The Night of Broken Glass, or Kristallnacht, was a wave of violent attacks against Jewish people, coordinated by the Nazi regime on November 9–10, 1938.
Nazi Party paramilitary groups and Hitler Youth carried out the attacks, but countless ordinary Germans watched and even participated.
My grandfather was a rabbi; although he had already emigrated from Hungary at the the turn of the century, my mom assured me that it most definitely COULD happen again and we should never forget
From The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:
On November 9–10, 1938, the Nazis staged vicious pogroms—state sanctioned, anti-Jewish riots—against the Jewish community of Germany.
These came to be known as Kristallnacht (now commonly translated as “Night of Broken Glass”), a reference to the untold numbers of broken windows of synagogues, Jewish-owned stores, community centers, and homes plundered and destroyed during the pogroms.
Encouraged by the Nazi regime, the rioters burned or destroyed 267 synagogues, vandalized or looted 7,500 Jewish businesses, and killed at least 91 Jewish people, and 30,000 Jews arrested and sent to camps.
They also damaged many Jewish cemeteries, hospitals, schools, and homes as police and fire brigades stood aside. Kristallnacht was a turning point in history. The pogroms marked an intensification of Nazi anti-Jewish policy that would culminate in the Holocaust—the systematic, state-sponsored murder of Jews.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
-Dylan Thomas
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- Kristallnacht: heinous omen of the Holocaust (fotoeins.com)
- World Jewish Congress Leader: Kristallnacht Lives On in Modern Anti-Semitism (algemeiner.com)
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- 9th November: Kristallnacht (5j2014msboyle.wordpress.com)
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It is my most fervent wish the world never has to face anything like this again. I only wish it didn’t have to happen in the first place.
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I don’t understand how people can not just hate so much but be such followers of haters.
On Sun, Nov 10, 2013 at 3:03 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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Very true, El Guap. It’s scary to think it could be any one of us at any time.
On Sun, Nov 10, 2013 at 11:24 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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No, I didn’t see CNN, I got rid of most cable cos I didn’t want to be exposed to so much TV. In my opinion, this world is a heartbeat away from another horrible episode like that. It needs to be taught more in school.
On Sun, Nov 10, 2013 at 2:55 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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So true, but why can’t more people be like YOUI????
On Tue, Nov 12, 2013 at 10:25 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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And you! I have no idea. I just hope I can instill in my kids compassion.
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