Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht is the night when the German Nazis attacked the Jewish people and destroyed their properties on November 9, 1938. It ironically refers to the debris of broken glass left in the street following the attack. The attack extended to November 10 and in some other regions it lasted for several more days. The violence was triggered by the assassination of a junior diplomat by Herschel Grynszpan who avenged the crime committed against the European Jews by the Germans. Before Midnight of November 9, 1938, Gestapo disseminated a telegram to all the departments of police informing the on the action to be imposed on the Jews, especially their synagogue. In the telegram directed burning down of all the synagogue of Jews and their properties. The action resulted to burning down of over 1000 synagogues where at least 91 Jews were killed just within two days. The name Kristallnacht is, therefore, significant because it gives a reflection on the damages encountered by the Jews following the event of November 9, 1938.
Kristallnacht was a night of broken knives along with broken glass because it caused severe damages and casualty to the Jews. It led to the destruction of thousands of Jewish homes, hospitals, cemeteries, and businesses. The results of the violence were only comparable to the broken glass left in the street since all the properties were burned down to irreparable pieces similar to those of broken glass. The aftermath of Kristallnacht makes its name cloud the fact that it was the night of broken knives together with broken glass because the properties of the Jews after the event could only be compared to the tiny piece of glass left from broken glass.