Jewish Hosts Talk on Kristallnacht

Walter Ziffer

"Night of Broken Glass" Marked  Beginning of the Holocaust

Kristallnacht, literally Crystal Night or Night of Broken Glass, launched the Jewish Holocaust. Across Germany on November 9-10, 1938, more than 200 synagogues were destroyed, 92 Jews were murdered, some 25,000 Jews were arrested and thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed.

UNC Asheville will observe the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht with a lecture by Walter Ziffer, a noted Holocaust survivor and scholar. Ziffer will discuss “Kristallnacht – Night of Broken Glass – The Beginning of a Nightmare: Tales of Shame and Tales of Heroism” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 5, at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center. The event is free and open to the public.

In his talk, Ziffer will explain the political background of
Kristallnacht and how it foreshadowed the anti-Jewish atrocities that
followed. The lecture will highlight some specifically Christian
reactions to the events based on Ziffer’s personal post-war experiences
with Christians who played significant roles in the outcome of the
tragedy.
As a young man, Ziffer, a Holocaust survivor, converted to
Christianity, became an ordained Christian pastor and a professor in
Christian seminaries. He later returned to Judaism. Ziffer has taught
at theological schools in the United States, France, and Belgium. He is
the author of “The Teaching of Disdain: An Examination of Christology
and New Testament Attitudes Toward Jews” and many articles on
Bible-related topics in various publications in France and the United
States.

After retiring from full-time work, Ziffer taught at the
University of Maine and UNC Asheville. Currently, he serves as adjunct
professor of philosophy and religion at Mars Hill College.

For more information, call UNC Asheville’s Center for Jewish Studies at (828) 232-5027.