Kristallnacht (; ) or
Reichskristallnacht [], also referred to as the
Night of Broken Glass,
Reichspogromnacht [] or simply
Pogromnacht , and
Novemberpogrome , was a
pogrom against Jews throughout
Nazi Germany and
Austria on 9–10 November 1938, carried out by
SA paramilitary forces and German civilians. German authorities looked on without intervening. The name
Kristallnacht comes from the shards of broken glass that littered the streets after Jewish-owned stores, buildings, and synagogues had their windows smashed.