Events Leading to Kristallnacht Boycotts of Jewish

Events Leading to Kristallnacht

Boycotts of Jewish Businesses • April 1, 1933 the Nazi’s organized a nationwide boycott of Jewish-owned businesses in Germany. Many local boycotts continued throughout much of the 1930’s

Berlin, Germany People reading street notices about the economic boycott

A woman reads a boycott sign posted in a window of a Jewish-owned department store USHMM photo

Boycotts Stormtroopers block entrance to Jewishowned shop. Sign says, ”Germans! Defend yourselves! Don’t buy from Jews!”

Civil Service Law • April 7, 1933 - Passed Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service. Any government employee could be dismissed for any reason – Hitler could fire the Jews who worked for the government • Other laws banned Jews from schools, other professions and owning land soon followed

Book Burnings • May 10, 1933 Nazi party members, teachers, and others burned books written by Jews and political opponents of Nazis

Law for Prevention of Offspring with Hereditary Disease • July 14, 1933 - Law for the Prevention of Offspring with Hereditary Disease – Mandates the forced sterilization of certain physically or mentally impaired individuals

Night of the Long Knives • Was the murder of Ernst Roehm and other SA leaders on June 30, 1934 • SA stands for “Sturmabteilung” or storm troopers, also known as “Brownshirts” • After the Night of the Long Knives, the SA was replaced by the SS

The SS or Schutzstaffeln • “Schutzstaffeln” means “protection squad” • Also known as the “Black shirts” • It was created in 1925 to protect the Nazi party and Hitler • After the Nazi’s seize power, it becomes the most powerful organization within the state • Controlled the concentration and death camp system

Nuremberg Laws of 1935 • Nuremberg is where the Nazis had their party rallies • These laws withdrew citizenship from Jews – Now they were only subjects • Forbade marriages and sexual relations between Jews and Germans • Jews could not employ German women under 45 in their households

Nuremberg Laws of 1935 • Identified who was Jewish by % Jewish blood • Organized persecution of Jews began in earnest

1936 Olympics • Berlin chosen to host 1936 Olympics • Nazi’s used sport in its drive to “purify” and strengthen the “Aryan” race – Prepare youth for war • Joseph Goebbels convinced Hitler the Olympics was an opportunity to show the world the “new Germany”

1936 Olympics • April 1933 - Reich Sports Office ordered an “Aryans only” policy in all German athletic organizations • Many athletes’ careers were interruped

Should the Games Go On? • Many western democracies were outraged by the actions of the Nazis and questioned if Berlin should host the games. • Olympic protocol provides there should be no restriction of competition because of class, color, or creed.

Support for A Boycott • 1935 - attacks on Jews in Berlin and the announcement of the Nuremberg laws. – AAU President, Jeremiah Mahoney, opposed U. S. participation in the Olympics – Support for a boycott grows in U. S. • Brundage states “The Olympic Games belong to the athletes and not to the politicians.

Support for a Boycott • Dec. 8, 1935, a proposal to boycott the Olympics was defeated at a meeting of the AAU in New York – Vote was extremely close • There was support for a boycott of the Olympics in other countries, but once U. S. said they would go, others followed suit.

African American and Jewish Voices • They thought African American victories by blacks would disprove Nazi racial views of “Aryan” supremacy – Promote black pride at home • American Jewish Congress and the Jewish Labor Committee supported boycott of Berlin Olympics

Berlin: The Facade of Hospitality • Joseph Goebbels strictly censored the German press, radio, and film • Anti-Jewish signs were removed • Der Strumer removed from newsstands

African American Success • Jesse Owens becomes an American hero of the Olympics • Other African Americans also won many medals

Jewish Athletes And The Games • The seven Jewish American athletes were pressured to boycott the Games – They would have boycotted if the entire American team boycotted – Saw themselves as American athletes of Jewish origin who were chosen to represent their country • Two Jewish athletes removed from the 4 x 100 relay team

Evian Conference • July 1938, FDR calls for and international conference to address the “refugee” problem. • 33 countries attended • 9 day meeting where countries expressed sympathy for the refugees, but offered little help • Only the Dominican Republic offered to take a large number of Jews

Kristallnacht

Kristallnacht • Herschel Grynszpan shoots Ernst von Rath – He dies two days later, Nov. 9, 1938 • Provides Josef Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister, with an excuse to launch a pogrom against the Jews

Kristallnacht • The pogram was called Kristallnacht – Night of the Broken Glass • Gangs of Nazi youth broke windows of Jewish businesses and homes, burned synagogues, and looted – 101 synagogues burned – 7, 500 Jewish businesses destroyed – 26, 000 Jews arrested and 91 died • View the orders

Kristallnacht • The official German position was that they were spontaneous outbursts

Kristallnacht

Kristallnacht • November 12 th, Goering calls a meeting of top Nazi leadership to access damage and place responsibility for it. • It was decided that since Jews were to blame for these events, they be held legally and financially responsible for the damages

Kristallnacht Damages • There were massive insurance claims from the damages of Kristallnacht – Jews themselves would be billed for the damage and that any insurance money due them would be confiscated by the State

Kristallnacht • Was a crucial turning point in German policy regarding Jews • Is considered as the actual beginning of the Holocaust

Kristallnacht • After Kristallnacht, laws were passed to Aryanize the German economy

Kristallnacht • Of critical importance, at this meeting Goering announced, “I have received a letter written on the Fuhrer’s orders requesting that the Jewish question be now, once and for all, coordinated and solved one way or another. ”

Reaction to Kristallnacht • The American public was fully informed of Kristallnacht – Made front-page news • FDR recalled the American ambassador to Germany and extended visitor visas for German Jews

Reaction to Kristallnacht • Wagner-Rogers Bill – Would allow 20, 000 German Jewish children into the U. S. outside of quotas – Did not pass • American Jewish organizations were reluctant to challenge public policy or the prevailing public mood – Didn’t want to stir up domestic anti-semitism

The Voyage of the St. Louis • One of the most famous examples of countries closing their borders • View presentation

The Voyage of the St. Louis • was a German ship carrying 930 Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany to Cuba. • When the ship set sail from Hamburg on May 13, 1939, all of its refugee passengers had legitimate landing certificates for Cuba.

The Voyage of the St. Louis • May 27 th- ship enters the port of Havanna, – not allowed to land. – stayed in the Cuban Harbor for 5 days – Tried to negotiate a deal to let them enter – made front page headlines in all the world's major papers.

The Voyage of the St. Louis • Ship was forced to turn back to Europe • When they were about halfway back to Germany, France, Belgium, England, and the Netherlands each agreed to accept some of the passengers • Of the 907 passengers, it is estimated that 250 eventually died under Nazi occupation.