Posted on 11/03/2011 4:59:00 PM PDT by SJackson
Nearly three quarters of a century ago, on November 7, 1938, an angry young man walked into the German embassy in Paris intent upon killing the German Ambassador. Not finding him, he instead shot and killed Germany’s Third Secretary Ernst vom Rath.
Hershel Grynszpan was seeking revenge on the Germans, who during the prior week had evicted his Jewish parents from the city of Hanover, Germany. All of their possessions, including the store Grynszpan’s father had owned since 1911, had been confiscated by the German police, and the family had been forced into a refugee camp across the border in Poland.
Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s chief of propaganda, took advantage of the murder to begin a pogrom against the Jews in Germany and Austria. Goebbels first ordered German newspapers to place articles about the assassination of vom Rath on their front pages, then orchestrated an attack against the Jews by gangs, claiming that the attacks were merely spontaneous reactions to the assassination.
On the evenings of November 9 and 10, Nazi youth and Nazi Stormtroopers (some dressed in civilian clothing) systematically roamed through cities in Germany and Austria, breaking windows in thousands of Jewish businesses, homes and synagogues. Later these nights would be referred to as Kristallnact, meaning, “The Night of the Broken Glass”.
Goebbels ordered local police and firemen not to intervene except to protect the property of non-Jewish Germans. The Nazis looted Jewish homes and businesses, stealing or destroying their contents. 91 Jews were killed, and many others were assaulted or raped. In Austria, at least 80 people committed suicide to avoid facing the Nazi brutality.
Synagogues were looted and burned, but not before their archives were confiscated and turned over to Hitler’s Security Service to be used to arrest Jews. Reports of the number of synagogues that were burned vary widely, but it could have been as many as 1,200.
As many as 7,500 Jewish businesses were destroyed during Kristallnacht, and about 26,000 Jews were rounded up and sent to concentration camps at Dachau, Buchenwald, and Sachsenhausen, all of which had been prepared several weeks in advance.
Later, Goebbels would hold a meeting with the top Nazi brass, declaring that the damages were the fault of the Jews. He levied a heavy fine on the Jews, confiscating all insurance payments that they might have received for the damages.
At the meeting, Goebbels began the institution of anti-Semitic laws that were intended to remove the Jews from the German economy. Sadly, there was little resistance to the treatment of the Jews from the German population. The following year, Hitler invaded Poland, where Polish churches and synagogues were burned. Hitler was not just intent upon exterminating the Jewish people, but also the Christian Church.
Goebbels is quoted to have said, “the Fuhrer is deeply religious, though completely anti-Christian. He views Christianity as a symptom of decay. Rightly so. It is a branch of the Jewish race…”.
Hitler planned to completely destroy Poland, including its capital, Warsaw. Except for a few iconic buildings, Warsaw was to be completely razed to the ground under a plan devised by German architect Friedrich Pabst, whose plan was intended to demoralize and to destroy the culture of the Polish people by destroying its architecture.
Why are these events so important to remember now? Because we are seeing and hearing so much more anti-semitism now.
The Occupy Wall Street movement is filled with people blaming the Jews for our nation’s current economic problems. This is not a spontaneous reaction as its proponents claim it to be. Unlike the genuinely spontaneous and peaceful Tea Party movement, OWS is being orchestrated all over the world.
Our president has been conspicuously cold toward Israel, criticizing Israel for its defense policies (the settlements) and snubbing Prime Minister Netanyahu. Iran continues building nuclear weapons and Ahmadinejab continues his anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric, and Iran’s alliance with Russia poses a serious risk to Israel.
In the Middle East and northern Africa, nation after nation is falling into the hands of the Muslim brotherhood, who are intent upon the destruction of Israel (and America).
The bottom line is that Israel and Jews around the world need the support, protection and prayers of America and its allies, and we need a President who will continue our pro-Israel policies.
Kristallnacht and the Holocaust happened because no one stood up to the Nazis until it was too late. We can’t be guilty of it again.
©2011 Randy W. Bright
Randy W. Bright, AIA, NCARB, is an architect who specializes in church and church-related projects. You may contact him at 918-582-3972, rwbrightchurcharch@sbcglobal.netor www.churcharchitect.net.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
Of course much of the left contends these things don't need to be condemned, the Nazis/Communists/Anarchists are a minority after all, no need to condemn them. What harm could they do, we'll take a pass, they're amongst our supporters after all.
Yeah, the rest of it is just good ol' citizens speaking their minds just to feel important and have their picture taken by chance.../s
Keywords-
owsracist, owsracists,owsantisemitic
Occupy LA LA Teacher Patricia McAllister Wants to Run Jews Out of the Country
Occupy Wall Street leader excludes white ally to gain union support
Occupy Wall Street: Does anyone care about the anti-Semitism?
Powerful Ad Wonders Why Politicians Are Ignoring Occupy Protesters’ Anti-Semitism
Conservative Group Condemns Perceived Anti-Semitism By ‘Occupy Wall Street’ Protesters
VIDEO: Anti-Semitism at "Occupy Wall Street Video
More Anti-Semitism at Occupy Los Angeles [ Lots of Images Lots ]
Lisa Fithian: Occupy Organizer, Union Educator, -And Israel-Hater
Occupy Wall Street Hatred, Violence, and Antisemitism Compilation Compilation: 40 Examples of OWS Violence, Perversion, and Anti-semitism (With Pictures, Videos)
Nazis and Communists Throw Their Support Behind Occupy Wall Street Movements
Nazis and Communists Unite Behind Occupy Wall Street Movement!
Communist and Nazi Parties show Public Support for Occupy Wall Street
American Nazi Party Declares Its Full Support For Occupy Wall Street Protests
CAIR Joins Occupy Wall Street, Will Hold Friday Prayers in Zuccotti Park
One TEA Partier photographed eating a watermelon and fried chicken, however, will cause the entire movement to be surrounded by circling dorsal fins.
“Goebbels is quoted to have said, “the Fuhrer is deeply religious, though completely anti-Christian. He views Christianity as a symptom of decay. Rightly so. It is a branch of the Jewish race…”.”
Well, there the loony left and Hitler certainly have common ground.
The fact that a few radicals in any movement say wacked out things is something we at FR are quite used to.
Labeling an entire “movement” antisemitic for the rantings of its most extreme members (who are not its leaders) is a tactic of the left.
This article breaks the Godwin rule immediately and anyone defending it immediately loses the argument.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.