Difference between revisions of "Wannsee Conference"
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| − | The '''Wannsee Conference''' took place in the [[Berlin]] suburb of Wannsee, [[Germany]] in late January 1942 during [[World War II]]. It was called to announce and coordinate secret plans with several high-level [[Nazi]] ministers and functionaries the implementation of the [[Holocaust]], or the attempt to murder all [[European]] [[Jews]].<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/h-wannsee.htm</ref> The conference was chaired by [[Reinhard Heydrich]], SS Reichfuhrer [[Heinrich Himmler]]'s chief deputy. Heydrich had been commissioned by Reichmarshall [[Hermann Göring]] in late July 1941,<ref>Göring had been designated [[Hitler]]'s successor after deputy Fuhrer [[Rudolf Hess]]'s flight to [[England]] in May 1941, hence the order from Göring was interpreted to mean the Reich Marshall outranked the Reich Fuhrer in the Nazi hierarchy, although the Fuhrer outranked a Field Marshall in the regular German military.</ref> shortly after the commencement of [[Operation Barbarossa]] | + | The '''Wannsee Conference''' took place in the [[Berlin]] suburb of Wannsee, [[Germany]] in late January 1942 during [[World War II]]. It was called to announce and coordinate secret plans with several high-level [[Nazi]] ministers and functionaries the implementation of the [[Holocaust]], or the attempt to murder all [[European]] [[Jews]].<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/h-wannsee.htm</ref> The conference was chaired by [[Reinhard Heydrich]], SS Reichfuhrer [[Heinrich Himmler]]'s chief deputy. Heydrich had been commissioned by Reichmarshall [[Hermann Göring]] in late July 1941,<ref>Göring had been designated [[Hitler]]'s successor after deputy Fuhrer [[Rudolf Hess]]'s flight to [[England]] in May 1941, hence the order from Göring was interpreted to mean the Reich Marshall outranked the Reich Fuhrer in the Nazi hierarchy, although the Fuhrer outranked a Field Marshall in the regular German military.</ref> shortly after the commencement of [[Operation Barbarossa]], the invasion of the Soviet Republics of [[Ukraine]], [[Belarus]], [[Russia]], the [[Baltic states]] and [[Caucuses]], to formulate a "Final Solution to the Jewish Question". Heydrich and his chief assistant, [[Adolf Eichmann]], had worked out plans with many details between July 1941 and January 1942, or between the time Hitler violated the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop pact]] by invading the [[Soviet Union]], and Hitler's declaration of war against the [[United States]] following the [[Japanese]] attack on [[Pearl Harbor]] which brought about a general state of world war. Documentation of what was discussed at the secret conference survived the war in the form of minutes transcribed by Eichmann. |
Having driven most Jews out of Germany in the pre-war years, only about 36,000 remained. With the invasions of [[Poland]] and [[Western Europe]], the Nazi occupying forces considered themselves challenged once again with administering territories with large Jewish populations, not only of native populations but many Jewish refugees from Germany in the 1930s. Additionally, Eichmann calculated that 11 million [[Jews]] lived in the Soviet Republics which the Germans had invaded to create ''[[Lebensraum]]'' (living room or living space). | Having driven most Jews out of Germany in the pre-war years, only about 36,000 remained. With the invasions of [[Poland]] and [[Western Europe]], the Nazi occupying forces considered themselves challenged once again with administering territories with large Jewish populations, not only of native populations but many Jewish refugees from Germany in the 1930s. Additionally, Eichmann calculated that 11 million [[Jews]] lived in the Soviet Republics which the Germans had invaded to create ''[[Lebensraum]]'' (living room or living space). | ||
Revision as of 18:30, October 29, 2023
The Wannsee Conference took place in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee, Germany in late January 1942 during World War II. It was called to announce and coordinate secret plans with several high-level Nazi ministers and functionaries the implementation of the Holocaust, or the attempt to murder all European Jews.[1] The conference was chaired by Reinhard Heydrich, SS Reichfuhrer Heinrich Himmler's chief deputy. Heydrich had been commissioned by Reichmarshall Hermann Göring in late July 1941,[2] shortly after the commencement of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Republics of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, the Baltic states and Caucuses, to formulate a "Final Solution to the Jewish Question". Heydrich and his chief assistant, Adolf Eichmann, had worked out plans with many details between July 1941 and January 1942, or between the time Hitler violated the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact by invading the Soviet Union, and Hitler's declaration of war against the United States following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which brought about a general state of world war. Documentation of what was discussed at the secret conference survived the war in the form of minutes transcribed by Eichmann.
Having driven most Jews out of Germany in the pre-war years, only about 36,000 remained. With the invasions of Poland and Western Europe, the Nazi occupying forces considered themselves challenged once again with administering territories with large Jewish populations, not only of native populations but many Jewish refugees from Germany in the 1930s. Additionally, Eichmann calculated that 11 million Jews lived in the Soviet Republics which the Germans had invaded to create Lebensraum (living room or living space).
The conference itself did not take very long, highlighting the eagerness and willingness of the Nazis to carry out the Holocaust.
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/h-wannsee.htm
- ↑ Göring had been designated Hitler's successor after deputy Fuhrer Rudolf Hess's flight to England in May 1941, hence the order from Göring was interpreted to mean the Reich Marshall outranked the Reich Fuhrer in the Nazi hierarchy, although the Fuhrer outranked a Field Marshall in the regular German military.
