9 Nov 20 82nd Anniversary of Kristallnacht, Wednesday 9 Nov 1938 âKristallnacht,â or âNight of Broken Glass,â describes sudden, violent attacks on Jewish families and their property throughout Nazi Germany and Austria. Jewish homes, hospitals, synagogues, and businesses were violently demolished by hoards of semi-organized rioters. Individual Jews were attacked and beaten. Some were murdered. Thousands were rounded-up and incarcerated in newly-built concentration camps. The attacks were carried-out by âparamilitary forcesâ (identical to ANTIFA and BLM today) who were executing sincerest wishes of the Nazi government, but kept at armâs length, so culpable officials could piously claim âplausible denyabilityâ They always do! Yet, police stood-by, looking-on at the personal attacks and destruction of property taking place right in front of them, and did nothing. Of course, they had been ordered not to protect Jews, and they obeyed orders! The nationâs courts provided no relief either! We see parallels today! Kristallnacht had actually been planned for months, but the convenient pretext/catalyst was news that German diplomat, Ernst vom Rath, had been murdered in Paris, France the previous Monday by a Jewish teenager, Herschel Grynszpan. Grynszpanâs parents (in Germany) had recently been deported to Poland. Grynszpan went to the German embassy in Paris and asked to speak with an official. Vom Rath was apparently the first one encountered. Vom Rath was shot five times (pistol, caliber and brand unknown) and died two days later. Grynszpan was arrested immediately, without incident. How and why Grynszpan had left home and traveled to Paris is unknown. He had lived there since 1936. Grynszpan subsequently died, or was murdered, inside the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in Germany sometime during the War Years. He was never put on trial. Joseph Goebbels, Hitlerâs âMinister of Propaganda,â decided against a public trial, because it was common knowledge (within the diplomatic community) that vom Rath was homosexual and well known within Parisâ homosexual community. In fact, vom Rath sought duty in Paris mostly for that reason. Allegations of a homosexual relationship between vom Rath and Grynszpan, though probably not true, caused Goebbels to decide against what would have been a glitzy, embarrassing âshow trial.â In any event, Kristallnacht materialized shortly after news of vom Rathâs murder became generally known.In the aftermath, many Jews living in Germany and Austria tried to get out, any way they could. Most were not successful! âWhen there is no justice in the land, a nation’s administrators are little more than a gang of criminalsâ Augustine âGangs of Criminalsâ are found in every government, including ours. They are utterly amoral and immanently capable of their own version of âKristallnachtâ any time they see an opportunity! Who naively believe they will always enjoy protection from courts and police need to study history! /JohnÂ