UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees

PB 413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582
e-mail united@antenna.nl

MEDIA RELEASE 7/11/96
(for section international news)

"Kristallnacht" commemorations in 32 countries

Around November 9th, 58 years after the "Kristallnacht" pogroms in
Nazi-Germany, thousands participate in mass demonstrations, commemorations
and other activities to protest against violence against minorities. The
common international theme 'Stop violence against minorities' has been
chosen by the participating organisations, linking the violence against the
Jewish minority in Germany in 1938 to the violence against different kinds
of minorities all over Europe today. In 32 European countries anti-racist
and minority organisations organise protests against racist murders,
against the harrassment of migrants in the street and against the
government policies that stimulate and tolerate this violence. Activities
around Kristallnacht are co-ordinated on an international level by UNITED,
the European anti-racist network.

In 1996 the violence against minorities in Europe has still a shocking
dimension: Roma have systematically been beaten and harassed by the police
in Bulgaria. In France people without legal documents have been forcefully
removed, leaving behind their children, to be deported to countries some
have not seen in years. In Russia, valuable Jewish heritage has been
destroyed in a series of attacks on synagogues and community centers.
Violence against minorities has been and continues to be one of the most
pressing problems in Europe. Hundreds of people died during 1996, killed by
lynching mobs, police-men or killing themselves as a result of the
unbearable situation in detention centers for 'illegal' refugees.

All over Europe hundreds of commemoration and protest activities are
organised on November 9th 1996, the International Day Against Fascism and
Antisemitism. For the first time anti-racist organisations in the
Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) have taken the
initiative to coordinate their activities on an international level. Big
demonstrations will take place in Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm
as well as in many smaller cities. Among the many other activities taking
place are a nation-wide essay competition for schools in the Netherlands, a
public meeting on "The Holocaust, Roma and ethnic minorities today" in
Hungary, discussions on the radio on fascism and antisemitism in the Slovak
Republic and two conferences in Switzerland on the "Criminalisation of
minorities".

November 9th 1938 was the date of the "Kristallnacht" pogrom in Nazi
Germany. Three days earlier, on November 6th, a Jew, Herschel Grynszpan,
who was angry at the increasingly repressive measures being adopted in
Germany against Jews took revenge by shooting the diplomat Ernst vom Rath
at the German embassy in Paris. The diplomat died two days later and news
of his death reached Germany on November 9th. This started a massive
nationwide pogrom, secretly organised by a section of the Nazi party, which
left many Jews dead in the streets, and hundreds of Jewish businesses and
synagogues burnt, smashed and destroyed. It marked the beginning of the
Holocaust. This year commemorations link the violence against the Jewish
community 58 years ago with the violence against minority groups today.

A full list of activities all over Europe (country by country) has been
sent parallel to this message by e-mail.
For further information contact Saskia Daru or Jürgen Schäfer at the UNITED
office.

end media release

UNITED for Intercultural Action
is with 429 organisations from 41 European countries the biggest European
network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and
refugees

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9 November 1996 - Commemoration of Kristallnacht
INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST FASCISM AND ANTISEMITISM

Stop violence against minorities !

Join the UNITED campaign
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UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees
Postbus 413
NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582
e-mail united@antenna.nl
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