November 9-10, 1938

 Night of the Broken Glass  Took place in Germany, Austria, Sudetenland, and parts of Czechoslovakia.  Why?  In response to the assassination of Ernst vom Rath, a German Embassy official by a Polish Jew.  Not officially organized by the Nazi party.  They were considered “spontaneous acts of violence” by outraged citizens  However…..

 Directions from Reinhard Heydrich, head of Security Police, were sent to police chiefs all over explaining how to handle the riots.  Demonstrators are not to be stopped unless there is danger to non-Jewish properties, non-Jewish citizens, or foreigners  Destruction was to be permitted but not looting.  As many Jews as the jails could hold should be arrested when destruction is finished, preferably young, healthy, men.

 267 Synagogues were destroyed  7,500 Jewish-owned business destroyed  Jewish cemeteries were vandalized  Jewish homes were looted and vandalized  Close to 100 Jews were killed

The shattered stained glass windows of the Zerrennerstrasse synagogue after its destruction on Kristallnacht. Pforzheim, Germany, ca. November 10, 1938.

Synagogue destroyed during Kristallnacht. Dortmund, Germany, November 1938.

The Boerneplatz synagogue in flames during Kristallnacht. Frankfurt, Germany, November 10, 1938.

German children, behind an SS man, watch as religious objects from the Zeven synagogue are set on fire during Kristallnacht. Zeven, Germany, November 10, 1938.

Jewish-owned shop destroyed during Kristallnacht. Berlin, Germany, November 1938.

A private Jewish home vandalized during Kristallnacht. Vienna, Austria, November 10, 1938.

A Survivor Remembers

SS guards force Jews, arrested during Kristallnacht to march through the town of Baden-Baden, Germany. November 10, 1938.

Jews arrested after Kristallnacht await deportation to Dachau concentration camp. Baden- Baden, Germany, November 10, 1938.

 At Least 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to prison  Jewish people were blamed for Kristallnacht and fined  German government took any insurance payouts given to Jews for damaged

Why is Kristallnacht Important?  From harassment to violence  Beginning of major deportations and labor camps  Increase in laws banning Jews from schools, jobs, etc.  More Jewish people trying to leave the country