Seventy-five years ago this month, thousands of Jewish homes, synagogues and shops were ambushed in Eastern Europe, marking a new and frightening phase of Adolf Hitler's reign of terror. NY1's Cheryl Wills recently spoke with a Holocaust survivor who remembers the 'Night of Broken Glass' and filed the following report.
For many, Ilie Wacs is an international treasure living right here in New York City. He was 11 years old when the Nazis started terrorizing Jews in Austria 75 years ago this month during what's known as the 'night of broken glass'.
"I remember seeing it like it happened yesterday, actually," Wacs said. "We heard the shattering of glass and the screams of people and the shouting, insults against Jews."
To mark the somber anniversary of Kristallnacht, Ilie Wacs wills be showcasing his artwork dedicated to that horrific chapter in history called "A Gathering Storm: The Vienna Papers, 1938." It will be on display at the Museum of Tolerance in Midtown.
"I really think art is an incredible way to learn," said Melissa Hooper of the Museum of Tolerance. "It's always very interesting and unique, and this is also a very interesting way to approach Holocaust education."
Ilie Wacs and his youngster sister, Deborah, wrote a book about their harrowing escape from the Nazis to Shanghai called "An Uncommon Journey."
Publisher and educator Dr. Paula Rosen is still haunted by the events that led to the murder of millions of Jews.
"I lost half of my family during that time," Rosen said. "Kristallnacht is such an important thing, and a lot of people don't know about it, and kids don't know about it."
That's why Ilie Wacs said he's looking forward to speaking at the museum on November 7. He said that education is the best weapon against ignorance.
"The lesson to take away from it is to make sure that something like that does not happen again," he said.
