Bulgaria joins the Axis alliance
The Balkan nation of Bulgaria joins the Nazi Axis.
Warsaw ghetto sealed
Poland's largest ghetto is established and closed off to the outside world. Ulimately, nearly 500,000 Jews will be imprisoned in the ghetto, victims of inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, and arbitrary violence.
Polish political prisoners deported to Auschwitz
728 Polish political prisoners, including 20 Jews, are the first transported to Auschwitz.
Nazis occupy Paris
German forces march into Paris, marking France's defeat.
Auschwitz concentration camp established
The first concentration camp is established near the town of Oswiecim, c. 40 miles east of Krakow. Auschwitz will become part of a massive complex of camps covering an area of 15 square miles, with an extensive network of subcamps. This first camp, known as [glossary_exclude]Auschwitz I[/glossary_exclude], is intended for the incarceration of political opponents to the Nazi regime, for the execution of small, targeted groups, and to supply labor to war-related industries. There is a gas chamber and crematorium, as well as a hospital where medical experiments are carried out on prisoners.