Memory of the Reichspogromnacht: Krefeld's dark past unveiled

Memory of the Reichspogromnacht: Krefeld's dark past unveiled

In Krefeld, the terrible events of the Reichspogromnacht took place on Saturday evening, which took place on the night of November 9, 1938. The commemoration, which was organized by Christoph Laugs and Hanna Stucki by the Nazi documentation center Villa Merländer, offered impressive documentation of the atrocities. People were persecuted, arrested and murdered at various locations in Krefeld, including the business premises of Elly and Hedwig Hirsch as well as the synagogues in the city center and in Linn. The synagogues burned down to the foundations, while the city sank into fear and terror.

Mayor Timo Kühn recalled the former splendor of the building at the "Square of the Old Synagogue" and condemned the fanatic perpetrators, whose hearts were fulfilled by hate. "The Shoah is the worst crime against people," he emphasized and asked to keep the memory awake. In the middle of grief he also spoke about the current conflicts in the Gaza and Lebanon and stated: "Humanity is not negotiable".

An appeal against anti-Semitism

Samuel Naydych, chairman of the Jewish community Krefeld, expanded his message from "Never again" to "Never again" and recalled the 101 people who are still in the hands of Hamas. He emphasized the need to remember these people and called for "good and brave people" in this dark time. Sandra Franz, head of Villa Merländer, expressed her anger and resignation about the increasing anti -Semitic incidents that increased by 152 percent in 2023. "Silence is approval, no neutrality," she warned.

The commemoration ended with the dead prayer and the Kaddisch, led by Michael Gilad, the former chairman of the Jewish community. A moving evening that emphasized the horrors of the past and underlined the urgent appeal for vigilance against anti -Semitism.