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Episode details

World Service,9 mins

Testimonies of Kristallnacht: 'The headmaster began to weep and everybody broke down'

Weekend

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On 9 November 1938, the Nazis began destroying synagogues and looting Jewish businesses in what became known as the night of broken glass. The Association of Jewish Refugees members鈥� Albert Lester and Thea Valman gave their vivid eyewitness accounts at the charity鈥檚 annual Kristallnacht service. Ms Valman was 4 years old in Austria's capital, Vienna the night of the attacks. 鈥淚 could hear the smashing of glass outside and I found my parents white faced," she remembers. Albert Lester was 11 years old and studying at a boarding school in provincial Germany. 鈥淭he headmaster of the school began to weep and at that moment everybody broke down,鈥� recalls Albert. They both now live in London, and they came into our studio to share their stories.

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