10 May 1940Germany extends the war to Western Europe; the Wehrmacht invades Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
1942
16 December 1942‘Auschwitz Decree’: Heinrich Himmler, head of the Schutzstaffel (‘Reichsführer-SS’), orders the deportation of Sinti and Roma from the German Reich to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp.
1943
29 March 1943The Reich Security Main Office orders the deportation of Roma and Sinti from German-occupied territories and countries (Belgium, Bialystok district, Alsace, Lorraine, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and northern France) to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp.
9 December 1943The German criminal police in the area of the German Military Commander for Belgium and Northern France draw up a list with the name of 351 Sinti and Roma who are destined for deportation. One woman, Jeanne Royenne Vados, is later deported without having been registered on this list.
1944
15 April 1944473 Sinti and Roma, women and girls, are transferred from Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp to Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany.
2 August 1944918 Sinti and Roma, men and boys, are transferred from Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp to Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany.
1945
11 April 1945Buchenwald concentration camp is liberated by US troops.
30 April 1945The Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany is liberated by soldiers of the Soviet Red Army.
