Echoes of Kristallnacht: The Resurgence of Antisemitism
Two days ago, before the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht, history repeated itself. A violent pogrom took place in Amsterdam, only this time at the hands of radical Islamic extremists instead of Nazis.
After a soccer game between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israeli players were barbarically targeted and attacked. The attack resulted in 3 people missing, multiple wounded and Jews and Israelis warned to not only remain indoors but hide any jewish identifiers on their person.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded immediately, sending 2 planes to airlift and rescue the victims of the pogrom, and return them to safety in Israel.
The attack echoes Kristallnacht, of which today marks the 86th anniversary. On the night of November 9, 1938, waves of violence terrorized the Jewish communities of Nazi territories.
Synagogue set on fire during the pogrom on Kristallnacht, Yad Vashem Photo Archive.
The night is forever remembered as The November Pogrom, or Kristallnacht, German for ‘night of the broken glass,’ referring to the surplus of shattered glass on the street from the once prosperous storefronts.
Jewish owned storefronts were vandalized and ravaged. The violence ended with an estimated 30,000 rounded up and arrested as well as the destruction of 267 synagogues.
Both nationally and globally, Jews have faced a severe rise in antisemitism in a post October 7 society, from vandalism to riots to now, pogroms.
From Swastikas to “Free Palestine” spray painted on temples, the intent is the same: to intimidate Jewish people and incite aggression towards them. With Jewish civilians as young as 13 years old targeted, and businesses repeatedly vandalized, one cannot help but notice the jarring and terrifying parallels between now and then.
Vandalized home of a Jewish board Member of the Brooklyn Museum, Brad Lander. The New York Post.
Unlike Kristallnacht, these attacks are not government orchestrated and are extremely sporadic in location and timing. Yet, despite these differences, the sense of fear and disappointment felt in the communities is the same.
Today not only marks the anniversary of Kristallnacht, but also the one year anniversary of the March for Israel, a pro-Israel demonstration that took place at the National Mall in Washington D.C., occuring again today.
Campus activity surrounding the war remains steadfast as well, with a pro-Palestine protest calling for a ceasefire having taken place on election day, November 5, in Washington Square Park. Following the election results declaring Donald Trump as the nation’s president elect, students continued to protest outside of Bobst library amongst other locations.
Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in Washington Square Park on Tuesday evening, November 5, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Photo by Sam Elyaszdeh.
Trump told Netanyahu he wants the Gaza war over by the time he enters office, though it is unclear what the next four years will look like on that front. It is expected though that NYU will see more protests in the coming weeks before the end of the fall semester.