Kristallnacht (November 9-10,1938)
Kristallnacht, which translates to "Night of Crystal", occurred throughout Germany and then-annexed Austria, as well as parts of Czechoslovakia happened on November 9-10, 1938. The name, Kristallnacht originates from the broken glass from synagogues, Jewish homes, and Jewish place of businesses found on the streets in the aftermath of the violence. The Kristallnacht movement was originally instigated by the members of the Nazi SA and Hitler Youth. German officials claimed that the event took place in response to the assassination of a German embassy official named Ernst vom Rath. Rath was assasinated by a seventeen-year-old Jewish boy known as Herschel Grynszpan, from Poland. After his family was refused reentry into Poland, Gryrnszpan assassinated vom Rath. The Nazi Party propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, said in a speech that 'World Jewry' were responsible for the assassination and then alluded that violence should be displayed in response. Local offices of the Nazi Party organized the spontaneous riots. The violence took place during the evening hours of November 9 and the early morning hours of November 10.
Throughout the duration of Kristallnacht, around one hundred Jews were killed and approximately 30,000 Jews were arrested and sent the the concentration camps. A myriad of damage and complete destruction was a result of the Night of Broken Glass. Though the Nazi's were responsible, the German-Jewish community was blamed. The German government collected over $400 Million in fines from the Jews as punishment for the Nazi lead riots. Despite the obvious evidence that the Jews were the victims of spontaneous and unwarranted violence, the Nazi's placed all the blame on them.
U.S. Reaction
President Franklin D. Roosevelt released a statement following Kristallnacht which denounced the anti-Semitic violence displayed by the Nazi Party. Though the United States did not support the anti-Semitic violence, the government continued its strict immigration laws, which limited and tightened the regulations required to immigrate to the United States. Therefore it was more difficult for German Jews to come to the United States
President Franklin D. Roosevelt released a statement following Kristallnacht which denounced the anti-Semitic violence displayed by the Nazi Party. Though the United States did not support the anti-Semitic violence, the government continued its strict immigration laws, which limited and tightened the regulations required to immigrate to the United States. Therefore it was more difficult for German Jews to come to the United States
Result of Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht was the turning point in the anti-Semitic movement and it was the culminating event which let to the Holocaust. This atrocious event also alerted Jews that they should start seeking refuge in other countries, especially outside of Europe. All in all, Kristallnacht will forever be remembered as the event which led to the actual Holocaust.
Kristallnacht was the turning point in the anti-Semitic movement and it was the culminating event which let to the Holocaust. This atrocious event also alerted Jews that they should start seeking refuge in other countries, especially outside of Europe. All in all, Kristallnacht will forever be remembered as the event which led to the actual Holocaust.