Reinhard Heydrich: Memorandum concerning Kristallnacht

Explanation and Analysis of the Document

The document is in the form of a memorandum to headquarters, stations, districts, and subdistricts of the state police. The memo opens by referencing the “attempt” on the life of a minor Nazi official in Paris; in fact, that attempt was successful, and Ernst vom Rath died. In item 1, Heydrich describes the planned events as “demonstrations” and calls on the police to coordinate efforts with the political leaders (Gauleiter and Kreisleiter) in the districts. The memo clearly calls for the destruction of Jewish synagogues and businesses, but German lives and property are to be protected—“German” here meaning non-Jewish Germans. The police are instructed not to interfere with the vandalism and destruction, and no looting is to take place. Also, anything of historical value in synagogues is to be preserved.

Section 5 instructs officials to arrest as many Jews as can be accommodated in existing prisons. Only men, and only those who are healthy and not too old, are to be arrested. The police are to focus on arresting those who are rich. Those who are arrested will then be shipped to concentration camps. Heydrich concludes by stating that those arrested are not to be mistreated; at this point, the pretense was being maintained that Jews were simply being relocated, so any mistreatment had the potential to fuel rumors and resistance.