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World War II

World War II started with Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939 and ended in Europe on May 8, 1945. In Asia, the war ended on August 15, 1945, following the atomic bombing of Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

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SHIFT Erinnerungskultur Susanne Siegert

SHIFT Erinnerungskultur Susanne Siegert

Can TikTok teach young people about the Holocaust?

Through TikTok and Instagram, Susanne Siegert shares history about the Nazi era.

Row upon row of old photos are seen on display in an exhibition. The photos are headshots of young Polish men dressed in Wehrmacht uniforms. Some photos are black and white; some are in sepia tones

Row upon row of old photos are seen on display in an exhibition. The photos are headshots of young Polish men dressed in Wehrmacht uniforms. Some photos are black and white; some are in sepia tones

Were Polish troops in Nazi's military traitors or victims?

An exhibition in Gdansk tells the story of about 450,000 Poles who had to serve in the Wehrmacht during World War II.

A b/w image shows children standing in line next to a passenger train

A b/w image shows children standing in line next to a passenger train

The fate of World War II's orphan children

World War II claimed the lives of millions of people and left many children orphaned.

A room showing a wash basin and a wooden stretcher at the Nazi German Stutthof death camp.

A room showing a wash basin and a wooden stretcher at the Nazi German Stutthof death camp.

Nazi human experiments still influence medicine today

A new database details forced medical research by the Nazi regime. How do those findings influence modern health care?

Visitors in Japanese Imperial army costume entering the Yasukuni Shrine in 2023

Visitors in Japanese Imperial army costume entering the Yasukuni Shrine in 2023

Japan grapples with its past 80 years after World War II

Right-wing groups in Japan continue to push historical denialism that whitewashes wartime atrocities.

A packet of birth control pills

A packet of birth control pills

What does birth control pill have to do with Auschwitz?

The pill gave women new freedom. But its development was based on brutal human experiments conducted in Auschwitz.

Two older women are dancing in a room as a third looks on in the background

Two older women are dancing in a room as a third looks on in the background

Life in Germany's largest Jewish retirement home

Germany’s largest Jewish nursing home, in Frankfurt, houses Holocaust survivors who chose to age in Germany.

Flowers placed on a stone at the Peace Park in Nagasaki on August 9, 2025

Flowers placed on a stone at the Peace Park in Nagasaki on August 9, 2025

Nagasaki warns of nuclear war on 80th A bomb anniversary

On the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the city's mayor warns of growing threat of nuclear war.

A crow flies over the Genbaku Dome, near Memorial Park, in Hiroshima, Japan, August 5, 2025

A crow flies over the Genbaku Dome, near Memorial Park, in Hiroshima, Japan, August 5, 2025

Japan: Passing on the pain of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

A new generation of storytellers is stepping up to ensure the world never forgets the human cost of nuclear war.

Romania's new president Nicusor Dan participated in a memorial event for those Roma murdered in the Holocaust.

Romania's new president Nicusor Dan participated in a memorial event for those Roma murdered in the Holocaust.

Romania ready to talk about Sinti and Roma genocide

For a long time, the deportation and murder of local Roma and Sinti was not spoken about openly in Romania.

A row of Pewabic Pottery tiles in various colors on display in Detroit, Michigan

A row of Pewabic Pottery tiles in various colors on display in Detroit, Michigan

Pewabic Pottery: Still handcrafted in Detroit

Detroit pottery brings modern flair while keeping its old-school charm and traditional manufacturing methods.

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The fake Auschwitz images distorting Holocaust history

AI-generated images depicting fake historical events from Auschwitz are deceiving some users online.

A person dancing wearing an oversized head of a stereotypical jewish man at a performance of "De Meistersinger von Nürnberg" at the Bayreuth festival in 2017.

A person dancing wearing an oversized head of a stereotypical jewish man at a performance of "De Meistersinger von Nürnberg" at the Bayreuth festival in 2017.

Why Hitler was a fan of Wagner's 'Meistersinger' opera

It is considered the "most German" of Richard Wagner's operas. Adolf Hitler used the work for his propaganda purposes.

Attendees share a laugh with 102-year-old WWII and D-Day Landing US veteran Jake Larson, also known as "Papa Jake", before a memorial ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the World War II D-Day Allied landings in Normandy, at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, north-western France, on June 6, 2025.

Attendees share a laugh with 102-year-old WWII and D-Day Landing US veteran Jake Larson, also known as "Papa Jake", before a memorial ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the World War II D-Day Allied landings in Normandy, at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, north-western France, on June 6, 2025.

'Papa Jake' Larson, TikTok star and WWII vet, dies at 102

Jake Larson, known as 'Papa Jake,' has died. The WWII veteran gained fame on TikTok, sharing stories to millions.

black and white photo of Stauffenberg, Hitler, General Fromm from July 15, 1944

black and white photo of Stauffenberg, Hitler, General Fromm from July 15, 1944

Operation Valkyrie: 81st anniversary of plot to kill Hitler

One act of resistance against the Nazi dictator had more of a long-term impact than all the others.

Picture of seated a woman with grey hair looking pensive.

Picture of seated a woman with grey hair looking pensive.

Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch turns 100

She survived Auschwitz and told of witnessing the Holocaust. Now, at age 100, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch is disillusioned.

Image of a woman in traditional Thai dress

Image of a woman in traditional Thai dress

By train through Thailand's west

Rivers, canals, and waterfalls shape life in western Thailand—where elephants bathe and trains follow water’s path.

Germany | Demonstration of the Neonazi group "Jung und Stark" - in English young and strong

Germany | Demonstration of the Neonazi group "Jung und Stark" - in English young and strong

Justice and Nazi hunters: The trial of Adolf Eichmann

The Adolf Eichmann trial, and how young Germans drift into right-wing extremism today.

A woman and man enjoy a cigarette while staring into each other's eyes

A woman and man enjoy a cigarette while staring into each other's eyes

Lost Nazi-era novel becomes bestseller

Sebastian Haffner's forgotten 1932 romance novel set amid Hitler's ominous rise to power is now a literary sensation.

An archive photo of an extreme-right protest from 2015

An archive photo of an extreme-right protest from 2015

In eastern Germany, youths embrace nationalism, extremism

In many parts of eastern Germany, Nazi symbols have become a common sight. DW went to Dessau to find out why.

A child holds up a red banner with a yellow wheel symbol surrounded by black stars, and the words Romaday Parade, while walking on a street with other people in Berlin

A child holds up a red banner with a yellow wheel symbol surrounded by black stars, and the words Romaday Parade, while walking on a street with other people in Berlin

Germany: Racism against Sinti and Roma increasing

A new report about antiziganism in Germany has revealed alarming figures — and criticized the media for feeding cliches.

Leo Baeck Institute: 70 years honoring German-Jewish culture

Founded after the Holocaust, the Leo Baeck Institute marks 70 years of preserving the heritage of German-speaking Jews.

Soldiers walk together with their arms on each other's shoulders

Soldiers walk together with their arms on each other's shoulders

How Germany plans to celebrate its first Veterans Day

Members of the German military will be honored in the country's first-ever Veterans Day on June 15.

A soldier of the Bundeswehr's guard battalion salutes in front of Bellevue Palace. The background shows soldiers lined up in three rows in front of the palace.

A soldier of the Bundeswehr's guard battalion salutes in front of Bellevue Palace. The background shows soldiers lined up in three rows in front of the palace.

Why Germany has a tense relationship with its military

A nationwide Veterans' Day will be held in Germany for the first time on Sunday, in a significant shift for the country.

Thomas Mann: A man with short hair wearing glasses poses for a picture.

Thomas Mann: A man with short hair wearing glasses poses for a picture.

A voice for democracy: Thomas Mann's lasting literary legacy

Nobel prize laureate, literary exile and Nazi resister, Thomas Mann remains a cultural icon 150 years since his birth.

empty street in Cologne

empty street in Cologne

Cologne: Unexploded World War II bombs successfully defused

More than 20,000 residents were evacuated from Cologne as experts attempted to defuse three unexploded World War bombs.

A picture of a bridge, the Rhine, two vehicles and a church in the background

A picture of a bridge, the Rhine, two vehicles and a church in the background

The world is full of unexploded bombs

Three bombs dating back to World War II were defused in Cologne this week.

Picture of Cologne across the Rhine, with bridge and cathedral in sight

Picture of Cologne across the Rhine, with bridge and cathedral in sight

Germany: Cologne evacuation lifted after WWII bombs defused

Some 20,000 people had been under evacuation orders while three World War II bombs were defused.

A view of a red traffic light near the Cologne Tradefair/Deutz train station

A view of a red traffic light near the Cologne Tradefair/Deutz train station

Cologne bomb defusal: 'The past always catches up with you'

Bomb disposal experts are preparing to defuse three unexploded World War II bombs discovered in the city of Cologne.

Black and white picture of a woman dressed in traditional Indian clothes.

Black and white picture of a woman dressed in traditional Indian clothes.

Catherine Duleep Singh: The Nazi-defying Indian royal

Openly living in a same-sex relationship in early 20th-century Germany, she later helped Jewish families flee the Nazis.

Close up of the Nazi dictator Aldolf Hitler looking at something off frame

Close up of the Nazi dictator Aldolf Hitler looking at something off frame

Hitler's Reich: A German journal — part 4

On 8 May 2025, the world marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Hitler and Eva Braun at a table

Hitler and Eva Braun at a table

Hitler's food tasters inspire new film

"The Tasters" is a fictional version of the story of a woman who worked as Hitler's food taster. How much of it is true?

Students in a classroom waiting for their final exams to begin

Students in a classroom waiting for their final exams to begin

Nazi slogans trigger scandal at German high school

Are right-wing extremist views resonating with more and more young people in Germany?

A brown-bricked building (Uilenburger synagogue) with large, arched white-framed windows is seen against the sky. There are three round windows with the Star of David on the top and a fanlight above a dark blue double door. There are two pale blue benches on either side of the steps leading up to the door

A brown-bricked building (Uilenburger synagogue) with large, arched white-framed windows is seen against the sky. There are three round windows with the Star of David on the top and a fanlight above a dark blue double door. There are two pale blue benches on either side of the steps leading up to the door

Dutch synagogues filled with life 80 years after WWII

A majority of the Jewish population of the Netherlands was murdered in the Holocaust.

A drawing shows a woman holding a gas mask in her hands

A drawing shows a woman holding a gas mask in her hands

Hitler's Reich: A German journal — part 3

On 8 May 2025, the world marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Scene from the opera 'Eichmann's Trial': a woman holds two children close as they stand on train tracks. They have shawls around their shoulders and the children's heads are covered. A man in a pale gray, double-breasted suit points at them. He is singing into a headset microphone

Scene from the opera 'Eichmann's Trial': a woman holds two children close as they stand on train tracks. They have shawls around their shoulders and the children's heads are covered. A man in a pale gray, double-breasted suit points at them. He is singing into a headset microphone

Romanian director keeps memory of the Holocaust alive

Jewish director Erwin Simsensohn recently put on an opera about the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.

Person hands a violin to another person in an auditorium with red cushioned seats, stairs

Person hands a violin to another person in an auditorium with red cushioned seats, stairs

This family restores violins once owned by Holocaust victims

For three generations, the Weinstein family has restored violins that belonged to Holocaust victims and survivors.

A b/w photo shows two older women in dark dresses (C) flanked by two boys in white shirts holding musical instruments

A b/w photo shows two older women in dark dresses (C) flanked by two boys in white shirts holding musical instruments

Echoes of the Holocaust — Arts Unveiled

Stories from the Holocaust: artistic symbols of resistance, 80 years after the end of World War II.

Cartoon of a person holding a piece of paper. On the right there is a Nazi flag in red, showing the Nazi swastika

Cartoon of a person holding a piece of paper. On the right there is a Nazi flag in red, showing the Nazi swastika

Hitler's Reich: A German journal — part 2

On 8 May 2025, the world marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

A Roma man seen standing from behind holding red and white flowers, the Roma flag draped over his shoulders

A Roma man seen standing from behind holding red and white flowers, the Roma flag draped over his shoulders

Roma Resistance Day: From Nazi era to present day

Sinti and Roma across Europe are commemorating resistance against the Nazi genocide. Antiziganism continues to this day.

Left to right: Elke Büdenbender, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Isaac Herzog, Michal Herzog on Wednesday, May 14

Left to right: Elke Büdenbender, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Isaac Herzog, Michal Herzog on Wednesday, May 14

German-Israeli relations: A difficult week of commemorations

To mark 60 years of diplomatic relations, Israel's president visited Berlin and Germany's president went to Jerusalem.

People wearing gloves and masks look at materials found in Supreme Court archives in Buenos Aires, Argentina

People wearing gloves and masks look at materials found in Supreme Court archives in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Argentina's top court finds boxes of Nazi items in basement

Argentina's Supreme Court discovered dozens of World War II-era boxes filled with Nazi material in its basement.

An old woman with short white hair stands at a press event, smiling for the camera

An old woman with short white hair stands at a press event, smiling for the camera

Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer dies at 103

Margot Friedländer spent the final years of her life in her native Berlin, educating young people about the Holocaust.

Black and white close-up photo of Friedländer

Black and white close-up photo of Friedländer

Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer dies at 103

German-born activist and Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer moved to the US after WWII and only returned in 2010.

A black and white photo of a old woman with short,shoulder length white hair, smiling

A black and white photo of a old woman with short,shoulder length white hair, smiling

Margot Friedländer on the 'hope for a better future'

In 2023, DW spoke with one of the then-oldest living Holocaust survivors, Margot Friedländer, in Berlin.

Hitler and a crowd of supporters

Hitler and a crowd of supporters

Hitler's Reich: A German journal — part 1

On 8 May 2025, the world marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier and members of the new German government lay wreaths at the Neue Wache in Berlin

Frank-Walter Steinmeier and members of the new German government lay wreaths at the Neue Wache in Berlin

Solemn ceremonies mark 80th anniversary of the end of WWII

Eighty years ago the Second World War ended. In Germany, solemn commemorations were overshadowed by a new war.

Vladimir Putin at the military parade on Red Square in 2023

Vladimir Putin at the military parade on Red Square in 2023

Russia: Instrumentalizing Soviets' victory over Nazi Germany

More than 25 million Soviets died during World War II. To this day, many Russian families commemorate the victory.

DW News Africa with Michael Okwu, 08 May 2025

Togo's leader Faure Gnassingbe transitions from President to "President of the Council of Ministers," a role in which he can be re-elected indefinitely. We hear some of the voices of dissent calling the move a constitutional coup. Eighty years after the Second World War ended in Europe, we look at the forgotten legacy of the Africans who fought for colonial powers.

Germany Berlin 1945 | Brandenburg Gate after the end of World War II

Germany Berlin 1945 | Brandenburg Gate after the end of World War II

The myth of Germany's post-Nazi 'zero hour' explained

Was there really a "zero hour" after the Nazi defeat on May 8? How did Nazis become democrats?