Why was Kristallnacht a turning point for Jews in Nazi Germany?

The name Kristallnacht comes translated to night of broken glass and refers to the broken shop windows of Jewish stores. Kristallnacht was a large-scale attack by the German Nazis against Jews throughout Germany. It was directed against Jewish business and synagogues. At least 96 Jews were killed and hundreds more were injured. Mass frenzy broke out: synagogues were destroyed and burned, shop windows of Jewish - owned stores were demolished and were looted. Jewish homes were assaulted, and in many places Jews were physically attacked. About 30,000 Jews, especially those who were influential and wealthy, were arrested, often with the help of previously prepared lists, and were taken to concentration camps. This was the first time that riots against the Jews of Germany had been organised on such an extensive scale. Though the riots were officially terminated on November 10, in many places it continued for several more days. In Austria it started only on the morning of November 10.

The damages caused by Kristallnacht were horrendous. More than 177 synagogues were burned and almost 7,500 Jewish businesses were destroyed. Jewish cemeteries and schools were also vandalised.

The Nazis said it was provoked by the assassination of the third secretary of the German embassy in Paris, Ernst vom Rath, by a 17yr old Polish Jew, Herschel Grynszpan. But the assassination gave Joseph Goebells, an excuse to launch the first major, public attack against the Jews. This is why Kristallnacht is regarded as a crucial turning point in German policy against the Jewish people. It was a major escalation ...