Social Studies: Kristallnacht

1.) What is meant by the term “Kristallnacht”?
The Night of Broken Glass.

2.) When did this event occur?
This event occurred on November 9th and 10th 1938.

3.) How many synagogues did the programme claim were burned?
267 were burned and destroyed.

4.) How many Jews were claimed to have died as a result of this event?
91 were murdered.

5.) How many were said to have been sent to concentration camps?
30,000

6.) What was the reaction of the German people to this event?
They forced the Jews to pay off the cost of the event. Furthermore, they would be disowned and deported and banned from attending schools. The Germans put the blame on the Jews as they believed that it was the Jew's fault.

The Kristallnacht event was planned out in advance.

Evidence of this statement is the detailed document that was sent out on the 8th of November 1938 (the day before the event occurred). Within the document, it states what the officials can and cannot do. 

An example of this is:

“Particular care is to be paid in business sections and surrounding streets” 

“Non-Jewish businesses are to be protected from damage under all circumstances".
“Officials are to arrest as many Jews, especially wealthy ones.”

In conclusion, the event of the night of the broken glass was planned by the Germans. This document was signed by Reinhard Heydrich, a high-ranking German SS and police officer during the Nazi era.