Remembering the tragic events of Kristallnacht on the 84th anniversary

The anniversary of Kristallnacht serves as an opportunity to reflect on the horrors of that night and remember the lives affected by the violence and persecution.

On this solemn anniversary, we delve into the details of Kristallnacht, examining its origins, the harrowing experiences of the Jewish community, the international reactions, and the enduring legacy of this dark chapter. In 1938, Nazis vandalized a shop owned by Jewish individuals, displaying a poster with the message, "Germans, Protect Yourselves – Avoid Purchases from Jews." (History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) In Germany, the Boerneplatz synagogue in Frankfurt was set ablaze on Nov. 10, 1938, during Kristallnacht, also known as the "Night of Broken Glass." (History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) People gather outside a Jewish-owned shop on Nov. 9 after the destructive events of Kristallnacht.  (AP Photos) On Nov. 9, 2020, the ancient walls of Jerusalem were illuminated with messages of hope and images of synagogues, mosques and churches from around the world, in remembrance of the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht. (Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images) Pictured is Erwin Ganz, who was a young boy when he witnessed Kristallnacht in Germany before escaping to the U.S. (Erwin Ganz/FOX News) At the National Kristallnacht commemoration on Nov. 9, 2022, Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra delivered a speech at Amsterdam's Portuguese synagogue. The events of Kristallnacht in 1938 marked the beginning of coordinated violence against the Jewish community in Nazi Germany. (Robin Van Lonkhuijsen/AFP via Getty Images) On Nov. 7, 2018, two Italian visitors are seen seated on the stelae at the Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany, ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Kristallnacht pogroms. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

For years, the anniversary was an opportunity for the world to reaffirm its commitment to ensuring that such atrocities were never repeated. In light of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the Kristallnacht anniversary is a vivid reminder that hatred, prejudice and intolerance still exist in today's world.