Kristallnacht

While some Christians may regard November 1^st as one of the greatest events in Christian by Martin Luther, they may forget that November 10^th will go down as the worst day for Martin Luther.  This was the day that he was born and a day regarded highly among Lutherans that is until the Socialist Party in Germany took over.   For it was on the night of Martin Luther’s birthday, November 9-10, 1938,    191 synagogues throughout Germany were set on fire, and 76 were completely destroyed. 815 Jewish-owned shops were demolished, 29 warehouses and 171 homes were set on fire or likewise destroyed.

On that night, which has become infamously known as Kristallnacht (“Night of the Broken Glass”), more than 30,000 Jews were sent to concentration camps, and 36 Jews were murdered. It was also a Shemitah year. 

So why was that day chosen?  It was in one of the very last publications of Martin Luther that he wrote a book on advice for leaders on how to handle Jews.  One thing of which was to burn their assemblies.  Needless to say was that Luther was not at all nice in how to treat Jews in what he wrote and so much that the Lutheran priests would bury his papers in the archives of the Lutheran church until when “higher criticism” liberalism took over in the late 1800’s.

Luther was so well versed on Paul’s doctrine of justification early in the campaign with Catholics and won so much of the approval of the magistrates of Germany that he left his legal reasoning behind.  Eric Gritsch notes in his book on Luther’s last book that it was against his better judgment. 

It serves to remind all ministers alike, to take heed to the ninth commandment on bearing a false testimony against thy neighbor and also that indeed Jesus earnestly contended not only for the lost sheep in Israel but also sought to provide true light to the handlers of the Torah in hopes that they may too understand the intentions of the Torah for Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees that did come to faith by the persistence of Christ.  What is one thing to learn about Luther’s demise is how his attitude to German comforts began to affect and cloud his better judgment.  The other thing is to be careful what you may write it and make sure it is fruitful in Spirit.