Memorial service in Böblingen: Remembering the Kristallnacht pogrom!

Memorial service in Böblingen: Remembering the Kristallnacht pogrom!

A significant memorial service for Kristallnacht will take place in the tranquil town of Böblingen on November 9, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. The Paul Gerhardt Church, Berliner Straße 39, commemorates the cruel events of November 9th to 10th, 1938, when synagogues in Germany went up in flames and the Jewish population was persecuted. The day of remembrance is particularly explosive these days, with all the current developments in the Middle East and increasing anti-Semitism in Germany. Krzbb reports that Pastor Gerlinde Feine will give a moving sermon, while Pastor Gerhard Steinbach will organize the liturgy together with a team.

But what exactly happened back then? The so-called November pogrom, also known as “Reichspogromnacht” or “Reichskristallnacht”, was a violent riot against the Jewish population in the German Reich that took place around November 9, 1938. Jews were not only discriminated against, but also actively attacked. The Federal Agency for Civic Education describes that synagogues, shops and apartments burned and were looted. The acts of violence were carried out predominantly by members of the SA and SS, with the tacit approval of the civilian population and the Nazi government.

The events of the pogrom

The pogrom was triggered by the assassination attempt on the German diplomat Ernst vom Rath on November 7, 1938, which the NSDAP leadership used as a pretext. Joseph Goebbels encouraged people to “spontaneous” demonstrations against the Jewish population in an infamous speech. The police were given instructions to only intervene if “German life or property” was at risk, which led to the violence being carried out undisturbed. Contemporary witnesses report brutal attacks and destruction that lasted until the evening of November 10th.

The numbers are frightening: over 1,400 synagogues and prayer rooms were destroyed, and more than 7,500 Jewish shops were looted. Officially there were 91 deaths, but current research puts the number at over 1,500. Around 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and deported to concentration camps. This illustrates the messy transition from pure discrimination to the systematic persecution and murder of the Jewish population.

A remembrance that continues

At the memorial service, historian Horst Zecha will also report on the fate of the Jewish Ullmann family, thereby making personal stories visible again at a time when many cultures of remembrance are in danger of being forgotten. A special highlight will be the musical arrangement by Junna Narahashi and students from the Böblingen Music School, which will make the evening an emotional experience. It is up to us to preserve these stories and learn from the past so that such atrocities are not repeated.

Remembrance Day is not only a look back at history, but also a sign of solidarity against current tendencies of hatred. Only by remembering together can we uphold the values ​​of tolerance and humanity.