Kristallnacht Commemoration in Frankfurt: Remembering the November Pogroms
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The city of Frankfurt will hold commemorative events in November 2025 to remember Kristallnacht (the “Night of Broken Glass”), the violent anti-Jewish pogrom that took place on November 9-10, 1938. These events will focus on the experiences of those persecuted during this period, including a tour detailing the violence and a screening of a documentary featuring the testimony of a Frankfurt lawyer who was imprisoned during the pogroms.
Primary Topic: Kristallnacht and its commemoration in Frankfurt.
Primary Keyword: Kristallnacht Frankfurt
Secondary Keywords: November Pogroms, Jewish persecution, Dachau concentration camp, Buchenwald concentration camp, Holocaust remembrance, Frankfurt history, Julius Meyer, Heiko Arendt.
Understanding Kristallnacht: A Turning Point in the Holocaust
Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, was a coordinated series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on November 9-10, 1938. The name refers to the shattered glass from the windows of synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses, and Jewish homes that littered the streets. While often described as a spontaneous outburst, the pogrom was carefully planned by nazi officials https://www.ushmm.org/learn/holocaust/kristallnacht.
The violence included:
* The destruction of synagogues – over 1,400 were burned or or else vandalized.
* The looting and destruction of Jewish-owned businesses.
* The arrest of approximately 30,000 Jewish men, who were sent to concentration camps, primarily Dachau and Buchenwald https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/nc/kristallnacht.
* Physical violence and intimidation against Jewish individuals.
* The deaths of at least 91 Jews.
Kristallnacht marked a major escalation in the Nazi regime’s persecution of Jews and is widely considered a key turning point leading to the Holocaust.
Commemorative Events in Frankfurt – November 2025
Frankfurt, a city with a significant Jewish history, will host events to remember the victims of Kristallnacht and educate the public about this dark chapter in history.
Guided Tour: Sites of Violence and Remembrance
A guided tour will be offered, providing facts about the violence that occurred in Frankfurt during the November pogroms of 1938. The tour will focus on the ancient sites where Jews were subjected to abuse and deportation. Specifically, the tour will address the events surrounding the forced transport of over 3,000 Jewish men from frankfurt to the Dachau and Buchenwald concentration camps, and the humiliation they endured at the festival hall before being transported https://www.frankfurter-info.org/veranstaltungen/fuehrungen/novemberpogrom-1938-erinnerungstour.
Dates & Times (November 2025):
* November 24th – 3:30 p.m.
* November 24th – 6:00 p.m.
Documentary Screening: “Julius Meyer. November 1938”
The documentary “Julius Meyer.November 1938,” directed by Heiko Arendt, will be screened as part of the commemoration. The film features the testimony of Julius Meyer, a Frankfurt lawyer and notary, detailing his experiences during his imprisonment and the anti-Jewish attacks that began on November 10, 1938. Meyer’s account provides a personal and harrowing viewpoint on the events of Kristallnacht https://www.frankfurter-info.org/veranstaltungen/filme/julius-meyer-november-1938.
Date & Time (November 2025):
* November 30th – 3:30 p.m.
* November 30th – 6:00 p.m. (Fully Booked)
Registration Information
Entry to both the guided tour and the documentary screening is free. Though, registration is required.
To register, please email: fuehrungen@messefrankfurt.com[https://wwwfrankfurter-infoorg/termine/mailto:fuehrungen@messefrankfurtcom[https://wwwfrankfurter-infoorg/termine/mailto:fuehrungen@messefrankfurtcom