Kristallnacht Commemoration

Join the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in partnership with the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library for our annual Kristallnacht Commemoration on Sunday, November 8, presented this year at the Downtown Main Library. Kristallnacht, or “Night of Broken Glass,” was a wave of violent anti-Jewish pogroms that took place on November 9–10, 1938, throughout Germany, annexed Austria, and parts of Czechoslovakia, marking a significant escalation in the Nazi persecution of Jewish people. This year’s commemoration will feature a panel discussion with descendants sharing their family’s experiences on Kristallnacht and its lasting impact across generations. Judith Wertheim Rapport: Judith’s grandfather, Walter Wertheim was born in Moenchengladbach, a small German town on the border of the Netherlands. He was 13 years old and on his way to school when Kristallnacht changed his life forever. Edna Southard: Edna’s grandfather, Arnold Alexander was co-owner of Alexander Brothers, a successful clothing store in Essen, Germany. On Kristallnacht, the store was destroyed, and Arnold was imprisoned in a concentration camp. Steve Coppel: Steve’s father Werner Coppel was born in Moers, Germany. On Kristallnacht, the synagogue where Werner had just celebrated his bar mitzvah seven months prior was not destroyed. But Kristallnacht was a warning. The program coincides with Stories of Kristallnacht, a special exhibition on view from October 2026 through January 2027 at the downtown main library branch. The exhibition brings together local Holocaust survivor testimony and collections with Crystal Night, a haunting glass sculpture by acclaimed Hungarian artist Maria Lugossy. The sculpture was donated to HHC’s Permanent Collection by Nancy & David Wolf and John & Ronnie Shore. Composed of laminated and sandblasted glass forms with bronze human faces emerging from fractured surfaces, Crystal Night serves as both a memorial and a warning, evoking the violence and devastation of Kristallnacht while reflecting on humanity’s enduring capacity for hope. Together, the exhibition and commemoration invite our community to remember through art, testimony, and family stories, ensuring these experiences continue to be shared across generations.