German invasion of Austria and Anschluss
The German Army invaded and annexed Austria. This became known as Anschluss.
The German Army invaded and annexed Austria. This became known as Anschluss.
The ‘Degenerate Art’ exhibition opened in Munich. It presented paintings, sculptures and books from Germany’s public galleries that were considered to be ‘un-German’ and therefore unacceptable.
The Rome-Berlin Axis was agreed, with Germany and Italy informally promising to support each other in the event of war.
The German army reoccupied the Rhineland. This action directly broke the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
At the annual party rally of the Nazis, Hitler announced the Nuremberg Laws. They consisted of two separate laws, the first prohibited marriages and relationships between Jews and Germans; the second stripped Jews of their German citizenship.
Paragraph 175 of the German Criminal Code was revised to impose stricter penalties on any sexual contact between men, increasing the number of convictions by ten. Many of the convicted were taken to concentration camps.
The German government issued a ban on all organisations of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The German President Paul von Hindenburg died. Following Hindenburg’s death, Hitler merged the positions of President and Chancellor.
A purge of the SA leadership was ordered by Hitler, who falsely accused them of conspiring against the government. Over the course of three days, more than 150 people were murdered, including the SA Chief of Staff Ernst Röhm.
Germany and Poland signed a 10-year non-aggression pact.