Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass

Date: November 9-10, 1938

Location: Nazi Germany and Austria

Background

Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, was a pogrom against Jews carried out by the Nazi regime along with its paramilitary forces and civilians. This event marked a significant escalation in the Nazi persecution of Jews, transitioning from economic and social marginalization to overt violence and destruction.

Context Leading Up to Kristallnacht

• Nazi Anti-Semitic Policies: Since Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1933, the Nazi regime had systematically enacted anti-Semitic laws, such as the Nuremberg Laws of 1935, which stripped Jews of German citizenship and barred them from various professions.
• Herschel Grynszpan Incident: On November 7, 1938, Herschel Grynszpan, a 17-year-old Polish Jew, assassinated Ernst vom Rath, a German diplomat in Paris. Grynszpan’s act was in protest against the deportation of his family and thousands of other Polish Jews from Germany.
• Nazi Propaganda: The Nazi regime used the assassination as a pretext to incite violence against Jews, framing it as a spontaneous reaction of the German people.

The Events of Kristallnacht

• Orchestrated Violence: On the nights of November 9 and 10, 1938, coordinated attacks were carried out across Nazi Germany and Austria. The violence was orchestrated by the Nazi leadership, including Joseph Goebbels, who encouraged party members to incite riots.
• Destruction and Devastation:
  • Synagogues: Over 1,400 synagogues were set on fire or damaged.
  • Jewish Businesses: Approximately 7,500 Jewish-owned businesses were vandalized or destroyed.
  • Homes and Schools: Jewish homes, schools, and cemeteries were desecrated.
• Casualties and Arrests: At least 91 Jews were killed, and around 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps such as Dachau, Buchenwald, and Sachsenhausen.

Aftermath and Consequences

• Increased Persecution: Kristallnacht marked a turning point in Nazi anti-Semitic policy, leading to more radical measures, including the eventual implementation of the Holocaust.
• Economic Impact: Jews were forced to pay for the damages through fines and were barred from receiving insurance payouts for the destruction of their properties.
• International Reaction: The pogrom drew international condemnation, but concrete actions to assist Jews were limited. Many countries, including the United States, tightened immigration quotas, leaving many Jews with few options for escape.

Historical Significance

Kristallnacht is often seen as a prelude to the Holocaust. It demonstrated the Nazi regime’s willingness to use violence against Jews and foreshadowed the more systematic and deadly persecution that would follow. The event highlighted the dangers of unchecked state-sponsored racism and the dire consequences of international inaction in the face of human rights violations.