Historical Events tagged with "germany"

Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.

Social Movements & Civil Rights

Otto and Elise Hampel Executed for Resistance

April 8th, 1943 81 years ago

Otto and Elise Hampel were German citizens who actively resisted the Nazi regime by distributing anti-government postcards. Their activities were part of a broader movement against the oppressive government, which led to their arrest by the Gestapo. After a swift trial, they were sentenced to death and executed in Berlin. Their bravery and sacrifice became symbols of resistance against tyranny.

Continue Reading
Military & Warfare

Rudolf von Gersdorff's Assassination Attempt on Hitler

March 21st, 1943 81 years ago

Rudolf von Gersdorff, a Wehrmacht officer, devised a plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a concealed suicide bomb during a visit to Berlin's Museum of Technology. On the day of the planned assassination, von Gersdorff disguised the bomb under his uniform, attempting to detonate it as Hitler arrived. However, intense feelings of loyalty and foreboding led him to defuse the bomb just in time, avoiding detection and possible execution.

Continue Reading
Military & Warfare

Germans Retake Kharkiv from Soviet Forces

March 15th, 1943 82 years ago

The Third Battle of Kharkiv culminated with German forces retaking the city after intense combat. Following previous Soviet advances, this battle marked a significant shift in the Eastern Front. The German Army, led by General Hermann Hoth's 4th Panzer Army, launched a counteroffensive that exploited Soviet weaknesses. The battle saw fierce urban combat and heavy casualties.

Continue Reading
Military & Warfare

Rommel Initiates the Battle of Medenine

March 6th, 1943 82 years ago

Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel initiated the Battle of Medenine as a strategic move to slow down the British Eighth Army's advance in North Africa. The battle took place near Medenine, Tunisia, with Rommel aiming to exploit perceived weaknesses in the Allied forces. However, the attack faced stiff resistance, and Rommel's forces were ultimately unsuccessful. Three days later, he withdrew from Africa, marking a significant turning point in the North African Campaign.

Continue Reading
Social Movements & Civil Rights

Gestapo Arrest Jewish Men, Rosenstrasse Protest Follows

February 27th, 1943 82 years ago

In Berlin, the Gestapo arrested approximately 1,800 Jewish men married to German women. This action provoked significant unrest among their spouses, culminating in a large-scale protest at Rosenstrasse. The protestors demanded the release of their detained husbands, showcasing the determination of the women against the Nazi regime’s oppressive measures during World War II. Their defiance was a remarkable episode of civil disobedience in Nazi Germany, highlighting the challenges faced by Jewish families during this dark period.

Continue Reading
Social Movements & Civil Rights

Execution of White Rose Resistance Leaders

February 22nd, 1943 82 years ago

Sophie Scholl, Hans Scholl, and Christoph Probst were executed by guillotine in Munich, Germany. They were key members of the White Rose resistance group opposing Nazi rule through nonviolent protest and distribution of anti-Nazi leaflets. Their bravery in standing against totalitarianism marked them as some of the most iconic figures in German resistance history.

Continue Reading
Politics & Government

Joseph Goebbels' Rousing Sportpalast Speech

February 18th, 1943 82 years ago

In front of an enthusiastic crowd, Joseph Goebbels delivered a fiery speech at the Sportpalast in Berlin, calling for total war as Germany faced mounting military challenges. The speech aimed to bolster public morale and emphasize the necessity of all-out effort in the ongoing conflict. Goebbels' oratory targeted military defeatism and encouraged a relentless commitment to victory, utilizing the moment of national crisis to unite the populace under the regime's ideology.

Continue Reading
Social Movements & Civil Rights

Nazis Arrest Members of White Rose Movement

February 18th, 1943 82 years ago

Members of the White Rose movement, including Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl, were arrested by the Nazis in Munich. They had been distributing anti-Nazi leaflets that called for resistance against the regime. The group aimed to awaken the German populace to the horrors of the Nazi government through their pamphlets, which urged passive resistance. Their activism began in 1942 and gained traction but met with a brutal crackdown.

Continue Reading
Military & Warfare

Red Army Returns to Kharkov in 1943

February 16th, 1943 82 years ago

In mid-February 1943, Red Army forces re-entered Kharkov, marking a significant moment in the Third Battle of Kharkov. Amidst fierce combat, the Soviet troops aimed to reclaim the city from German occupation, highlighting their efforts in the Eastern Front. The renewal of conflict came as a response to the previous German capture of the city, signaling an escalation in the war between the two powers. This operation underscored the strategic importance of Kharkov in the broader context of World War II.

Continue Reading