Did we choose not to listen?

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In Black and White - Digital exhibition
Did we choose not to listen?

Before the Second World War, there were several warning signs in the form of statements, actions, and ideological texts. Despite this, it took time before the outside world reacted. These events show how easy it is to underestimate political forces that seem insignificant at the time, and how difficult it can be to act in time. Here you can read about some of the things the Swedish press wrote about.

The Rise of Nazism

When the First World War ended in 1918, Germany was left in economic crisis, political instability, and violent social unrest. Many war veterans joined various political groups, and in this chaos, new movements emerged, among them the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP). Under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, the party changed its name in 1920 and began attracting followers through nationalist and antisemitic rhetoric.

What did the press write?

The November pogroms

During one week in November 1938, the so-called November Pogroms took place. Nazis looted and destroyed Jewish homes and shops across Nazi Germany. Thousands of Jews were murdered or imprisoned.

What did the press write?

The Deportations

After Nazi Germany's occupation of western Poland, the deportation of Jews began. Swedish newspapers reported on an increasing number of deportations from various parts of Nazi-occupied Europe. But it was still difficult to grasp what this truly meant.

What did the press write?

The War of Extermination

In September 1942, Dagens Nyheter wrote, for the first time in black and white, that a war of extermination was now taking place. A month later, Hugo Valentin followed up in the Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning with the article "The War of Extermination Against the Jews."

What did the press write?

Norwegians and Danes – the Brother Nations

Over 700 Norwegian Jews were deported to Poland during the fall and winter of 1942. Most were sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau and were killed immediately upon arrival. This seemed to make a strong impression on the population in Sweden.

What did the press write?

The First Testimonies

When the Soviet liberation of Majdanek in July 1944 became known, it was clear that the Nazis had built a systematic and industrially organized mass murder. Shortly after, Swedish newspapers published testimonies and attempts at descriptions.

What did the press write?

The Nuremberg Process

After the end of the war, Nazi leaders were put on trial in Nuremberg. Swedish media closely followed the proceedings and reported both the evidence and the verdicts against those responsible for the Holocaust.

What did the press write?

Raymond D’Addario, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons