#Intro In late January 1933, Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Nazi Germany. In the next few years, his Nazi party implemented many (many) nationalistic and anti-semitic policies. Policies that kicked Jews out of civil services and made German businesses stop servicing Jews. Policies that made sure, Jews and Aryans couldn’t marry or have any extramarital relationship. Policies that harassed Jewish people. Fast forward to October 1938, direct orders were given to arrest Polish Jews living in Nazi Germany, and to send them back to Poland. And so, around 17,000 Polish Jews were sent to the Polish border, where they were stuck. The Polish border guards wouldn’t let them in and they couldn’t go back to Germany. So, now you have 17,000 people stuck without food, water or shelter. In the crowd 17,000 were the parents of Herschel Grynszpan. A 17 year old Polish Jew living in Paris, after escaping Germany the years prior. Upon hearing the news, Herschel became angry, so angry that he would go out and buy a revolver. On the morning of November 7, 1938, Herschel would enter the German embassy in Paris, posing as a spy. He would claim to have important documents, that he could only hand to a high ranking official. He was then immediately directed to the office of Ernst Vom Rath. Once in the office, Herschel pulled out his revolver and fired 5 shots straight into the abdomen of Ernst Vom Rath. Herschel was then reportedly heard shouting insults to the bleeding official, while claiming he acted in the name of persecuted Jews. Ernst Vom Rath would pass away on the evening of November 9th. His passing greatly angered Hitler, the Nazi party and many Germans. That anger quickly translated into action that very night. #The Night Nazi SS, Nazi SA, Hitler Youth and German citizens took to the streets all over Germany. They would set fire to synagogues all over the country and vandalize Jewish homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and cemeteries. They would also attack and murder many Jews as well. German police officers and German firefighters were ordered to do nothing, as the situation spiralled out of control. Firefighters would only extinguish fires that threatened Aryan owned property. #Aftermath By the morning of November 10th 1938, everything had died down. The aftermath of the previous night was clear for everyone to see. More than 250 synagogues were burnt down, over 7,000 Jewish businesses were trashed and looted and even more homes were vandalized. Nearly 100 Jews were murdered as well. The streets were littered with broken glasses, giving rise to the name The Night of Broken glass or Kristallnacht. The Nazi party placed heavy blame on the Jewish community for “causing” Kristallnacht. They would go on to arrest more than 30,000 Jewish men and sent them to various Nazi concentration camp. They would also place a fine on the German-Jewish community reportedly worth 1 Billion Mark or roughly $500 million USD. Kristallnacht was reported all over the world, with various reactions ranging from shock, to condemnation, to criticism and to anger. However, few countries would actually take any meaningful action to help the German Jews. By the start of WW2, there were still more than 200,000 German jews stuck in Germany, awaiting an uncertain future. #Conclusion Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken glass, was a turning point in the harrasment of Jews in Nazi Germany. Before Kristallnacht, the harassment was primarily non-violent. But now going forward, it seems that the mistreatment and harassment of German-Jews would only intensify. It seems that things will only get worse, as the Nazi party aim to solve the “Jewish question”. Anyways, if you like the video, please like and subscribe. See you next time.