SHU Marks Its 11th Annual Kristallnacht Commemoration

Endre Sarkany reminds Sacred Heart to “never forget” the horrors of the Holocaust

Holocaust survivor Endre Sarkany shared his story at Sacred Heart University’s annual Kristallnacht—“Night of the Broken Glass”—commemoration ceremony on Nov. 9.

Sarkany talked about his personal experiences before, during and after the Holocaust while living in Budapest, Hungary, under the brutality of Germany’s military and, later, the Soviet regime. He finally escaped Hungary during an uprising in 1956 and came to the U.S.

Sacred Heart has observed Kristallnacht’s anniversary for 11 years. This year’s event was sponsored by the Human Journey Colloquia Series, Chaverim Yehudim (Jewish club) and the Office of Mission Integration & Ministry. “We do it because we are a community that welcomes and embraces people of every religion, culture, race and sexual orientation. Our mission, coming out of our beginnings in Vatican II 60 years ago, is one of inclusivity, in which we educate and inspire our students to a be a positive moral force in the world,” said SHU President John J. Petillo.

Kristallnacht was a large-scale, pre-WWII act of aggression perpetrated by Germany’s Nazi paramilitary, the Hitler Youth and German citizens. It began on the night of Nov. 9-10, 1938, using the murder of a German diplomat by a German-born, Jewish teenager in Paris, France, as an excuse to unleash violence against Jewish citizens and speed up their emigration from Germany. “The University believes it is important that we remember the events of Kristallnacht as an example of the suffering that can be brought upon human beings when we marginalize and exclude ‘the other,’” Petillo said.

The commemoration opened with an introduction from Father Anthony Ciorra, vice president of the Office of Mission Integration & Ministry, who had a great appreciation for the event. “I never end any day or finish any meeting without asking the question, What gives me hope? Looking at you all, I see my answer. This gives me hope,” he told the audience in SHU’s Chapel of the Holy Spirit.

Special guest U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who introduced Sarkany, related the significance of his Jewish upbringing and how proud he was to speak at the University’s commemoration. “Today’s event told me that this campus is willing to stand up and speak up for something important,” Blumenthal said.

After Sarkany discussed his experiences in Budapest, he remarked on the significant increase in modern-day antisemitism. He said comments from some celebrities have dominated recent news cycles and reached an all-time high last year. However, he said, despite this behavior, “We must never forget, and make sure (a holocaust) never happens again.”

Several times, Sarkany’s repeated that people must eliminate the word hate from their vocabulary. “Hate has caused evil of the past and is responsible for the evil of today. We must replace that awful four-letter word [hate] with a new one: love,” he said.

The commemoration ended with a lighting of memorial candles, closing remarks, and a song from the liturgical choir. 

Pictured, top: Holocaust survivor Endre Sarkany