The demise of the Jews is something that is taught in schools and described in history books yet few people know what led up to the eventual annihilation of six million Jews living in Europe, Russia and Poland. What started off as a thought with “good intentions” by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party turned out to be one of the deadliest genocides in history. The events that initiated the “final solution” can be traced back to the Nuremburg laws created and enforced by Adolf Hitler and his party. This was then followed by an important event in history; Kristallnacht. This all contributed to the notion that one group’s hatred could impact the world severely. It can be proven that Kristallnacht ultimately was the key event that led to the spark
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There are many accounts of different dates used to describe this pogrom and even some saying the attacks lasted weeks. November 1938 was a time of terror for the Jews due to the continuous attacks and downfall of their lives in Germany. Author Michal Bodemann writes “It must be stressed that, following the shooting, the first pogrom-type activities had begun immediately, on the seventh and the eighth of November, but the ninth was remarkably quiet- the quiet before the storm. The pogroms thus came into full swing only in the early morning hours of the tenth.” While the dates can be misleading or not exactly accurate the name is what tells the true tale of that night. The term Kristallnacht which translates from German into “Crystal Night” also called Night of broken glass or the November Pogroms get its name directly from the remains of broken glass left in the streets after the pogroms. It was almost a festive occasion by the glistening and gleaming glass. By 1946 the term Kristallnacht was used in newspapers by both the Germans and the Jews. The Jewish newspapers put quotations around the term to show their dislike for it while the Germans did not which therefore showed their uninterest in the matter. By 1978 the term was replaced by Reichspogromnacht but today we still commonly call that tragic event Kristallnacht. Regardless of which name you choose they all …show more content…
The Nuremburg laws and the general disinterest for the Jews foreshadowed the November pogroms intensity. The name given to the pogrom was invented to mocks the Jews on that very dark November night. After Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party got a taste of the victory from their violence towards the Jews, they wanted more and more. Once the Holocaust came under way only vengeance and hate poured out from the Nazis. Europe’s lack of involvement or understanding of what was going on showed the power Hitler had to control the media and create lies to his people to show great strength in their Germany. Americas little to no involvement in helping the Jews shows that anti-Semitism spread not just in Europe but also America. If we could take the time to address Kristallnacht and what happened on that night we could have a better understanding of the timeline of events that took place before the Holocaust. It is important not to forget those events in history that caused the deaths of millions of Jews but also we should keep their memory alive. Many survivors report that they heard a final plea from those who were killed: “Remember! Do not let the world forget.” It is important to teach the future generations about Kristallnacht and the Holocaust to prevent any reoccurrence of such an event. After the tragedy of Kristallnacht and the monstrous mass killings in the Holocaust, awareness was
There are many accounts of different dates used to describe this pogrom and even some saying the attacks lasted weeks. November 1938 was a time of terror for the Jews due to the continuous attacks and downfall of their lives in Germany. Author Michal Bodemann writes “It must be stressed that, following the shooting, the first pogrom-type activities had begun immediately, on the seventh and the eighth of November, but the ninth was remarkably quiet- the quiet before the storm. The pogroms thus came into full swing only in the early morning hours of the tenth.” While the dates can be misleading or not exactly accurate the name is what tells the true tale of that night. The term Kristallnacht which translates from German into “Crystal Night” also called Night of broken glass or the November Pogroms get its name directly from the remains of broken glass left in the streets after the pogroms. It was almost a festive occasion by the glistening and gleaming glass. By 1946 the term Kristallnacht was used in newspapers by both the Germans and the Jews. The Jewish newspapers put quotations around the term to show their dislike for it while the Germans did not which therefore showed their uninterest in the matter. By 1978 the term was replaced by Reichspogromnacht but today we still commonly call that tragic event Kristallnacht. Regardless of which name you choose they all …show more content…
The Nuremburg laws and the general disinterest for the Jews foreshadowed the November pogroms intensity. The name given to the pogrom was invented to mocks the Jews on that very dark November night. After Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party got a taste of the victory from their violence towards the Jews, they wanted more and more. Once the Holocaust came under way only vengeance and hate poured out from the Nazis. Europe’s lack of involvement or understanding of what was going on showed the power Hitler had to control the media and create lies to his people to show great strength in their Germany. Americas little to no involvement in helping the Jews shows that anti-Semitism spread not just in Europe but also America. If we could take the time to address Kristallnacht and what happened on that night we could have a better understanding of the timeline of events that took place before the Holocaust. It is important not to forget those events in history that caused the deaths of millions of Jews but also we should keep their memory alive. Many survivors report that they heard a final plea from those who were killed: “Remember! Do not let the world forget.” It is important to teach the future generations about Kristallnacht and the Holocaust to prevent any reoccurrence of such an event. After the tragedy of Kristallnacht and the monstrous mass killings in the Holocaust, awareness was