Click on the images below and discover the history behind these fascinating World War II artefacts…

Who was Hitler?
Adolf Hitler was born in a little Austrian town close to Germany on the 20th of April 1889. He fought for Germany during World War I and won many medals for his bravery. But Hitler became very angry and frustrated when Germany lost the war and blamed other people for the countries problems. Mainly, he blamed Jewish people and foreigners and looked for ways of getting rid of them. In 1921 he became the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party, otherwise known as the Nazi Party. In 1933 Hitler was made chancellor of Germany and from there his control of Germany grew.

What did the Nazi Party believe?
In 1920 Hitler wrote a list of 25 rules which explained what the Nazi Party stood for. The list stated that only those with German blood could be classed as citizens. Anyone else was a foreigner and could not receive the same advantages that a citizen could. Hitler even demanded that any non-Germans who had arrived in the country after 1914 had to leave Germany immediately! The list made it very clear that Jewish people were not welcome and that the Nazi Party wanted a country filled with strong, loyal Germans. Hitler believed that this was the only way Germany could become great again.

What was the Holocaust?
Both before and during World War II the Nazi Party murdered around 6 million Jewish people. This awful time is known as the “Holocaust” and will never be forgotten in history. It’s important to remember that Jewish people were not the only ones to lose their lives to the Nazi`s. The Nazi Party also murdered anyone they considered to be a threat to the country, weak or inferior in anyway. This included people with physical or mental handicaps and those who had different beliefs to the Nazi`s.

Why did World War II begin?
Hitler and his Nazi Party were determined to make Germany great again even if it meant harming other countries in the process. On September 1st 1939 German troops invaded Poland, and although Britain demanded that they leave, Hitler wasn’t budging. On September 3rd Britain’s prime minister Neville Chamberlain, declared war on Germany.

Was Britain the only country fighting Germany?
No, on September 3rd 1939 France also declared war on Germany and other countries quickly followed. The countries fighting against Germany were called “The Allies,” and those fighting alongside her “The Axis.” The Axis originally consisted of Germany, Japan and Italy but other countries later joined them. “The Allies” were a much larger group and included Britain, France, Australia, Poland and America to name just a few.

Also see
Evacuations
Wartime Memories
Winston Churchill Speehes from WW2
The War Leaders
Understanding the Poppy
Winston Churchill Speeches from WWII

Project created and sponsored by Harris Digital Productions