History glossary
Kristallnacht
the Nazi-organised pogrom of 9–10 November 1938 against Jews across Germany and Austria.
- Category
- Pogrom
- Region
- Germany and Austria
- Date range
- 9–10 November 1938
What it means
Kristallnacht, also called the Night of Broken Glass, was the Nazi-organised pogrom of 9–10 November 1938. Synagogues were burned, Jewish homes and businesses were attacked, Jews were killed, and around 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. It marked a major escalation from legal exclusion toward open mass violence.
