Marking Kristallnacht in Oslo
Two hundred people gathered outside Oslo City Hall on November 9, 2026, to mark the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht, nrk.no reported.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Oslo Mayor Anne Lindboe, and Germany’s ambassador to Norway attended the evening commemoration in the biting November cold. Rabbi Michael Kohn of the Jewish Community in Oslo used his speech to draw parallels between historical antisemitism and modern rhetoric regarding Israel.
Echoes of Historical Antisemitism
Kohn explained that medieval blood libels falsely accused Jews of murdering Christian children and using their blood. He stated that today, similar accusations of genocide fall on Jewish children sitting in Oslo classrooms. According to nrk.no, Kohn argued that branding Israel with the crime of genocide makes Jewish people legitimate targets of hostility.
Prime Minister Støre offered a different perspective during his remarks at the event. While acknowledging that citizens can criticize Israel just as they would any other nation, Støre stated that international courts must determine whether genocide occurred in Gaza, as nrk.no reported.
Warnings on Rising Hatred
Støre emphasized the need to remain vigilant against discrimination targeting minorities and Jewish communities in Norway today. He warned that hatelogies foster aggressive attitudes that spread easily through digital networks. Aftenposten reported that the anniversary shows how easily societies attribute collective guilt to minority groups during times of international conflict.
The publication noted historical precedents, including how the shooting of a Norwegian border police constable in October 1942 was used as a pretext to persecute and arrest Jewish men in Norway. Bergensavisen noted that similar commemorations took place in Bergen on Torgallmenningen, where trade union and solidarity leaders urged citizens to counter hatred before it escalates.
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