---
title: "Massacres - atrocities"
description: "Discover the full story of WWII with timelines, veteran accounts, and in-depth coverage of events like the Holocaust and D-Day. Explore the history that shaped our world."
url: "https://www.normandy1944.info/holocaust/massacres-and-atrocities"
date: "2026-07-26T06:54:17+00:00"
language: "en-GB"
---
# Holocaust massacres and
War crimes
### Documented atrocities of the Third Reich
Investigating the systematic execution of civilians and the archival evidence of the "Final Solution.
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**Warning!** This section contains the history and facts of massacres committed during WW2. Some viewers may find the images disturbing therefore **discretion** is advised when viewing these pages if you are underage.
#### Why did these massacres take place?
Nazi Germany was one of the most systematic perpetrators of war crimes in modern history. The factors which contributed to war crimes included racial theories, the desire for "living space" which was used as a justification for the annihilation of mostly Jewish people and indoctrination that encouraged the terrorization of conquered peoples and prisoners of war. The massacres and atrocities were one of these factors.
Nazi Germany was one of the most systematic perpetrators of war crimes in modern history. the factors which contributed to these atrocities included racial theories, the desire for 'living space,' and the indoctrination of specialized units. these acts were often preceded by the [**Einsatzgruppen**](https://www.normandy1944.info/holocaust/einsatzgruppen) mobile killing units and the systematic [**Aktion T4 Program**](https://www.normandy1944.info/holocaust/aktion-t4) program, which served as the ideological blueprint for the massacres that followed.
### This section is growing
This section features a growing overview of major massacre sites, verified eyewitness testimonies and links to international Holocaust archives for deeper research.
Last updated on: 26 July 2026
- All
- France
- Ukraine
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### Babi Yar
##### 29 - 30 September 1941
Introduction Babyn Yar, more commonly known in English as Babi Yar, is a ravine in the Ukrainian c…
Learn more ...
](https://www.normandy1944.info/holocaust/massacres-and-atrocities/babi-yar)
[ 
### Oradour-sur-Glane
##### 10 June 1944
On 10 June 1944, just four days after the Allied landings in Normandy (D-Day), the quiet French vil…
Learn more ...
](https://www.normandy1944.info/holocaust/massacres-and-atrocities/oradour-sur-glane)
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More about this topic
[**The Arolsen Archives**](https://arolsen-archives.org/en/) - World’s most comprehensive archive on victims and survivors of Nazi persecution.
[**United States Holocaust Memorial Museum**](https://www.ushmm.org/) - USA's premier institution for documenting, studying, and interpreting Holocaust history