburg, Russian Federation; 4Razumovsky Saratov State RETENTION AMONG PATIENTS WITH PSORIATIC Medical University, Department of Dermatovenereology and
    [Show full text]
  • THE POLISH POLICE Collaboration in the Holocaust
    THE POLISH POLICE Collaboration in the Holocaust Jan Grabowski The Polish Police Collaboration in the Holocaust Jan Grabowski INA LEVINE ANNUAL LECTURE NOVEMBER 17, 2016 The assertions, opinions, and conclusions in this occasional paper are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. First printing, April 2017 Copyright © 2017 by Jan Grabowski THE INA LEVINE ANNUAL LECTURE, endowed by the William S. and Ina Levine Foundation of Phoenix, Arizona, enables the Center to bring a distinguished scholar to the Museum each year to conduct innovative research on the Holocaust and to disseminate this work to the American public. Wrong Memory Codes? The Polish “Blue” Police and Collaboration in the Holocaust In 2016, seventy-one years after the end of World War II, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs disseminated a long list of “wrong memory codes” (błędne kody pamięci), or expressions that “falsify the role of Poland during World War II” and that are to be reported to the nearest Polish diplomat for further action. Sadly—and not by chance—the list elaborated by the enterprising humanists at the Polish Foreign Ministry includes for the most part expressions linked to the Holocaust. On the long list of these “wrong memory codes,” which they aspire to expunge from historical narrative, one finds, among others: “Polish genocide,” “Polish war crimes,” “Polish mass murders,” “Polish internment camps,” “Polish work camps,” and—most important for the purposes of this text—“Polish participation in the Holocaust.” The issue of “wrong memory codes” will from time to time reappear in this study.
    [Show full text]
  • Russian Culture: Past and Present Summer 2017
    Russian Culture: Past and Present Summer 2017 Moscow & St. Petersburg, Russia Study Abroad Program Guide Office of Study Abroad Programs University at Buffalo 201 Talbert Hall Buffalo, New York 14260 Tel: 716 645-3912 Fax: 716 645 6197 [email protected] www.buffalo.edu/studyabroad DESTINATION: RUSSIA MOSCOW Moscow (Russian: Москва́ , tr. Moskva) is the capital and the largest city of Russia, with 12.2 million residents within the city limits and 16.8 million within the urban area. Moscow has the status of a federal city in Russia. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, and scientific center of Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as the largest city entirely on the European continent. By broader definitions Moscow is among the world's largest cities. Moscow has been ranked as the ninth most expensive city in the world by Mercer and has one of the world's largest urban economies. Moscow is the northernmost and coldest megacity and metropolis on Earth. It is home to the Ostankino Tower, the tallest free standing structure in Europe; the Federation Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Europe; and the Moscow International Business Center. Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia, making it the world's most populated inland city. The city is well known for its architecture, particularly its historic buildings such as Saint Basil's Cathedral with its brightly colored domes. With over 40 percent of its territory covered by greenery, it is one of the greenest capitals and major cities in Europe and the world, having the largest forest in an urban area within its borders - more than any other major city - even before its expansion in 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Keeping Gunpowder Dry Minsk Hosts the Council of Defence Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States
    FOCUS The Minsk Times Thursday, June 13, 2013 3 Keeping gunpowder dry Minsk hosts the Council of Defence Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States By Dmitry Vasiliev Minsk is becoming ever more a centre for substantive discussions on integration. Following close on the heels of the Council of CIS Heads of Government and the Forum of Busi- nessmen, Minsk has hosted the CIS Council of Defence Ministers. The President met the heads of delegations before the Council began its work, noting, “We pay special im- portance to each event which helps strengthen the authority of our integra- tion association and further develop co-operation among state-partici- pants in all spheres.” Issues of defence and national security are, naturally, of great importance. The President added, “Bearing in mind today’s dif- ficult geopolitical situation worldwide, this area of integration is of particular importance for state stability and the sustainable development of the Com- monwealth.” Belarus supports the further all- round development of the Common- BELTA Prospective issues of co-operation discussed in Minsk at meeting of Council of CIS Defence Ministers wealth, strengthening its defence capa- bility and authority: a position shared any independence... We, Belarusians mark event in the development of close the military sphere is a component of sites in Russia and Kazakhstan and an by many heads of state considering and Russians, don’t have any secrets partnerships in the military sphere. integration, with priorities defined by international competition for the pro- integration. The President emphasised, from each other. If we don’t manage to Last year, the CIS Council of De- the concerns of friendly countries re- fessional military is planned: Warriors “Whether we like it or not, life forces achieve anything (Russia also has prob- fence Ministers — a high level inter- garding sudden complications in the of the Commonwealth.
    [Show full text]
  • The Travel Guide
    Travel 1. Arriving by airplane Minsk National Airport (MSQ) There are several Airlines that operate at Minsk National Airport, such as Belavia, Aeroflot, Airbaltic and Lufthansa. The airport is about 50 km from Minsk. An alternative low-budget connection to Minsk is to fly to Vilnius International Airport (VNO) and take the train from Vilnius to Minsk. Several low-cost airlines operate at Vilnius International Airport. The Vilnius International airport is about 200 km from Minsk and train are frequently operating between Minsk and Vilnius (see information below). Important! If you will choose this option you need to have a valid visa or a valid passport allowing to stay visa-free in Belarus. Information about visa process is in General information. Transport from the airport (MSQ) to the Minsk Central station (Minsk Tsentralnyi) Minsk Tsentralnyi is a bus stop near Minsk Central Train station (Babrujskaja 6). By bus: BUS № 300Э You can buy a ticket via the ticket machine at the airport, at the bus station by credit card, from a ticket agent at the bus stop or from bus driver by cash (BYN only). You can exchange money at the airport. The bus stop is located in front of Gate 5-6 (arrival hall). Journey time: 1 hour. Bus timetable: From National Airport Minsk (MSQ) to Minsk Central (Minsk Tsentralnyi) 4:50, 6:25, 7:20, 8:00, 9:00, 9:40, 10:20, 11:20, 12:00, 12:40, 13:20, 14:20, 15:00, 15:40, 16:20, 17:00, 17:40, 18:20, 19:00, 20:00, 20:40, 21:20, 22:05, 23:00, 00:05, 1:45, 3:15 By taxi: You can pay by credit card and order taxi online.
    [Show full text]
  • Note N°57/20 Russia's Policy Towards Belarus During Alyaksandr
    Note n°57/20 August 3, 2020 Milàn Czerny Graduated from the Department of War Studies, King’s College London Analyst – Le Grand Continent (GEG), Paris Russia’s policy towards Belarus during Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s fifth presidential term Introduction Belarus and Ukraine compose the core of the « Russian world » (Russkiy Mir), a geopolitical and ideologically constructed space centered around Moscow and based on common civilizational, historical, linguistic, and spiritual ties between the three countries1. Russia’s depiction of this space as a united whole has been deeply shattered since 2014 and the beginning of the war in Ukraine opposing Russian-backed rebels to Ukrainian forces. In this context, Belarus holds a significant symbolic and strategic value for Russia’s policy towards post-Soviet states. Indeed, because of the close historical and civilizational ties between Russia and Belarus, the Belarusian president, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, is a show-case ally necessary for Moscow’s status as a regional leader in the post-Soviet space2. Despite some tensions between Russia and Belarus in the 2000s, for instance around trade issues in 2009, a bargain was established between the two 1 Vladimir Putin has put forward the concept of « Russian world » during his second presidential term (2004-2008) with the support of the Russian Orthodox Church with a view to stressing the ties between Russia and its neighbors based on an essentialist representation of Russian language and culture. The concept serves to legitimize Russian foreign policy toward Ukraine and Belarus by relativizing the borders between the three state and stress Russia’s role as a « natural » leader in the region.
    [Show full text]
  • Analysis Report on the Draft Law of Ukraine “On the City of Kyiv – Capital of Ukraine” (No
    7 September 2020 Analysis Report on the Draft Law of Ukraine “On the City of Kyiv – Capital of Ukraine” (No. 2143-3) by Francesco Palermo, Constitutional Adviser to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Tel ► +33 (0)3 8841 2110 Fax ► +33 (0)3 8841 2719 [email protected] This report was prepared as a contribution to the Opinion of the Council of Europe on the Draft Law of Ukraine “On the City of Kyiv – Capital of Ukraine” (No. 2143-3) following a request by the Committee on State Building, Local Governance, Regional and Urban Development of the Parliament of Ukraine. The analysis was carried out by Francesco Palermo1, Constitutional Adviser to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. 1 Professor of Comparative Constitutional law, University of Verona and Head of the Institute Comparative Federalism at Eurac Research in Bolzano/Bozen (Italy). He is currently member of the Scientific Committee of the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency and Constitutional Adviser to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. CV available at http://www.eurac.edu/fpalermo 2/11 Executive summary The Draft Law of Ukraine “On the City of Kyiv – Capital of Ukraine” is the more recent of a series of draft laws aiming at addressing some of the pending issues affecting the governance of the capital city.
    [Show full text]
  • The Northern Black Sea Region in Classical Antiquity 4
    The Northern Black Sea Region by Kerstin Susanne Jobst In historical studies, the Black Sea region is viewed as a separate historical region which has been shaped in particular by vast migration and acculturation processes. Another prominent feature of the region's history is the great diversity of religions and cultures which existed there up to the 20th century. The region is understood as a complex interwoven entity. This article focuses on the northern Black Sea region, which in the present day is primarily inhabited by Slavic people. Most of this region currently belongs to Ukraine, which has been an independent state since 1991. It consists primarily of the former imperial Russian administrative province of Novorossiia (not including Bessarabia, which for a time was administered as part of Novorossiia) and the Crimean Peninsula, including the adjoining areas to the north. The article also discusses how the region, which has been inhabited by Scythians, Sarmatians, Greeks, Romans, Goths, Huns, Khazars, Italians, Tatars, East Slavs and others, fitted into broader geographical and political contexts. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Space of Myths and Legends 3. The Northern Black Sea Region in Classical Antiquity 4. From the Khazar Empire to the Crimean Khanate and the Ottomans 5. Russian Rule: The Region as Novorossiia 6. World War, Revolutions and Soviet Rule 7. From the Second World War until the End of the Soviet Union 8. Summary and Future Perspective 9. Appendix 1. Sources 2. Literature 3. Notes Indices Citation Introduction
    [Show full text]
  • Holocaust and World War II Timeline 1933 1934 1935
    Holocaust and World War II Timeline 1933 January 30 German President Paul von Hindenburg appoints Adolf Hitler Chancellor of Germany Feb. 27-28 German Reichstag (Parliament) mysteriously burns down, government treats it as an act of terrorism Feb. 28 Decree passed which suspends the civil rights granted by the German constitution March 4 Franklin Delano Roosevelt inaugurated President of the United States March 22 Dachau concentration camp opens as a prison camp for political dissidents March 23 Reichstag passes the Enabling Act, empowering Hitler to establish a dictatorship April 1 Nationwide Nazi organized boycott of Jewish shops and businesses April 7 Laws for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service bars Jews from holding civil service, university, and state positions April 26 Gestapo established May 10 Public burning of books written by Jews, political dissidents, and others July 14 The Nazi Party is declared the only legal party in Germany. Law on the Revocation of Naturalization stripping East European Jewish immigrants, as well as Roma (Gypsies), of German citizenship 1934 June 20 The SS (Schutzstaffel or Protection Squad), under Heinrich Himmler, is established as an independent organization. June 30 Night of the Long Knives – members of the Nazi party and police murdered members of the Nazi leadership, army and others on Hitler’s orders. Ernst Röhm, leader of the SA was killed. August 2 President von Hindenburg dies. Hitler proclaims himself Führer. Armed forces must now swear allegiance to him Oct. 7 Jehovah’s Witness congregations submit standardized letters to the government declaring their political neutrality Oct.-Nov. First major arrests of homosexuals throughout Germany Dec.
    [Show full text]