1939-1940

The MS St. Louis, with 930 Jewish refugees, is turned away by Cuba, the US and other countries, returning to Europe, where many perish in concentration camps
Great Britain and France declare war on Germany
Soviet troops invade eastern Poland
Yellow stars are required to be worn by Polish Jews over age 10
Oswiecim (Auschwitz) near Krakow, chosen as the site of a new concentration camp
Poland’s Łódz Ghetto, with 230,000 Jews, the Krakow Ghetto, containing 70,000 Jews and the Warsaw Ghetto, containing over 400,000 Jews, are sealed off
Nazis occupy Paris
France signs armistice with Hitler.