Groningen synagogue cancels Kristallnacht silent march over Israel-Gaza violence

The synagogue on Folkingestraat in Groningen city canceled the silent march that traditionally forms part of its Kristallnacht commemoration. The synagogue wants to prevent incidents given the current violence in Israel and Gaza and the resulting tensions in the rest of the world.

“The commemoration normally consists of two parts: the silent march from the Waagplein to the synagogue in Groningen and a memorial meeting in the synagogue,” synagogue director Geert Volders told RTV Noord. “Due to the current situation in the Middle East, we have decided to cancel the outdoor part and focus on the part in the synagogue.”

Volders stressed that they haven’t received any threats, but people understand the precaution. “We want to prevent people from mistaking this silent procession for a demonstration, which is not what it is,” he said. “We do not think it is responsible, given this extreme polarization and emotions, to ask volunteers to guide this silent journey. We don’t think that is appropriate now.”

The commemoration will only take place inside the synagogue on 5 November, with a lecture by Manja Pach, music, and poems.

Kristallnacht, called the Night of Broken Glass in English, is considered the start of the mass persecution of the Jews in the Second World War. During the night of 9 to 10 November 1938, the Nazis attacked the Jewish community all over Germany, destroying hundreds of synagogues, shops, and homes. The name Kristallnacht comes from the glass that littered the streets afterward. Many German Jews were arrested, assaulted, and murdered.