I make a point of observing the anniversary of the Night of Broken Glass, or Kristallnacht in German. During the night of November 9th/10th in 1938, groups of Nazi thugs went on the rampage in German towns and cities, smashing Jewish-owned businesses and shops, looting and setting fire to them. Only because they were owned by people who had marked their religion down as Jewish. In the aftermath, many streets were littered with broken glass, which led to the German euphemism of Kristallnacht (Crystal Night).With the anniversary of the 1914/1919 Armistice just a day ago, it is good to also remember the atrocities of the Second World War. Lest we forget.
Postscript: I specifically refer to the First World War as running until 1919, as the Peace was not declared until that year. Here in Lewis in particular, with the Iolaire Disaster of 1 January 1919, the Great War certainly didn't end until 1919.
Thankyou for mentioning Kristalnaght ,we mustnt forget any of those horrid things that happened ..love Jan xx
ReplyDeleteYes I heard that the war did not end until 1919 when I was watching Rolf Harris tracing his Dad and uncle who both fought. Very moving. We must never forget Kristalnaght either or what happened in those awful camps.
ReplyDeleteI recently made an entry about the fall of the Berlin Wall, and how they had to adjust their holiday commemorating their reunification, because they didn't want it to fall near the Kristallnacht date.
ReplyDeleteBeth
No we cannot grow complacent and forget that evil exists in the world. 'On Ya'-ma
ReplyDeleteWell done, Guido, to remember the Kristallnacht. I had the privilege to meet an old lady who lived in Berlin and was there that night. She told me it was like the doors to hell were suddenly open, the beginning of a long nightmare.
ReplyDeleteAll the best. Antonella
Thanks for sharing this Guido. It is important to remember history, so you don't repeat it.
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