WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) lauded Senate approval by unanimous consent of a resolution (S. Res. 290) commemorating the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. These pogroms took place November 9 and 10 across Jewish neighborhoods in Germany, German-occupied Austria, and German-occupied Czechoslovakia.
“Kristallnacht was a heartbreaking moment and a disgusting display of Nazi Germany’s attempt to eradicate the Jewish people,” Senator Wicker said. “In somberly remembering this tragedy, we recommit ourselves to eliminating the scourge of anti-Semitism wherever it persists. We must defend humanity against such gross displays of hatred, here in America and around the world.
“Kristallnacht was a crucial turning point in the Holocaust – moving from a policy of removing Jews from Germany and German occupied lands, to murdering them. It stands as a particularly potent example of how hate can proliferate and erode our societies, and why I have worked tirelessly to advance global efforts to stop ethnic cleansing,” said Senator Cardin. “In my capacity as Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and decades long work as a Member of Congress, I have advanced efforts to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance and discrimination in North America and Europe. Kristallnacht stands as an enduring example of the danger of associating citizenship with ethnicity.”
The resolution approved by the full U.S. Senate pays tribute to the over 6,000,000 Jewish people killed during the Holocaust and the families affected by the tragedy. It also expresses continued support for U.S. efforts to address the legacy of the Holocaust and combat manifestations of anti-Semitism domestically and globally. Such efforts include working with partners such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism and Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Unit.
Cosponsors included Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ), as well as Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
