Virtual Community-Wide Kristallnacht Commemoration

Dear Friends of the Museum,

Each year we commemorate the November Pogrom, more commonly known as Kristallnacht. This event stands out in history, as the major foreshadowing of genocide against the Jews of Europe and violent persecution of others. The violence and destruction of November 9 - 10, 1938 hangs heavy in our memory: thousands of Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues were destroyed; 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and imprisoned in concentration camps; and hundreds of lives were lost.

Today, just as then, division and strife are rampant. Hate has been on the rise - antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia are tracking in a dangerous direction across our country. At the Museum we believe when we educate ourselves and others about humanity's violent histories, like Kristallnacht, it becomes apparent that we must combat hate at its root - because we know where it leads unchecked.

Though we cannot commemorate together due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we still hold the responsibility to remember the past and work to build a future free of such violence and hatred. Together we join in virtual community to mark this Kristallnacht. Please click the link below to watch this year's Commemoration.

In Solidarity,
The Board and Staff of the Holocaust Museum & Center for Tolerance and Education