On the night of November 9, 1938, 80 years ago today, ordinary German citizens led by Nazis, who were also 'ordinary Germans', smashed the windows of synagogues and Jewish-owned shops across Germany.
The German government did nothing to stop the violence. How or why should they, as it was at their behest that the Germans did what what they did.
It is known as Kristallnacht, after the shards of glass that littered the streets.
Today Chancellor Angela Merkel will speak in a synagogue in Berlin to honour those who suffered from the pogrom.
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank Walter Steinmeier addressed the Bundestag today.
And on this date, November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall was breached and down it crumbled.
The reason why Germany does nor mark November 9 as German reunification date is because it is also the date of Kristallnacht.
No comments:
Post a Comment