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Ernst vom Rath

Surname Rath Given Name Ernst vom Born 3 Jun 1909 Died 9 Nov 1938 Country Germany Category Government Gender Male

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseErnst Eduard vom Rath was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany to a government official. After studying at Breslau, he went to law school in Bonn, Munich, and Königsberg. He joined the Nazi Party in 1932 and joined the SA organization in 1933. Working in the government as a diplomat, he was first posted to Bucharest, Romania then to Paris, France. On 7 Nov 1938, the German Embassy in Paris was visited by a young Jewish man named Herschel Grynszpan, who asked to see a member of the staff. When Rath answered the call, he was shot by Grynszpan with a revolver three times in the abdomen; Grynszpan remained on the scene to be arrested, admitting that he had committed the crime due to his frustration that he could not do anything to aid the helpless Polish-German Jews being forcefully deported, which included his parents and sister. Rath died of the wounds two days later. His death gave the Nazi propaganda machine an excuse to launch a nation-wide demonstration against Jews, which, as planned by top Nazi Party leadership, turned violent, and was later called Kristallnacht, or the "Crystal Night" or "Night of the Broken Glass".

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Dec 2009

Ernst vom Rath Timeline

3 Jun 1909 Ernst vom Rath was born. 7 Nov 1938 German diplomat Ernst vom Rath was shot three times with a revolver by Herschel Grynszpan in Paris, France. 9 Nov 1938 Ernst vom Rath passed away.

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