In 1933, Hitler was elected head of the German government.  Soon after, he made laws against Jews.  This happened for several years.

On October 28, 1938, about 17,000 Polish Jews in Germany were located by the Nazis’. One of the Polish families involved was Zindel Grynszpan’s family.  They lived in Hanover, Germany.  On October 27, 1938, German police forced them to leave their store and home.  The police took their belongings and forced them to the Polish border.

Zendel Grynszpan, had a seventeen year old son Herschel, who lived in Paris with his uncle.  He heard about his family and the other Jews.  He went to the German Embassy in Paris and shot German Secretary Ernst von Rath on November 7, 1938. Hitler’s Chief of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, used Ernst von Rath’s death as an excuse to begin a program against Jews.  A program is an official persecution/massacre.

On November 9 and 10, 1938, Nazis attacked Jews in the streets, in their homes, work and their synagogues.  It was called, “Kristallnacht” by the Nazis, which means “Night of the Broken Glass”, because glass was all over the streets from the broken windows.  Ninety-six Jews were killed and hundreds were injured.  Thirty thousand Jews were sent to concentration camps.  More than 1,000 synagogues were burned, and 7,500 Jewish businesses were destroyed.

There are some eye- witnesses, who told what they saw and felt during Kristallnacht.  A fireman in Laupheim, Germany said they had to be quiet and watch the synagogues burn.  They were only allowed to use water to save non-Jewish property.  As he watched, he wondered whose turn would be next.  He wondered if the same thing would happen to Protestants and Catholics.

Michel Bruce, a non-Jewish Englishman, described Kristallnacht as streets full of chaotic, bloodthirsty people after Jews.  He and another man helped an old Jewish woman by pulling her from a crowd and getting her to a side street.  He also saw people attack a hospital for Jewish children.  The windows were smashed and doors forced open.  The children had to walk on the broken glass as they walked out in bare feet.  Doctors and nurses were beaten.

The Dinslaken Orphange was also attacked.  The orphans were forced to watch  as synagogues and Jewish homes burn.

Cantor Moshe Ehrlich lived in Vienna, Austria, on Kristallnacht.  He lived across the street from a school that was turned into a prison.  He heard the screams of people being beaten.  He said some people jumped out of windows to get away.  He said Kristallnacht was the beginning of constant fear.

Sophie Yaari was thirteen when Kristallnacht happened.  They were awakened early in the morning.  The people at the door tried to trick them by saying they would take them to Palestine but they didn’t open the door.  Their windows were broken, house was

 cold.  Her mom tried to grab some valuables but a man hit her arm with a gun and she dropped them.  Her family was taken to a Christian school, and so were all the other Jews in the neighborhood.  They stood in the cold.  Babies cried. While they were standing outside, a horse butcher, who was Jewish, and his wife who was not, were with their children.  Their children had not been raised as Jews.  One of their daughters cried, “But Mommy, we are not Jewish”.  An SS soldier said, “You are not here because of your religion, but because of your blood!”  Then everyone had to lie face down on the ground.  It was very cold.  They were afraid they would be shot.  When it was daylight, they went into the school.  The soldiers made sure they had everyone’s name.  Everyone but the men got to leave.  The men were sent to a concentration camp. When Sophie and her mom went home, SS soldiers would not let them go into their destroyed store.

Some families were lucky and escaped on November 9, 1938, Dr. Manfred Fulda, his brothers and sisters were at home.  His uncle called and told them to turn off their lights and close their blinds.  They heard their neighbors’ windows being broken.  A key turned in the door.  It was a Catholic boy, Felix, who rented their upstairs apartment.  Felix changed into his Hitler Youth uniform.  He told the people outside that everyone who lived there were Aryans.  He saved their home and their lives.

On November 12, 1938, Herman Goering called a meeting of the top Nazi officials to decide who was responsible for Kristallnacht.  The Nazis’ decided the Jews were responsible for Kristallnacht and the damage it caused.  A fine of one billion marks was levied for the death of Ernst von Rath.  The six million marks paid by the insurance companies was then given to the German government.  Many believe Kristallnacht was the beginning of the Holocaust.

After the meeting, the Germans passed more laws against Jews:

1.Jews had to turn over precious metals.

2.Jewish pensions were reduced.

3.Stocks, bonds, jewelry and art were turned over to the government.

4.Jews were separated from non-Jews.

5.Jews could not own carrier pigeons.

6.Jews driver’s licenses were suspended.

7.Jewish-owned radios were taken.

8.There was a curfew for Jews.

9.Laws for tenants did not apply to Jewish tenants.

10.Jews could not have weapons.

A lot of people think the term “Kristallnacht” was invented to mock the Jews.  They tried to glorify a night when they robbed, murdered, plundered and did large amounts of property damage to the Jews.

A lot of people think the term “Kristallnacht” was invented to mock the Jews.  They tried to glorify a night when they robbed, murdered, plundered and did large amounts of property damage to the Jews.