What happened to ethnic Germans after ww2?

1.9 million ethnic Germans were expelled to the American zone, part of what would become West Germany. More than 1 million were expelled to the Soviet zone, which later became East Germany. About 250,000 ethnic Germans were allowed to remain in Czechoslovakia.

What is an ethnic German Resettler?

Ethnic German resettlers are descendants of Germans from the former Soviet Union and other countries in Eastern Europe who have established their residence in Germany by means of a special acceptance process.

What was life like for German civilians after ww2?

Almost everyone had to cope with loss, as an estimated 8.8 million German civilians and 5.5 million German military members lost their lives due to WWII. Those who survived often grappled with lifelong mental and physical health issues, while communities struggled to rebuild homes and restore order.

When did the Germans pull out of Poland?

On April 28, 1939, he announced Germany’s withdrawal from the non-aggression pact signed with Poland just over five years earlier. Hitler went on to negotiate a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union in August 1939.

How much territory did Germany lose after WW2?

The treaty was lengthy, and ultimately did not satisfy any nation. The Versailles Treaty forced Germany to give up territory to Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Poland, return Alsace and Lorraine to France and cede all of its overseas colonies in China, Pacific and Africa to the Allied nations.

What happened to the volksdeutsche?

After World War II, approximately 185,000 Volksdeutsche fled or were expelled from the region in 1946–48 by the Soviet-installed communist government of Hungary. They were called ‘Svabo’ by their Serbian, Hungarian, Croatian, and Romanian neighbors, especially in the area now part of the Vojvodina in Serbia.

How many Germans were expelled after WW2?

My research traces the history of the roughly 14 million ethnic Germans expelled by national governments across Eastern Europe at the end of World War II, in reaction to the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany. Their suffering would extend into German and European politics all the way to the present.