Scholars Commemorate Kristallnacht

Experts on the Holocaust spoke about its continuing significance last night to a packed room of more than 400 at 2 Divinity Ave.

The discussion, sponsored by the Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel's Forum Committee, commemorated the 60th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the night generally considered to be the beginning of the Holocaust.

On the night of Nov. 9, 1938, Nazis in Austria and Germany destroyed Jewish homes, shops and synagogues, and incarcerated more than 30,000 Jews, according to Associate Professor of Government and Social Studies Daniel J. Goldhagen '81.

The German word Kristallnacht refers to the glass broken during the night's destruction.

The discussion began with introductory remarks and a candle-lighting ceremony conducted by Jewish students. Associates of the American Repertory Theatre then read from eyewitness accounts of the night.

The essence of many of the presenters' comments can be found in the event's title, "Shattered Faith," referring not to the Jewish faith, but to faith in humanity.

"That night, we started to lose faith in humans' capacity for good," explained Joshua S. Goodman '00, who gave the event's opening remarks and is a member of the Forum Committee.

Several speakers focused on denial of the Holocaust by groups, including Americans and Christians.

James Carroll, director of the Institute for the Study of Genocide at the Kennedy School of Government, illustrated this denial by quoting headlines printed in The New York Times in the days immediately following Kristallnacht.

"There was a powerful initial response of sympathy from the American government," Carroll said. "[But] by Nov. 20 [1938], the words 'Jews' and 'Jewish' had been removed from headlines."

Carroll, formerly a Catholic priest, conjectured that fundamental tenets of the Christian faith may have been partially responsible for the Holocaust.

"Why did the cross--the apparatus on which Jesus died--become the symbol for his life?" Carroll asked the audience. "We [Christians] do not want to know how the Christian hatred of Jews may have its roots in something central to the way we Christians have defined our faith from the beginning."

Several of the presenters linked the Holocaust to modern-day examples of genocide, such as that in Bosnia and in Rwanda.

"It is too late to keep repeating 'never again,' because it has happened again and again and again," said Helen Fein, director of the Institute for the Study of Genocide at the Kennedy School of Government.

Porter Professor of Philosophy Robert Nozick took perhaps the most extreme view, placing the Holocaust apart from all other events in history.

"The Holocaust has shut the door that Christ opened," Nozick said. "Whatever suffering Jesus underwent, this could not be sufficient to redeem humanity in the face of the Holocaust."

Some audience members said Nozick's comments were too negative.

"The human race has always had the potential for evil," said Anna E. Lumelsky '00. "We've always had the potential for good, too, and we always will."

Many of those in attendance expressed satisfaction with the discussion's impact.

"Most people who attended already knew what Kristallnacht was, but it brought a deeper awareness and helped put it into the context of what's happening in the world today," said Justin P. Finnegan '02.