LMU Jewish Studies is marking the 84th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, with its annual candle lighting ceremony and lecture titled “From Hitler’s Munich to American Exile: German Jews and the Realities of Forced Migration, 1933–1945.” With the recent rise in antisemitic rhetoric from public figures, this year’s event will serve as a reminder that antisemitism did not end with the Holocaust and continues to persist today.
In one night in 1938, Nazi-orchestrated violence killed 92 Jews, arrested more than 25,000 others and destroyed 200 synagogues and thousands of Jewish homes and businesses. In the wake of Kristallnacht, the Nazis increased the pressure on Jews to leave. Very few were able to escape, and as a result millions of European Jews were murdered.
“Antisemitic violence and Holocaust denial, most recently from celebrities and politicians, are not just a threat to Jews, they threaten liberal societies,” said Holli Levitsky, director of Jewish Studies and professor of English. “Even Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda chief, wasn’t able to spread his vile thoughts globally instantaneously, as antisemites can today. How do we stay vigilant in addressing this pressing problem?”
Andrea A. Sinn is the O’Briant Developing Professor and associate professor of history at Elon University and her lecture will focus on the individual experiences of these Jewish refugees. Through personal accounts, she’ll explore the immense personal difficulties they faced and help us to more deeply understand the often traumatic, life-altering experiences of forced migration.
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022 | 7 p.m.
Ahmanson Auditorium, University Hall 100
The event is free and all are welcome, but an RSVP is requested.
“Kristallnacht is recognized as the start of the Holocaust. It is remembered as a way to honor the dead and teach younger generations about the injustice that occurred,” said Levitsky.
