Development of anti-Semitic policies, 1938-40

March - Anschluss with Austria. The Anschluss was banned under the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler believed those ethnically German should be re-incorperated into the reich. After 1933, Hitler encouraged a campaign for Anschluss – the Austrian government banned Nazi demonstrations and in March 1938, they called a plebiscite to show that the majority opposed. The Austrians sought help from Britain, France and Italy but they did not intervene – they were forced to resign to the Nazis.  This was known as a ‘bloodless victory’. March 1933 and November 1938, 150,000 Jews voluntarily left Germany.

September -  Hitler demanded the Sudetenland from Britain and France. Britain and France agreed; they achieved another ‘bloodless victory’. 

April - Decree of Registration of Jewish Property. Allowed for the confiscation of Jewish property over 5000 marks. The starting point for the Aryanisation of Jewish property.

October - The passports of Jews had to be stamped with a ‘J’ to make them easily identifiable if they continued to work or refused to hand over their property. 

9th -10th November - ReichKristallnacht. Peformed by SA and ** in regular clothes. Looted synagogues and buisnesses. Public not supportive. British Offical mentions that most people he met were "Horrified". Start of accelerated anti-semetic violence.  91 jews killed

March - OKW seizes the rest of Czechoslovakia.

August - Germany signed a non-aggression pact with Russia (the Nazi-Soviet Pact – Russia agreed to not oppose German invasion of Poland.

September 1st - OKW invaded Poland. Two days later, War was declared.