Introduction
Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to breaking glass, screaming neighbors, shouting guards, crying children, and inexplicable violence. If you had been a German Jew during World War II, you would have lived through such a night.
Today you will be exploring one of the most well-known events of the Holocaust, which devastated Jews throughout Germany. You will visit numerous websites to read about this topic, filling in the information as you go.
Task
Follow the attached links to familiarize yourself with the organizers, reactions and results of Kristallnacht.
Process
Joseph Goebbels
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/joseph-goebbels
Goebbels’s literary efforts greatly appealed to Nazi anti-Semitic views and agenda. The following are titles of his literary contributions:
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By 1927, Goebbels was given the following name, which exemplifies his aggressive motives:
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Joseph Goebbels's Official Title:
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The following statement made by Joseph Goebbels demonstrates how he planned to make the Jews "pay":
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Kristallnacht: Heydrich’s Instructions for Kristallnacht
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/heydrich-s-instructions-for-kristallnacht
Provide a summary of 4 instructions for Kristallnacht:
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Kristallnacht: Background & Overview
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/background-and-overview-of-kristallnacht
Following the observation of Walter Pehle and the Echoes and Reflections article, what is the meaning of Kristallnacht, and how did Germans perceive this destruction?
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The Reaction for the United States
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/fdr-statement-on-kristallnacht
https://www.facinghistory.org/defying-nazis/america-and-holocaust
Based on the the following links, what was the deference between the reaction of Kristallnacht and the response to refugees?
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Evaluation
Once you have familiarized yourself with this terrible event by visiting each site and filling in your information sheet, you will write a creative response:
Write a story describing this night and its aftermath from the perspective of a Jew. How do you react? What do you do during the destruction? What happens to you after it is over? How are you treated by the people who were once your neighbors and friends? Be as creative and detailed as possible, filling at least the front of one page and using proper grammar and spelling.