A pronounced agitation of the masses was to be felt already for some weeks, I heard two women talking thus on the tram: One should slay the Jews at the next best opportunity. The sign “Juden unerwünscht” appeared on various shops, cinemas etc. In Ansbach e.g., the seat of the district administration, already weeks ago this sign was on every shop without exception, whatever the trade; conditions were even worse in small places and in the countryside, people were forced by acts of terror or even by signing them away to sell their goods and chattels within a few hours at a knock-down price and to leave – to where? to the nearest big city of course. The same question, to where, before which all now stand. The murderous attack, some believe in a commissioned job, provided the desired trigger.
In the night from 9th to 10th November we awoke to the noise of furniture being thrown about and were able to establish that uniformed SA in small private cars, always seven to eight men in each, were breaking into Jewish homes and destroying everything like vandals. Cupboards of tableware were simply turned over, all the furniture smashed up, clothes in cupboards slashed to pieces, silver flung onto the floor and stamped upon, pictures cut up, grand pianos smashed up, no mirror, no window remained intact. One still cannot grasp today why everything was destroyed, and indeed destroyed in an organised manner, for the SA arrived with slips of paper so that virtually every home was destroyed, regardless whether it concerned a large villa of the rich or the smallest little attic room of the smallest.
Whilst only a very few of the homes were overlooked, even the shops of foreigners were utterly destroyed. In mine the six shop windows were smashed in, [they] broke in through them and not even a tiny piece remained in its place. Over one metre high the wares lay around completely destroyed, the machines hacked, important books stolen. Items worth millions were destroyed, and indeed this was done solely upon orders from above and featured in the four-year plan, because in fact even the last toothpaste tube was squeezed-out so as to prevent anything being recovered. In some homes there were vile thefts, of RM. 4,000.- as at Anna’s, whose husband is a retired official, at other people’s, jewellery, whereas from others not the least thing was stolen but only destroyed. Now the poor people sit in their homes in the cold as the window panes have not as yet been permitted to be repaired by order.
Worse however than everything are the arrests, in N. everything was destroyed, few people were arrested, whilst in F. everyone [was] arrested, even the foreigners, no homes were destroyed, only the shops. In M. every man was arrested (in F. even the women temporarily), and almost without exception those arrested were deported to Dachau; there they were allowed to receive and send a letter of 15 lines every 14 days. Some money could be sent to them. Our brother-in-law Herbert is also there.
Nor did the matter go away so completely without bloodshed either. A friend of mine, jeweller F. L., had just undergone surgery in the Jewish Hospital in F., the sisters did not want to release him and he suffered a fatal stroke; Paul Lebrecht was thrown down the stairs, dead. Brother Langstadt suicide. Will not be the last. Other people lowered themselves on sheets at a window and remained in their nightclothes in the garden or garage. The funeral of an acquaintance, turnout three people, of whom one spoke a few words, had to take place in the open air as even the cemetery hall has been completely destroyed.
The synagogues were already plundered during the previous night, in N. of 40 Sefer Torahs, 27 were destroyed, the silver pendants stolen, and all that, even though this quarter was guarded and cordoned off by the police on this night because of the Führer’s presence. Due to the draconian measures that now followed, for many people it is also no longer possible to buy food, even those who have money, even pharmacies refuse to dispense, and medical care is completely inadequate. All the homes must be vacated by 1st December, where to now, where to later, that is the question which dominates everyone, neither the material question nor the stomach question are in the foreground, this question and the people who have been arrested are the anxious questions which everyone asks themselves.
So help, help, help everyone, as one can, and those who believe they have done enough might do the same again, even that is too little. One must admit that through clandestine aid and comfort, which today many Christians provide for Jews, it has been proved that this vandalism is not coming to pass from the German people. Many groups must likewise endure the worst even if in another form.
Many rabbis had their beards cut off, and [they were] arrested.
Reporter: unnamed, sent by [crossed out: S.I.G.] Juna, St. Gallen