German-occupied Europe

A long time ago, a big war began. A group in Germany took over many lands. They took control of much of Europe. This was very unfair to many people.

They put many people in camps. Many people died in these camps. Later, other armies won the war. They helped free the people. It is important to remember this history.

Between 1938 and 1945, Nazi Germany took control of much of Europe.

This group was led by Adolf Hitler. Their actions led to World War II in 1939. Germany and Italy were part of a group called the Axis powers. At one time, they ruled over half of the people in Europe.

Germany took over many different lands. They moved into places like Poland.

In some places, the local leaders had to flee. They set up new governments in other countries. These were called governments in exile.

During this time, Germany ran many concentration camps. These were places where people were held as prisoners. Many different groups were arrested. This included Jews and people from occupied lands. About 1.65 million people were registered in these camps. Sadly, about one million people died there. Many more died later during the war. In 1944 and 1945, other armies won battles. They moved in to free the people from the camps.

Between 1938 and 1945, Nazi Germany took control of many lands in Europe.

This group was led by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party. Their actions caused World War II to begin in 1939. Germany worked with Italy and other Axis powers. At their peak in 1941 and 1942, they ruled more than half of Europe's people. They used military force and new governments to hold this power. This period changed the history of the entire continent forever.

Germany controlled land in many different ways. They used direct administration to run places. They also used military occupation to keep order. Some areas became puppet states, which means they had their own leaders but followed German rules.

The German military, called the Wehrmacht, held land in many directions. They reached as far north as Franz Josef Land in the Soviet Union. They reached as far south as Gavdos in Greece. They also held land as far west as Ushant in France.

Many countries were forced into this situation. Some countries like Czechoslovakia had to surrender before the war even started. Others, like Poland, were invaded on 1 September 1939. When Germany took over, some local governments had to leave. These leaders formed governments in exile in other countries. Some countries were officially neutral during the war. Other countries, like Italy and Hungary, were former Axis members that Germany later occupied.

Germany also ran thousands of concentration camps during this time.

The first camps were made in March 1933. The SS, a group within the Nazi party, ran these camps. At first, they held members of the Communist Party. Later, they arrested many others, including Jews and people from occupied lands. About 1.65 million people were registered as prisoners in these camps. Sadly, about one million of those people died during their time there. Many more people, including 4.7 million Soviet prisoners, died during the war.

These camps were eventually closed as the war ended. Allied armies won battles and began to free the prisoners in 1944 and 1945.

However, many people died during the difficult marches away from the camps. This dark part of history is often called the Holocaust. It happened because of the large network of camps in places like Poland. Understanding this time helps us learn about how people fought for freedom. It shows how much the world changed after the war ended.

Between 1938 and 1945, Nazi Germany controlled vast territories across Europe.

This period of occupation was driven by the expansionist campaigns of the Nazi Party under Adolf Hitler. These actions eventually led to the start of World War II in 1939. At its peak during 1941 and 1942, Germany and its Axis allies, such as Italy, governed more than half of Europe's entire population. This control was maintained through various methods including direct administration, military occupation, and the creation of puppet states.

A puppet state is a country that has its own leaders but must follow the rules of a stronger power.

The German military, known as the Wehrmacht, held territory across a massive geographic range. Their influence reached as far north as Franz Josef Land in the Soviet Union. To the south, they occupied areas as far as Gavdos in Greece. Their western reach extended to Ushant in France. Even in the extreme north, German weather stations operated in Schatzgräber within Alexandra Land. While the German navy, the Kriegsmarine, operated all over the world, it focused heavily on the North Atlantic and the North Sea to maintain hegemony. Hegemony refers to the dominant influence or control one group holds over others.

Different nations experienced the war in different ways. Some countries, like Czechoslovakia, were forced to surrender before the war even began. Others were conquered during active combat, such as Poland, which was invaded on 1 September 1939.

When Germany occupied a nation, the original government might go into exile. These governments-in-exile were often formed by citizens living in other Allied countries. Some nations remained officially neutral throughout the conflict. Interestingly, some countries that were originally part of the Axis powers, such as Italy and Hungary, were later occupied by German forces.

A central and dark part of this occupation was the operation of thousands of concentration camps.

The first camps were established in March 1933, shortly after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor. Following a 1934 purge of the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Schutzstaffel, or SS, took exclusive control of the camps. The SS managed them through the Concentration Camps Inspectorate and later the SS Main Economic and Administrative Office. Initially, the camps held members of the Communist Party of Germany. Over time, the groups being arrested expanded to include "asocials," habitual criminals, and Jews.

As the war progressed, the population within these camps changed significantly. In Western Europe, the German authorities focused on arresting saboteurs and resistance fighters. In Eastern Europe, the approach was different and much broader. The Nazis used mass roundups to implement population policies and to force people into labor.

This resulted in a high number of Eastern Europeans, particularly Poles, making up the majority of the population in certain camps. Many people from various nationalities were also transferred to the Auschwitz camp or sent to local facilities.

The scale of human loss in these camps was immense. Records show that approximately 1.65 million people were registered as prisoners. Of these individuals, about one million died during their imprisonment. This network of camps, especially in Poland, facilitated the events known as the Holocaust. The numbers grew even higher as the war continued. By January 1945, at least 4.7 million Soviet prisoners had been registered. Most of these fatalities occurred during the second half of the war.

By 1944 and 1945, Allied military victories led to the gradual liberation of the camps. However, the end of the war brought more hardship for many survivors. Hundreds of thousands of prisoners died during what were known as death marches.

These marches occurred as people were moved during the shifting front lines of the war. The occupation of Europe remains a major subject of study in history. It shows how military power, political shifts, and systemic injustice can reshape an entire continent.