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Jewish Population Pre WWII

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500K

1M

1.5M

2M

2.5M

3M

3.5M

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What Countries were Involved in the Holocaust?

World War II Axis and Allies

The list of World War II Axis and Allies contains countries involved in the Holocaust that either supported or fought against the Nazi regime. This may not list all the countries or territories involved, but it does give you an idea of who did what during the Second World War.

The Axis

Axis powers include the countries of Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy and Japan. They did experience many deaths among them but not the most related to the Holocaust.

The Allies

Apparently, the Allied WWII powers outnumbered the Axis powers by 2.7 to 1 in 1938, a year before the war started. Note also that Poland, where one of the deadliest concentration camps existed, counts as an ally at this time. Poland probably had no choice after Nazi Germany took over it.

The list of Allies includes these countries: Some European countries include Poland, Britain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, The Former Soviet Union (USSR, which included Russia), Yugoslavia and Norway.

The United States, Brazil, Canada, China, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia make other places in the world that fought against the Nazi regime and the Holocaust.

Most Affected Countries and Deaths

Germany did not have the most Holocaust deaths, but it’s listed as one of the countries most affected by the Holocaust. You may want to review information about where most of the Jewish deaths occurred right before World War II started up to when WWII ended in 1945.

Germany

Between 1941 and 1945, Hitler's Nazi dictatorship slaughtered approximately 6 million European Jews. According to one of the Reference.com website's staff writers, Germany is one of the most affected countries.

Hitler fixated on exterminating Jewish people from Nazi-occupied countries. Many nations across the world, however, became victims of this regime's oppression.

Poland

When most people think of concentration camps, they usually attribute this horrific memory to Poland. The Auschwitz concentration camp has received the infamous recognition as the deadliest camp of World War II, according to The History Channel Reporter Natasha Frost.

The Nazis took control of Poland in 1941. That's where many Jewish people from around the world ended up. An uncountable number of victims stayed in Belzec, Auschwitz-Birkenau and Chelmno concentration camps. In Auschwitz alone, about 960,000 of the estimated 1.1 million Jews sent here died.

Austria

Apparently, Austria is considered one of the most affected by the Holocaust. It’s 1938 population only totaled about 185,026 people. Of those, about 65,459 of them lost their lives.

Italy

In 1938, Italy’s population totaled about 58,412. After Germany took over, the number of people living their calculated at 43,000. About 7,858 died here, and that’s considered a terrible thing. However, Italy many have not received a “most affected” title because of those deaths. It’s most likely because of its collaboration with Nazi Germany.

Refuge for Survivors

About 7,000 people survived the Auschwitz Poland camp. Another estimated 250,000-300,000 people at least saw a few days to a few months after Holocaust liberation.

On May 14, 1948, Israel became a nation which occurred about three years after the end of World War II. Some reporters attributed this action to one of finding a homeland for Jewish survivors.

  • Total death counts are quite difficult to obtain, due to intentionally secretive actions and chaotic wartime record keeping. All data should be viewed as educated estimates.
  • Listed totals for Germany include both Germany and Austria, which had been annexed by Germany at the time the Holocaust took place.
  • Countries whose names or forms have changed since WWII, such as the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia, are listed by their modern names.
  • The modern-day countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia were all part of Yugoslavia at the time of the Holocaust. As such, their Jewish population data is included in Yugoslavia's total.

Download Table Data

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Country
Jewish Population Pre WWII
Jewish Population Post WWII
Change in Population
% Change
WWII Status
Additional Details
Germany300,00027,000273,00091%Axis ally
Led by dictator Adolf Hitler, who conceived the Holocaust, Germany was the leader of the Axis powers...
Poland3,300,000300,0003,000,00091%Occupied
Poland's government went into exile, after which Germany annexed some of Poland and occupied the res...
Czech Republic253,00025,000228,00090%Occupied
Huge numbers of Jews were deported from the area now known as the Czech Republic. For example, 42,00...
Lithuania155,00015,000140,00090%Occupied
Most Jews in Lithuania died at the hands of German death squads and local anti-semetic paramilitarie...
Latvia93,0009,00084,00090%Occupied
More than 2700 Jews were killed in staged progroms and another 26,000 by ethnic cleansing operations...
Netherlands140,00020,000120,00086%Occupied
Police were forced to help German forces track down and deport Jews.
Greece74,00012,00062,00084%Occupied
Government was replaced by Nazi-sypathetic government, including many officials who encouraged and a...
Hungary750,000200,000550,00073%Axis ally
Hungary had been awarded part of Czechoslovakia in 1938 due in large part to Germany and had annexed...
Belgium90,00025,00065,00072%Occupied
Proper government went into exile, but interim government was known to have cooperated with Axis for...
Estonia4,5002,0002,50056%Occupied
Occupied by both the USSR and Germany. While most Estonia Jews left the country before German occupa...
Russia3,000,0001,500,0001,500,00050%Occupied
Jews in Russia were aggressively exterminated by Nazi death squads.
Norway1,80090090050%Occupied
Ruled by German puppet regime while true government was in exile. Police and volunteers who joined G...
Albania50025025050%Occupied
Invaded and occupied by Italy.
Italy57,00033,00024,00042%Axis ally
Led by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, Italy was among the first countries to ally with Germany a...
Romania600,000430,000170,00028%Axis ally
Romania joined the Axis in the hopes of regaining territory annexed by Hungary, regaining area annex...
Bulgaria64,00050,00014,00022%Axis ally
Bulgaria was slow to join the Axis for fear of antagonizing the Soviet Union and/or Yugoslavia, but ...
France350,000280,00070,00020%Occupied
The Vichy France government in power at the time deported as least 75,000 Jews to Nazi concentration...
Denmark7,6007,60000%Occupied
Government successfully prevented the mass murder of Danish Jews, but did surrender to Nazi forces a...
Finland2,0002,00000%Axis ally
Finland fought did not formally join the Axis, but fought alongside Axis forces against the USSR and...
Japan0%Axis ally
Japan's relative distance from Germany and lack of Jewish residents made it a non-factor in the Holo...
Austria0%
See Germany
Serbia0%Occupied
See Yugoslavia
Slovakia0%Axis ally
Having been largely established by Germany, Slovakia was highly dependent upon the Axis leader's sup...
Croatia0%Axis ally
Croatia was created by Germany during the dismemberment of Yugoslavia.
Slovenia0%Occupied
See Yugoslavia
North Macedonia0%Occupied
See Yugoslavia
Luxembourg0%Occupied
Annexed into Germany in 1942, which made Luxembourgish men draft-eligible for the German army.
Montenegro0%Occupied
See Yugoslavia
Monaco0%Occupied
Succeeded in protecting Monacan Jews, but turned over at least 42 Jewish refugees to Nazi forces.
Total9,242,4002,938,7500%
showing: 29 rows

How many countries were involved in the Holocaust?

Approximately 23 separate countries were involved in the Holocaust. 6 countries were included in the Axis powers group and 17 were included in the Allies group of countries.

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