Press Release
Published on November 9, 2018
Washington, D.C.—In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, Ira Forman, senior advisor for combatting antisemitism at Human Rights First, and the former U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat anti-semitism, released the following statement:
Eighty years ago tonight, German citizens and paramilitary thugs attacked their neighbors because they were Jews. In the midst of the pogrom, an unknown number of Jews were killed, and nearly 30,000 were detained and sent to concentration camps. Many more committed suicide in the following days. Nazis and their sympathizers also destroyed property—homes, stores, and synagogues.
Today, we commemorate Kristallnacht by rededicating ourselves to fighting antisemitism in all its forms. We may not be reliving the 1930s. However, we are living in an era in which Jews are once again being murdered for their religious and cultural identity. We live in an era in which politicians are once again stirring hate and resentment for political gain. We live in an era in which those seeking to flee violence and persecution are once again being turned away by those who should offer safe harbor. We live in an era in which merely saying “never again” is not enough.
