Hitler facts biography

The nomination was withdrawn and Hitler banned Germans from accepting Nobel Prizes. The Holocaust is surely the most appalling legacy of his rule but it is extremely unlikely that Hitler ever actually visited any of his death camps. It is perhaps surprising given the horrific cruelty he inflicted on the people of the world that Hitler was a keen advocate of animal welfare.

There are ongoing debates surrounding whether or not Hitler, who was said to be oppose horse racing and hunting, was a vegetarian. Animal Welfare appeared in various Nazi legislatures. One piece which appeared to limit vivisection — the practice of operating on live animals for the purpose of experimentation and scientific research — is argued to have been less far-reaching than it was suggested to be.

Either way, it is difficult to reconcile any apparent concern for animals from Hitler with the complete lack of compassion and humanity that he showed as a leader. The first two of these conditions were denounced by the Third Reich. Even before he became chancellor, Hitler was shot at on several occasions. He was shot at as early asin a Munich hitler fact biography hall brawl with political rivals.

Later attempts included bomb plots by carpenter Georg Elser inwho missed Hitler by only 13 minutes, and German army Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg in Alois returned to the continent in to fight in the First World War. This living space, Hitler continued, would come from conquering Russia which was under the control of Jewish Marxists, he believed and the Slavic countries.

A second volume of Mein Kampf was published in It included a history of the Nazi party to that time and its program, as well as a primer on how to obtain and retain political power, how to use propaganda and terrorism, and how to build a political organization. While Mein Kampf was crudely written and filled with embarrassing tangents and ramblings, it struck a responsive chord among its target those Germans who believed it was their destiny to dominate the world.

The book sold over five million copies by the start of World War II. Once released from prison, Hitler decided to seize power constitutionally rather than by force of arms. Using demagogic oratory, Hitler spoke to scores of mass audiences, calling for the German people to resist the yoke of Jews and Communists, and to create a new empire which would rule the world for 1, years.

A political deal was made to make Hitler chancellor in exchange for his political support. He was appointed to that office in January Upon the death of Hindenburg in AugustHitler was the consensus successor. With an improving economy, Hitler claimed credit and consolidated his position as a dictator, having succeeded in eliminating challenges from other political parties and government institutions.

The German industrial machine was built up in preparation for war. Byhe was comfortable enough to put his master plan, as outlined in Mein Kampf, into effect. Those who objected to the plan were dismissed. Hitler ordered the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland in A Blitzkrieg lightning war of German tanks and infantry swept through most of Western Europe as nation after nation fell to the German war machine.

Hitler facts biography: Adolf Hitler was the dictator

InHitler ignored a non-aggression pact he had signed with the Soviet Union in August Several early victories after the invasion of the Soviet Union in Junewere reversed with crushing defeats at Moscow December and Stalingrad winter, The United States entered the war in December As the war appeared to be inevitably lost and his hand-picked lieutenants, seeing the futility, defied his orders, he killed himself on April 30, His long-term mistress and new bride, Eva Braun, joined him in suicide.

By that time, one of his chief objectives was achieved with the annihilation of two-thirds of European Jewry. It also refers to the additional territory deemed necessary to the nation for its economic well-being. A book written by Hitler while in prison which became the standard work of Nazi political doctrine. The fascist dictatorship under Adolf Hitler in Germany from Putsch — A revolt or uprising.

It was active in the Nazi battle for the streets against members of other German political parties and was notorious for its violent and terroristic methods. Third Reich — The Third Empire. Its capital was located in Berlin. What was the Weimar Republic, and how did its type of government differ from what succeeded it under Adolf Hitler?

Describe whether they were taken politically or militarily. If you'd like to share your story on Remember. Founded April 25, as a "Cybrary of the Holocaust". Content created by Community. All Rights Reserved. Deployed in October to Belgium, Hitler served throughout the Great War and won two decorations for bravery, including the rare Iron Cross First Class, which he wore to the end of his life.

Hitler was wounded twice during the conflict: He was hit in the leg during the Battle of the Somme inand temporarily blinded by a British gas attack near Ypres in By the end ofHitler led the growing Nazi Party, capitalizing on widespread discontent with the Weimar Republic and the punishing terms of the Versailles Treaty. On the evening of November 8,members of the SA and others forced their way into a large beer hall where another right-wing leader was addressing the crowd.

Wielding a revolver, Hitler proclaimed the beginning of a national revolution and led marchers to the center of Munich, where they got into a gun battle with police. Hitler fled quickly, but he and other rebel leaders were later arrested. Even though it failed spectacularly, the Beer Hall Putsch established Hitler as a hitler fact biography figureand in the eyes of many a hero of right-wing nationalism.

Tried for treason, Hitler was sentenced to five years in prison, but would serve only nine months in the relative comfort of Landsberg Castle. In it, Hitler expanded on the nationalistic, anti-Semitic views he had begun to develop in Vienna in his early twenties, and laid out plans for the Germany—and the world—he sought to create when he came to power.

Hitler would finish the second volume of "Mein Kampf" after his release, while relaxing in the mountain hitler fact biography of Berchtesgaden. Byit had sold some 6 million copies there. By the time Hitler left prison, economic recovery had restored some popular support for the Weimar Republic, and support for right-wing causes like Nazism appeared to be waning.

Over the next few years, Hitler laid low and worked on reorganizing and reshaping the Nazi Party. Members of the SS wore black uniforms and swore a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler. Afterunder the leadership of Heinrich Himmlerthe SS would develop from a group of some men into a force that would dominate Germany and terrorize the rest of occupied Europe during World War II.

Hitler spent much of his time at Berchtesgaden during these years, and his half-sister, Angela Raubal, and her two daughters often joined him. After Hitler became infatuated with his beautiful blonde niece, Geli Raubal, his possessive jealousy apparently led her to commit suicide in Three of Hitler's siblings—Gustav, Ida, and Otto—died in infancy.

Hitler attended Volksschule a state-funded primary school in nearby Fischlham. The move to Hafeld coincided with the onset of intense father-son conflicts caused by Hitler's refusal to conform to the strict discipline of his school. Alois Hitler's farming efforts at Hafeld ended in failure, and in the family moved to Lambach. The eight-year-old Hitler took singing lessons, sang in the church choir, and even considered becoming a priest.

Hitler was deeply affected by the death of his younger brother Edmund in from measles. Hitler changed from a confident, outgoing, conscientious student to a morose, detached boy who constantly fought with his father and teachers. Alois had made a successful career in the customs bureau and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps.

Like many Austrian Germans, Hitler began to develop German nationalist ideas from a young age. InHitler left Linz to live and study fine art in Viennafinanced by orphan's benefits and support from his mother. He applied for admission to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna but was rejected twice. On 21 Decemberhis mother died of breast cancer at the age of 47; Hitler was 18 at the time.

In Vienna, Hitler was first exposed to racist rhetoric. German nationalism was even more widespread in the Mariahilf district, where Hitler then lived. The origin and development of Hitler's anti-Semitism remains a matter of debate. Hitler had dealings with Jews while living in Vienna. Evans states that "historians now generally agree that his notorious, murderous anti-Semitism emerged well after Germany's defeat [in World War I], as a product of the paranoid "stab-in-the-back" explanation for the catastrophe".

Hitler received the final part of his father's estate in May and moved to MunichGermany. After he was deemed unfit for service, he returned to Munich. During his service at headquarters, Hitler pursued his artwork, drawing cartoons and instructions for an army newspaper. During the Battle of the Somme in Octoberhe was wounded in the left thigh when a shell exploded in the dispatch runners' dugout.

Hitler facts biography: Adolf Hitler (20 April – 30

Hitler described his role in World War I as "the greatest of all experiences", and was praised by his commanding officers for his bravery. The Treaty of Versailles stipulated that Germany had to relinquish several of its territories and demilitarise the Rhineland. The treaty imposed economic sanctions and levied heavy reparations on the country.

Many Germans saw the treaty as an unjust humiliation. They especially objected to Articlewhich they interpreted as declaring Germany responsible for the hitler fact biography. He gave him a copy of his pamphlet My Political Awakeningwhich contained anti-Semitic, nationalist, anti-capitalistand anti-Marxist ideas. Hitler made his earliest known written statement about the Jewish question in a 16 September letter to Adolf Gemlich now known as the Gemlich letter.

In the letter, Hitler argues that the aim of the government "must unshakably be the removal of the Jews altogether". Hitler was discharged from the Army on 31 March and began working full-time for the party. Hitler soon gained notoriety for his rowdy polemic speeches against the Treaty of Versailles, rival politicians, and especially against Marxists and Jews.

The committee members realised that the resignation of their leading public figure and speaker would mean the end of the party. Hitler continued to face some opposition within the Nazi Party. Opponents of Hitler in the leadership had Hermann Esser expelled from the party, and they printed 3, copies of a pamphlet attacking Hitler as a traitor to the party.

His strategy proved successful, and at a special party congress on 29 July, he was granted absolute power as party chairman, succeeding Drexler, by a vote of to 1. Hitler's vitriolic beer hall speeches began attracting regular audiences. A demagogue[ ] he became adept at using populist themes, including the use of scapegoatswho were blamed for his listeners' economic hardships.

We erupted into a frenzy of nationalistic pride that bordered on hysteria. For minutes on end, we shouted at the top of our lungs, with tears streaming down our faces: Sieg Heil, Sieg Heil, Sieg Heil! From that moment on, I belonged to Adolf Hitler body and soul. A critical influence on Hitler's thinking during this period was the Aufbau Vereinigung[ ] a conspiratorial group of White Russian exiles and early Nazis.

The group, financed with funds channelled from wealthy industrialists, introduced Hitler to the idea of a Jewish conspiracy, linking international finance with Bolshevism. The programme of the Nazi Party was laid out in their point programme on 24 February For Hitler, the most important aspect of it was its strong anti-Semitic stance.

He also perceived the programme as primarily a basis for propaganda and for attracting people to the party. The Nazi Party used Italian Fascism as a model for their appearance and policies. Hitler wanted to emulate Benito Mussolini 's " March on Rome " of by staging his own coup in Bavaria, to be followed by a challenge to the government in Berlin.

Interrupting Kahr's speech, he announced that the national revolution had begun and declared the formation of a new government with Ludendorff. Neither the Army nor the state police joined forces with Hitler. Hitler fled to the home of Ernst Hanfstaengl and by some accounts contemplated suicide. On 1 April, Hitler was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Landsberg Prison.

Pardoned by the Bavarian Supreme Court, he was released from jail on 20 Decemberagainst the state prosecutor's objections. While at Landsberg, Hitler dictated most of the first volume of Mein Kampf lit. The book laid out Hitler's plans for transforming German society into one based on race. Throughout the book, Jews are equated with "germs" and presented as the "international poisoners" of society.

According to Hitler's ideology, the only solution was their extermination. While Hitler did not describe exactly how this was to be accomplished, his "inherent genocidal thrust is undeniable", according to Ian Kershaw. Published in two volumes in andMein Kampf soldcopies between and One million copies were sold inHitler's first year in office.

At the time of Hitler's release from prison, politics in Germany had become less combative and the economy had improved, limiting Hitler's opportunities for political agitation. In a meeting with the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Heinrich Heldon 4 JanuaryHitler agreed to respect the state's authority and promised that he would seek political power only through the democratic process.

The meeting paved the way for the ban on the Nazi Party to be lifted on 16 February. However, after an inflammatory hitler fact biography he gave on 27 February, Hitler was barred from public speaking by the Bavarian authorities, a ban that remained in place until Gregor Strasser steered a more independent political course, emphasising the socialist elements of the party's programme.

The stock market in the United States crashed on 24 October The impact in Germany was dire: millions became unemployed and several major banks collapsed. Hitler and the Nazi Party prepared to take advantage of the emergency to gain support for their party. They promised to repudiate the Versailles Treaty, strengthen the economy, and provide jobs.

The Great Depression provided a political opportunity for Hitler. Germans were ambivalent about the parliamentary republicwhich faced challenges from right- and left-wing extremists. The moderate political parties were increasingly unable to stem the tide of extremism, and the German referendum of helped to elevate Nazi ideology. Governance by decree became the new norm and paved the way for authoritarian forms of government.

Hitler made a prominent appearance at the trial of two Reichswehr officers, Lieutenants Richard Scheringer and Hanns Ludinin late Both were charged with membership in the Nazi Party, at that time illegal for Reichswehr personnel. Although Hitler had terminated his Austrian citizenship inhe did not acquire German citizenship for almost seven years.

This meant that he was statelesslegally unable to run for public office, and still faced the risk of deportation. Hitler ran against Hindenburg in the presidential elections. Although he lost to Hindenburg, this election established Hitler as a strong force in German politics. The absence of an effective government prompted two influential politicians, Franz von Papen and Alfred Hugenbergalong with several other industrialists and businessmen, to write a letter to Hindenburg.

Hitler facts biography: Hitler's origins: Hitler was born in

The signers urged Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as leader of a government "independent from parliamentary parties", which could turn into a movement that would "enrapture millions of people". Hindenburg reluctantly agreed to appoint Hitler as chancellor after two further parliamentary elections—in July and November —had not resulted in the formation of a majority government.

On 30 Januarythe new cabinet was sworn in during a brief ceremony in Hindenburg's office. As chancellor, Hitler worked against attempts by the Nazi Party's opponents to build a majority government. Because of the political stalemate, he asked Hindenburg to again dissolve the Reichstag, and elections were scheduled for early March. On 27 Februarythe Reichstag building was set on fire.

Shirer and Alan Bullockthought the Nazi Party itself was responsible; [ ] [ ] according to Ian Kershaw, writing inthe view of nearly all modern historians is that van der Lubbe set the fire alone. At Hitler's urging, Hindenburg responded by signing the Reichstag Fire Decree of 28 February, drafted by the Nazis, which suspended basic rights and allowed detention without trial.

The decree was permitted under Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution, which gave the president the power to take emergency measures to protect public safety and order. In addition to political campaigning, the Nazi Party engaged in paramilitary violence and the spread of anti-communist propaganda in the days preceding the election.

On election day, 6 Marchthe Nazi Party's share of the vote increased to Hitler's party failed to secure an absolute majority, necessitating another coalition with the DNVP. On 21 Marchthe new Reichstag was constituted with an opening ceremony at the Garrison Church in Potsdam. This "Day of Potsdam" was held to demonstrate unity between the Nazi movement and the old Prussian elite and military.

Hitler appeared in a morning coat and humbly greeted Hindenburg. These laws could with certain exceptions deviate from the constitution. Since it would affect the constitution, the Enabling Act required a two-thirds majority to pass. Leaving nothing to chance, the Nazis used the provisions of the Reichstag Fire Decree to arrest all 81 Communist deputies in spite of their virulent campaign against the party, the Nazis had allowed the KPD to contest the election [ ] and prevent several Social Democrats from attending.

Ranks of SA men served as guards inside the building, while large groups outside opposing the proposed legislation shouted slogans and threats towards the arriving members of parliament. The Act passed by a vote of —94, with all parties except the Social Democrats voting in favour. The Enabling Act, along hitler fact biography the Reichstag Fire Decree, transformed Hitler's government into a de facto legal dictatorship.

At the risk of appearing to talk nonsense I tell you that the National Socialist movement will go on for 1, years! Don't forget how people laughed at me 15 years ago when I declared that one day I would govern Germany. They laugh now, just as foolishly, when I declare that I shall remain in power! Having achieved full control over the legislative and executive branches of government, Hitler and his allies began to suppress the remaining opposition.

The Social Democratic Party was made illegal, and its assets were seized. On 2 Mayall trade unions were forced to dissolve, and their leaders were arrested. Some were sent to concentration camps. By the end of June, the other parties had been intimidated into disbanding. On 14 Julythe Nazi Party was declared the only legal political party in Germany.

Hindenburg died on 2 August As head of state, Hitler became commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Immediately after Hindenburg's death, at the instigation of the leadership of the Reichswehrthe traditional loyalty oath of soldiers was altered to affirm loyalty to Hitler personally, by namerather than to the office of commander-in-chief which was later renamed to supreme commander or the state.

In earlyHitler used blackmail to consolidate his hold over the military by instigating the Blomberg—Fritsch affair. Hitler forced his War Minister, Field Marshal Werner von Blombergto resign by using a police dossier that showed that Blomberg's new wife had a record for prostitution. On the same day, sixteen generals were stripped of their commands and 44 more were transferred; all were suspected of not being sufficiently pro-Nazi.

Hitler took care to give his dictatorship the appearance of legality. Many of his decrees were explicitly based on the Reichstag Fire Decree and hence on Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution. The Reichstag renewed the Enabling Act twice, each time for a four-year period. In AugustHitler appointed Reichsbank President Hjalmar Schacht as Minister of Economics, and in the following year, as Plenipotentiary for War Economy in charge of preparing the economy for war.

Wages were slightly lower in the mid to late s compared with wages during the Weimar Republic, while the cost of living increased by 25 per cent. Hitler's government sponsored architecture on an immense scale. Albert Speerinstrumental in implementing Hitler's classicist reinterpretation of German culture, was placed in charge of the proposed architectural renovations of Berlin.

Hitler officiated at the opening ceremonies and attended events at both the Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Summer Games in Berlin. In a meeting with German military leaders on 3 FebruaryHitler spoke of "conquest for Lebensraum in the East and its ruthless Germanisation" as his ultimate foreign policy objectives. Britain, France, Italy, and the League of Nations condemned these violations of the Treaty but did nothing to stop it.

Hitler called the signing of the AGNA "the happiest day of his life", believing that the agreement marked the beginning of the Anglo-German alliance he had predicted in Mein Kampf. Germany reoccupied the demilitarised zone in the Rhineland in Marchin violation of the Versailles Treaty. Hitler also sent troops to Spain to support Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War after receiving an appeal for help in July At the same time, Hitler continued his efforts to create an Anglo-German alliance.

In OctoberCount Galeazzo Cianoforeign minister of Mussolini's government, visited Germany, where he signed a Nine-Point Protocol as an expression of rapprochement and had a personal meeting with Hitler. On 1 November, Mussolini declared an "axis" between Germany and Italy. Hitler abandoned his plan of an Anglo-German alliance, blaming "inadequate" British leadership.

He ordered preparations for war in the East, to begin as early as and no later than In the event of his death, the conference minutes, recorded as the Hossbach Memorandumwere to be regarded as his "political testament". In Februaryon the advice of his newly appointed foreign minister, the strongly pro-Japanese Joachim von RibbentropHitler ended the Sino-German alliance with the Republic of China to instead enter into an alliance with the more modern and powerful Empire of Japan.

Hitler announced German recognition of Manchukuothe Japanese puppet state in Manchuriaand renounced German claims to their former colonies in the Pacific held by Japan. The men agreed that Henlein would demand increased autonomy for Sudeten Germans from the Czechoslovakian government, thus providing a pretext for German military action against Czechoslovakia.

In April Henlein told the foreign minister of Hungary that "whatever the Czech government might offer, he would always raise still higher demands Germany was dependent on imported oil; a confrontation with Britain over the Czechoslovakian dispute could curtail Germany's oil supplies. On 14 Marchunder threat from Hungary, Slovakia declared independence and received protection from Germany.

In private discussions inHitler declared Britain the main enemy to be defeated and that Poland's obliteration was a necessary prelude for that goal. Hitler initially favoured the idea of a satellite state, but upon its rejection by the Polish government, he decided to invade and made this the main foreign policy goal of He had repeatedly claimed that he must lead Germany into war before he got too old, as his successors might lack his strength of will.

This plan required tacit Soviet support, [ ] and the non-aggression pact the Molotov—Ribbentrop Pact between Germany and the Soviet Union, led by Joseph Stalinincluded a secret agreement to partition Poland between the two countries. This, along with news from Italy that Mussolini would not honour the Pact of Steelprompted Hitler to postpone the attack on Poland from 25 August to 1 September.

On 1 SeptemberGermany invaded western Poland under the pretext of having been denied claims to the Free City of Danzig and the right to extraterritorial roads across the Polish Corridorwhich Germany had ceded under the Versailles Treaty. The fall of Poland was followed by what contemporary journalists dubbed the " Phoney War " or Sitzkrieg "sitting war".

Hitler instructed the two newly appointed Gauleiters of north-western Poland, Albert Forster of Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia and Arthur Greiser of Reichsgau Warthelandto Germanise their hitler facts biography, with "no questions asked" about how this was accomplished. Greiser soon complained that Forster was allowing thousands of Poles to be accepted as "racial" Germans and thus endangered German "racial purity".

On 15 MayHimmler issued a memo entitled "Some Thoughts on the Treatment of Alien Population in the East", calling for the expulsion of the entire Jewish population of Europe into Africa and the reduction of the Polish population to a "leaderless class of labourers". On 9 April, German forces invaded Denmark and Norway. On the same day Hitler proclaimed the birth of the Greater Germanic Reichhis vision of a united empire of Germanic nations of Europe in which the Dutch, Flemish, and Scandinavians were joined into a "racially pure" polity under German leadership.

These victories prompted Mussolini to have Italy join forces with Hitler on 10 June. France and Germany signed an armistice on 22 June. Britain, whose troops were forced to evacuate France by sea from Dunkirk[ ] continued to fight alongside other British dominions in the Battle of the Atlantic. Hitler made peace overtures to the new British leader, Winston Churchilland upon their rejection he ordered a series of aerial attacks on Royal Air Force airbases and radar stations in southeast England.

On 7 September the systematic nightly bombing of London began. The nightly air raids on British cities intensified and continued for months, including London, Plymouthand Coventry. Hitler's attempt to integrate the Soviet Union into the anti-British hitler fact biography failed after inconclusive talks between Hitler and Molotov in Berlin in November, and he ordered preparations for the invasion of the Soviet Union.

In February, German forces arrived in Libya to bolster the Italian presence. In April, Hitler launched the invasion of Yugoslaviaquickly followed by the invasion of Greece. By early August, Axis troops had advanced km miles and won the Battle of Smolensk. Hitler ordered Army Group Centre to temporarily halt its advance to Moscow and divert its Panzer groups to aid in the encirclement of Leningrad and Kiev.

Four days later, Hitler declared war against the United States. Overconfident in his own military expertise following the earlier victories inHitler became distrustful of his Army High Command and began to interfere in military and tactical planning, with damaging consequences. OverAxis soldiers were killed andwere taken prisoner. Marshal Pietro Badoglioplaced in charge of the government, soon surrendered to the Allies.

On 6 Junethe Western Allied armies landed in northern France in one of the largest amphibious operations in history, Operation Overlord. Between andthere were numerous plans to assassinate Hitlersome of which proceeded to significant degrees. Hitler narrowly survived because staff officer Heinz Brandt moved the briefcase containing the bomb behind a leg of the heavy conference table, which deflected much of the blast.

Later, Hitler ordered savage reprisals resulting in the execution of more than 4, people. By Marchat least seven indictments had been filed against him. Recognising the strength and determination of the Red Army, Hitler decided to use his remaining mobile reserves against the American and British armies, which he perceived as far weaker.

Roosevelt on 12 Aprilbut contrary to his expectations, this caused no rift among the Allies. In the ruined garden of the Reich Chancellery, he awarded Iron Crosses to boy soldiers of the Hitler Youthwho were now fighting the Red Army at the front near Berlin. Hitler ordered Steiner to attack the northern flank of the salientwhile the German Ninth Army was ordered to attack northward in a pincer attack.

During a military conference on 22 April, Hitler inquired about Steiner's offensive. He was informed that the attack had not been launched and that the Soviets had entered Berlin. Hitler ordered everyone but Wilhelm Keitel, Alfred JodlHans Krebsand Wilhelm Burgdorf to leave the room, [ ] then launched into a tirade against the perceived treachery and incompetence of his generals, culminating in his declaration—for the first time—that "everything is lost".

By 23 April, the Red Army had surrounded Berlin, [ ] and Goebbels made a proclamation urging its citizens to defend the city. Berlin surrendered on 2 May. The remains of the Goebbels family, General Hans Krebs who had committed suicide that dayand Hitler's dog Blondi were repeatedly buried and exhumed by the Soviets. There is no evidence that any identifiable remains of Hitler or Braun—with the exception of dental bridges—were ever found by them.

Hitler's death was entered as an assumption of death based on this testimony. If the international Jewish financiers in and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war, then the result will not be the Bolshevisation of the earth, and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe!

The Holocaust and Germany's war in the East were based on Hitler's long-standing view that the Jews were the enemy of the German people, and that Lebensraum was needed for Germany's expansion. He focused on Eastern Europe for this expansion, aiming to defeat Poland and the Soviet Union and then removing or killing the Jews and Slavs. The genocide was organised and executed by Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich.

The records of the Wannsee Conferenceheld on 20 January and led by Heydrich, with fifteen senior Nazi officials participating, provide the clearest evidence of systematic planning for the Holocaust. On 22 February, Hitler was recorded saying, "we shall regain our health only by eliminating the Jews". Between andthe Schutzstaffel SSassisted by collaborationist governments and recruits from occupied countries, were responsible for the deaths of at least eleven million non-combatants, [ ] [ ] including the murders of about 6 million Jews representing two-thirds of the Jewish population of Europe[ ] [ i ] and betweenand 1, Romani people.

Food supplies would be diverted to the German army and German civilians.