Rostock commemorates the pogrom night: events and memories today!

Rostock commemorates the pogrom night: events and memories today!

Numerous events are planned in the Rostock region on November 9, 2025, including both cultural highlights and important commemorations. In the city of Güstrow, the children's play “Puss in Boots” will take place in the Ernst Barlach Theater at 4 p.m. This enchanting performance by the Wicht-Theater is aimed at young viewers aged four and over and promises to be an unforgettable experience.

But it's not just the little visitors who get their money's worth. At 5:45 p.m. at the Schwaan horse market, the pogrom night of 1938 will be remembered. Under the title “Sound of the Stones” the fate of those people to whom Stolpersteine ​​in Schwaan are dedicated is honored. This event aims to remember the life stories of Jewish citizens and ensures a deep emotional resonance.

Cultural highlights in Rostock

At the same time, a memorial service will take place in the parish church of St. Marien in Güstrow, which also begins at 4 p.m. This ceremony offers participants the opportunity to pause and remember.

In Rostock, the LIWU is dedicated to film. The film “Cold is the Evening Breath” with the talented actress Fritzi Haberland will be shown there at 7 p.m. Director Andreas Dresen will also be a guest as part of the “Fokus Film” series and will accompany the audience through the film screening.

Remembering the night of the pogrom

November 9th has a heavy shadow in German history. On the night of 1938, Jewish shops and synagogues across Germany were destroyed, while scores of Jewish people were murdered, injured or kidnapped. These barbaric riots, also known as “Kristallnacht,” were the disastrous prelude to the Holocaust. In Rhineland-Palatinate alone, around 267 synagogues burned and an estimated 91 people lost their lives. The memory of these crimes is kept alive in many cities through vigils and commemorations. Memorial events recently took place in Speyer and Trier to honor the victims of the pogrom night and underline the reminder to be vigilant in democracy.

In Speyer, 118 stumbling blocks commemorate Jewish families, such as the Marx family, who moved to Speyer in 1933 and were brutally expelled during the pogrom night. Historical lectures and wreath-layings by local dignitaries are part of this historic day of commemoration, which encourages reflection on the achievements and threats to democracy.

Police authorities have already taken additional measures to ensure security during the commemoration events, particularly in view of increasing threats to Jewish institutions in connection with the current conflicts in the Middle East.

In this sense, November 9th is not only a day of remembrance, but also an occasion for solidarity and advocacy for peace and freedom in our society.

For further information about the events in Rostock and the surrounding area, visit the website NDR as well as the memorial events in Rhineland-Palatinate SWR.