Kristallnacht

Definition

Kristallnacht, or the 'Night of Broken Glass,' refers to the violent pogrom that occurred on November 9-10, 1938, against Jews in Nazi Germany and Austria. This event marked a significant escalation in the Nazi regime's anti-Semitic policies, transitioning from economic and social discrimination to open violence and destruction of property.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. During Kristallnacht, over 7,000 Jewish businesses were vandalized or destroyed, and nearly 200 synagogues were set on fire across Germany and Austria.
2. Approximately 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps following Kristallnacht, marking a shift towards more systematic imprisonment of Jews.
3. The event was widely reported in international media, leading to outrage in other countries, but most governments did little to intervene or support Jewish refugees.
4. Kristallnacht is often considered a turning point that foreshadowed the more horrific events of the Holocaust, as it marked a transition from discriminatory laws to widespread violence against Jews.
5. The name 'Kristallnacht' refers to the shards of broken glass that littered the streets after windows of Jewish-owned businesses were smashed during the riots.

Review Questions

• How did Kristallnacht represent a shift in Nazi policies towards Jews in Germany?
  • Kristallnacht marked a significant escalation in Nazi policies as it transitioned from legal discrimination and social exclusion to overt violence against Jews. This pogrom demonstrated the Nazis' willingness to publicly endorse violence and terror as a means to achieve their goals. Following this event, the persecution of Jews intensified, leading to mass arrests and imprisonment in concentration camps.
• What were some immediate consequences of Kristallnacht for Jewish communities in Germany and Austria?
  • The immediate consequences of Kristallnacht were devastating for Jewish communities, with thousands of businesses destroyed and synagogues burned. About 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps without trial. The violence led to increased fear within the Jewish population, prompting many to seek emigration despite facing significant barriers to leaving Germany.
• Evaluate the international response to Kristallnacht and its implications for future actions regarding the Holocaust.
  • The international response to Kristallnacht was largely characterized by condemnation but little actionable support for Jewish refugees. Many countries expressed outrage but maintained restrictive immigration policies that hindered Jewish escape from Nazi Germany. This lack of decisive action contributed to the broader failure to respond adequately to the escalating violence of the Holocaust, revealing a troubling trend of inaction despite knowledge of systemic persecution.

Related terms

Nazi Germany: The totalitarian state established by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers' Party, characterized by extreme nationalism, anti-Semitism, and the suppression of dissent.

pogrom: A violent riot aimed at the massacre or persecution of a particular ethnic or religious group, particularly used in reference to anti-Jewish violence in Eastern Europe.

Holocaust:

The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during World War II.