A memorial plaque commemorates the pogrom night, during which the new synagogue was also set on fire.
© dpa
The anti-Jewish pogroms of the National Socialists 85 years ago will be remembered and the victims of the Holocaust commemorated at numerous memorial events on Thursday.
The Central Council of Jews in Germany is organising its central memorial event at the Beth Zion Synagogue in Mitte. The event will be broadcast live on ARD. Wreath-laying ceremonies, funeral marches and other commemorative events will also take place in the Berlin districts.
The Governing Mayor Kai Wegner warns: "The 85th anniversary of the November pogroms reminds us of our responsibility. Each and every one of us is called upon to show civil courage in our everyday lives, on the street and at work, to take a stand and defend ourselves against anti-Semitism and attacks on our Jewish neighbours and fellow citizens". He also emphasised: "Berlin is the city of freedom. Hate and violence, anti-Semitism, racism and incitement to hatred do not belong here." Wegner will take part in the commemorative event organised by the Jewish Community of Berlin at the Jewish Community Centre and give a speech.
Berlin's Senator for Culture Joe Chialo has called for decisive action against anti-Semitism on the occasion of Remembrance Day. " November 9 is not a day of destiny. Anti-Semitism is not destiny: it is up to us to take the protection of Jewish life into our collective hands," the CDU politician announced via the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
In 1938, Nazi thugs launched a nationwide wave of violence against Jews on the night of November 9-10. According to the German Historical Museum, more than 1,300 people were killed, 1,400 synagogues were destroyed and damaged, 7,000 shops were attacked and 30,000 Jews were deported to concentration camps. Following the Hamas attack on Israel around a month ago, the number of anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli incidents has risen sharply both nationally and internationally.
There will be traffic restrictions for drivers in many parts of the city due to commemorative events, according to the traffic information centre. A commemorative procession will be travelling from Schöneberg to Charlottenburg from 4 pm. From Winterfeldtplatz via Goltzstraße, Winterfeldtstraße, Maaßenstraße, Nollendorfplatz, Kleiststraße, Wittenbergplatz, Tauentzienstraße, Kurfürstendamm and Joachimsthaler Platz, traffic restrictions are to be expected until 9.30 pm. A demonstration with a chain of lights will reportedly march from 19:30 to 20:30 in Friedenau from Breslauer Platz via Hedwigstraße, Sponholzstraße and Dürerplatz to Rembrandtstraße. In Mitte, a commemorative event from 7.30 pm to around 9.30 pm will cause restrictions in the areas of Sophienstraße, Große Hamburger Straße, Auguststraße, Tucholskystraße, Oranienburger Straße, Krausnickstraße and Große Hamburger Straße.