In an anti-Semitic attack, memorials to victims of Nazis in city of Greifswald uprooted on day marking 74 years since Kristallnacht, the pogrom known as Crystal night.

Right-wing extremists uprooted eleven memorial plaques commemorating local victims of Nazism in the German city of Greifswald on Friday, the 74th anniversary of Kristallnacht, German daily Die Welt reported.

‘Stumbling blocks’ commemorating Nazi victims – Photo: REUTERS

The Jews of Greifswald were among those targeted throughout Germany on Kristallnacht – the night of broken glass, on November 9, 1938. Synagogues and businesses were destroyed, and Jews throughout the country were murdered and arrested en masse.

The memorial plaques which were uprooted by apparent Neo-Nazis in Greifswald on Friday had been placed at the site of the homes of Kristallnacht victims.

Die Welt quoted local police official Knut Abramowski as referring to the vandalism as a “vile crime.” Abramowski offered a 2500 Euro reward for anyone with information that would help lead to the capture of those behind the vandalism.

“I condemn this malicious attack in the strongest terms,” Die Welt quoted Abramowski as saying.

Norbert Nieszery, the chairman of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), said of the vandalism that  “it is particularly shameful when something like this happens precisely on the anniversary of Kristallnacht,” according to Die Welt.

The monuments uprooted by the vandals were part of the Stolpersteine (stumbling blocks), created by artist Gunter Demnig, which commemorate victims of the Nazis in several cities throughout Germany and surrounding countries.

View original Jerusalem Post publication (without YouTube clip) at: http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=291222