A sad 70th anniversary we should all remember
11:31, 9 November 2008
.. Posted in Personal.. Link
A pogrom is a form of riot directed against a particular group, whether ethnic, religious, or other, and characterized by destruction of group members' homes, businesses, and religious centers.
70 years ago today was the start of one of the most famous pogroms in history: "Kristallnacht", literally "Crystal night" in English, or the Night of Broken Glass, in Nazi Germany. It is often called Novemberpogrom or Reichspogromnacht in German. On a single night, 92 Jews were murdered and 25,000–30,000 were arrested and deported to concentration camps. Kristallnacht saw the destruction of more than 200 synagogues and the ransacking of thousands of Jewish businesses and homes. It marked the beginning of the systematic eradication of a people who could trace their ancestry in Germany to Ancient Rome, a people who had been assimilated in Germany, serving in the German army and WWI, and contributing to every field of German science, business and culture. Neighbor turned against neighbor. Kristallnacht served as a prelude to the Holocaust that was to follow.
Stefan and I will be going down to a parking lot in Sinzig where the synagogue for this city once stood, so I can light a candle in remembrance. Stefan discovered a web site early last year that helped me find this site. It's called Alemannia Judaica, and it details pre-WWII Jewish communities and culture in Germany. It's mostly in German, but using its English information, as well as an online translation program, I was able to find out about the Jewish communities of the area I live now.
Also see It Came From Within ... 70 Years Since Kristallnacht, an online exhibit by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority.
I ask you all to take today to think about the dangers of out-of-control nationalism and where it can lead. Remember that there are many different ways to love one's country. Remember that differences are worth celebrating and can make a country stronger. Remember there are pogroms happening right now in Sudan and Congo. And remember that silence means approval - speak out, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
Peace. Sa'lam. Shalom.
