This year, the focus of Holocaust memorial day centres on the idea that of 'ordinary people' both help facilitate and are the victims of genocidal events.
The Nazi holocaust of the Second World War is a case in point. Thousands of 'ordinary' people were involved - either knowingly or unknowingly - in the Nazi machine of industrial scale murder. But how did so many 'normal' Germans become involved and embroiled in such a deplorable scheme?
The answer to this is long and complicated and I am not sure if anyone has really found the answer as of yet. But having a look through a timeline of events from 1933 to 1945 can help to see how individual policies, decisions and actions taken over 12 years, eventually added up to the murder of six million men, women and children.
So, for your viewing pleasure, here is one such timeline covering many of the important events of The Holocaust.
1933
30th January: Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany, leading a coalition of Nazis and conservatives.
22nd March: Dachau concentration camp established.
23rd March: The Reichstag passes the Enabling Act, giving Hitler dictatorial powers.
1st April: First officially organised boycott of Jewish shops.
7th April: Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service removes Jews and socialists from government employment
1935
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
This is as comprehensive a timeline as I could put together but it is far from a definitive list or time line of activities. Of course, if any reader has any more details that I can use to improve the timeline, please do get in touch!!
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