1940 - 1945. War and German Occupation in Northern and Western Europe
August 4 to November 1, 2020
On 1 September 1939 Germany invaded neighboring Poland, triggering the start of World War Two. Eighty years ago, on 9 April 1940, German troops invaded Denmark and Norway. They subsequently swept through Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and, by mid-June, France. In summer 1940 the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) began to launch bombing raids in Britain.
In spring 1941 German forces entered Greece and Yugoslavia. The invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941 continued the war of annihilation in the East. World War Two in Europe ended 75 years ago, on the night of 8/9 May 1945, with the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht in Berlin-Karlshorst. The war cost the lives of at least 50 million people, both civilians and soldiers. The memory of German occupation continues to define the countries affected.
The exhibition by the Permanent Conference of National Socialist Memorial Sites in the Berlin Area showcases the events in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France and Great Britain as well as their commemoration on 10 panel boards.
- Place
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Memorial and Educational Site House of the Wannsee Conference, Am Grossen Wannsee 56-58, 14109 Berlin
(planned afterwards: Topography of Terror, Berlin-Kreuzberg, November 1, 2020, to January 17, 2021)
- Opening Hours
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August 4 to November 1, 2020, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (last admittance at 5.45 p.m.)
- Admittance fees and regulations
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The admission and catalog are free of charge.
Due to social distancing rules only five people can visit the exhibition area at the same time - we ask for your patience. Please bring your own face mask (also available for a small donation at the reception desk).
Norway, 9 April 1940. German troops engaged in battle against local soldiers in a village 40 kilometers west of Lillehammer. (Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-H26353, Photo: Erich Borchert)
