Kristallnacht or the Night of Broken Glass was named for the shattered glass that resulted from the Nazi-led attacks on Jewish properties on the nights of November 9-10, 1938. This marked a significant escalation in Nazi persecution of Jews, leading to deaths, mass arrests, and increased efforts by Jews to seek asylum.
Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass
The term Kristallnacht, translated as 'Crystal Night' and referred to as the 'Night of Broken Glass,' derives its name from the extensive destruction of Jewish property, specifically the broken glass that littered the streets after the event. On the nights of November 9-10, 1938, Nazi Party officials and the Hitler Youth instigated coordinated attacks across Germany, Austria, and occupied Czechoslovakia, targeting Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses.
The glass fronts of Jewish establishments were smashed, and synagogues along with other Jewish properties were vandalized or set ablaze. Approximately 90 Jews lost their lives, and tens of thousands of Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. In the aftermath, the Jewish community faced further persecution, including hefty fines and the denial of insurance claims.
The moniker 'Kristallnacht' emphasizes the symbolic and literal shattering of Jewish life and communal security in Germany and added to the increasingly oppressive and violent anti-Semitic policies of the Nazi regime leading to the Holocaust. It represented a significant escalation from discrimination to systematic State-sponsored violence against the Jewish population. The pogrom marked a turning point, after which Jewish communities sought asylum with greater urgency, although many countries limited Jewish immigration.