Jewish artifacts looted on Kristallnacht unearthed near Berlin

Hermann Goering

A Jewish investigative journalist and his crew discover mezuzahs, chiseled windowsills and armrests from destroyed synagogues at Brandenburg waste site; archeological dig required to recover all artifacts, reporter says

22 October 2008
by Roi Mandel

A Jewish investigative reporter has discovered a large amount of personal and ceremonial artifacts which were looted from Jews during Kristallnacht in 1938.

The items have recently been unearthed by Yaron Svoray at a waste site the size of four soccer fields in Brandenburg, located north of Berlin.

Kristallnacht, also known as the "Night of Broken Glass" or the "Crystal Night pogroms," saw the destruction of more than 200 synagogues and the ransacking of tens of thousands of Jewish businesses and homes. During the Nazi pogrom 92 Jews were murdered and 25,000–30,000 were arrested and deported to concentration camps.

The waste site is located in close proximity to the former home of Hermann Goering, who commanded the German air force (Luftwaffe) during World War II.

Jewish shops vandalized during Kristallnacht.

According to Svoray, the son of the waste site's watchman had told him that remnants from Kristallnacht were dumped there, and after learning of the possible importance of the artifacts from the director of the Kibbutz Lochmei Ha’ Getaot Museum, Simcha Stein, he returned to Germany with a group of volunteers.

"Within an hour of digging with our bare hands we found a bottle embossed with a Star of David," Svoray told Ynet. "We were very excited, because the chances of a bottle surviving a war are so slim.

"Forty meters (approx. 130 feet) from where we unearthed the bottle I discovered a huge metallic swastika. That's when I knew we had a major story on our hands," the journalist said.

Additional artifacts found by Svoray's crew included mezuzahs and chiseled windowsills and armrests from destroyed synagogues. A swastika-shaped ornament was also discovered.

The search for additional artifacts at the site is ongoing under the constant watch of bodyguards, this after Svoray complained of threats made on his life.

Svoray refrained from making his findings public for fear that the site would attract people looking to get their hands on Nazi treasures.

"There are no real treasures here, but there is still a danger that the site will turn into a circus of auctions organized by skinheads," he said, "the site is drawing more and more interest; people are starting to dig."

Svoray stressed that an organized archeological dig will be required in order to unearth all of the Jewish artifacts at the site.

The journalist also reported of a plan to erect a hunting museum in Goering's honor at the site. He said that so far his repeated efforts to scuttle the plan have failed.

Commentary:
For those archeologist’s on the site, is it possible to make it a closed site so others can not destroy the dig?

Furthermore, it is a hope that these archeologist’s find, all they where hoping for.

While I may not know everything from my studies, but it is thought anyone who has learned anything on the Jewish Holocaust; knows about, Kristallnacht.

In my opinion, this particular event of Anti-Semitism was like people went into some type of angry frenzy, due to the Nazi propaganda towards something that was not true.

This is why the use of the media to harm another, not only does mental damage, but does created things such as this, wars and some of the most horrible atrocities known to man; all in the name of a lie.

Furthermore, one can not help to think of the tens of thousands of lives that are lost though this very type of situation, not to mention like what the archeologist are doing; is very possibly finding the truth that may yet be told.

On a more personal note, while numerous events during the holocaust has greatly saddened me, Kristallnacht, has always been one of those extremely sad event’s that I will never forget.

Thinking of a time from my childhood when I first saw the Nazi identification mark on a woman’s holocaust survivor’s arm, for her arm extended a little from her sleeve and while it was obvious not to be something normal; a little time later, I asked my mother if she knew what happened to the woman’s arm.

She did explain to me, several thing’s about the Jewish holocaust and for a little time later in one neighborhood we where living for a time, I saw several people in various places with the same markings and for a young child; this is another event that never leaves one’s thoughts with the compassion I always felt, when I saw those identification markings.

What is even more interesting, is while I was learning the previous events, the Jewish and Arab Palestinians where still thrust in that unwanted, what became the 108 year war. I never had ill feelings towards anyone, just for a time as I have said before, the 'why' there was a war when it made no sense and as it has came to be known; I for one always wished for it to stop and it did.

As I do not know all the feelings of other people about the war ending this year, I do know, I am most grateful.