Munich

Munich’s history is closely linked to the rise of National Socialism. The NSDAP was founded here in 1919/20 and its headquarters were located in the city until 1945. In 1935 the city received the honorary title of “Capital of the Movement”. During World War II, Munich was home to many armaments factories or other “war-important” companies that had a great “need” for foreign labor. Housed in more than 400 collective accommodations, approximately 150,000 to 200,000 forced laborers were employed in Munich between 1939 and 1945. The numerically largest group came from the Soviet Union (“Eastern workers”), especially from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. At the end of the war, foreign workers made up at least a quarter of the city’s total population. Virtually all Munich businesses of various sizes benefited from their efforts. Munich was the target of numerous bombing raids between 1940 and 1945, killing about 7,000 people. On April 30, 1945, the U.S. Army liberated the city and began denazification of the administration and legislation.