30th November 1938
On the night of November 9th/10th at three o'clock in the morning the Jewish household where I was staying as a visitor with my wife was disturbed by a loud ring and when I came to the window I noticed several uniformed SA men jumping over the hedge close by the house. The door was opened by one of the maids and before I could get downstairs some of the glass doors were already beaten in. They did not reply to my question as to what they wanted but proceeded to follow me upstairs smashing whatever breakable objects they could find, starting with chairs whose legs they used for their destructive purposes. Practically all windows, especially to the front of the house (it is a very large and comfortable house) were smashed, electrical fittings, the panes of practically all book cases, the cupboards, etc. Sideboards were overturned face downwards with all their contents, book cases too and a very heavy oak dining table turned upside down on the remains of a sideboard. The whole destruction in the household took only about ten minutes. We and our friends could only repeat our questions as to what they wanted and stood in amazement wondering what would come next. No answer was given to us.
I was able to see clearly a typewritten list of all the names of the regular inhabitants of the house in the hands of the leader of the group, the lettering being the large type which is used for official purposes.
I told them that I was English but it made no impression and I was just told to go back to England. They left the house after the destruction without any explanation having been given.
For three hours afterwards we could hear the smashing and destruction going on in neighbouring houses.