The annual commemoration of the pogrom that many historians consider the beginning of the Holocaust is scheduled to take place outside First Parish Church on the Common Tuesday at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited.
The event on Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, became known as Kristallnacht – the night of broken glass. Nazi sympathizers and other hoodlums smashed and ransacked thousands of Jewish-owned businesses in Germany and Austria. Scores of synagogues were burned or damaged, and many Jewish leaders were interned for several weeks.
Bedford’s ceremony, conducted by members of the clergy and civic leaders, features remembrances, music, and symbols of hope. For a number of years, this event has served as a reminder of the capacity for human degradation and a call for continued vigilance and advocacy for justice and equity.
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763