GENEVA - Geneva’s Hekhal Haness Synagogue held a commemoration on Monday evening for the November Pogrom, also known as Kristallnacht, which took place on November 9-10, 1938, marking one of the most devastating pogroms against Jewish communities across Germany and Austria. Organized by the World Jewish Congress, in partnership with the Jewish Community of Geneva, the Hekhal Hakness Synagogue, and the Gamaraal Foundation, the event brought together over 150 people, including 20 ambassadors and other representatives of UN member states.
Dr. Leon Saltiel, WJC Representative to the UN in Geneva, opened the evening by underscoring the significance of the November Pogrom as a grim warning of the Holocaust’s atrocities, stressing the international community’s role in fighting modern-day hatred and extremism. Dr. Saltiel reminded us that, though it occurred 86 years ago, the echoes of the November Pogrom still resonate today. He pointed to the October 7 terror attacks in Israel and the recent violent incidents on November 7 in Amsterdam as stark, present-day reminders of enduring hatred.
This was followed by Mrs. Roseline Cisier, President of the Jewish Community of Geneva, who discussed the lasting impact of the November Pogrom, emphasizing the critical need to counter disinformation and propaganda fueling antisemitism today.
Ambassador Simon Manley, UK Permanent Representative to the UN and whose country serves as Chair of the IHRA for the 2024-2025 term, highlighted the unprecedented rising antisemitism in the UK specifically, while Ambassador Nikola Gillhoff, German Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, reflected on the silence of many during the Holocaust and remarked on how “thin is the light warmth of enlightenment” in the face of violent actions taking place against Jewish communities.
The event also featured Ambassador Daniel Meron of Israel, who echoed Anne Frank’s words, “What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it from happening again,” urging international cooperation in Holocaust education and reminding the Jewish community to “choose life.”
Key to the commemoration was an exposé titled “1938: Where Was Switzerland? The Grüninger Affair” by Swiss historian Dr. Stefan Keller, who recounted the courageous actions of Paul Grüninger, a Swiss police commander who defied government orders to close the borders to Jewish refugees fleeing Austria, saving countless lives at the cost of his career. His legacy stands as a powerful testament to moral courage, with Dr. Keller poignantly asking, “The question remains not why Paul did what he did, but why others did nothing.”
