Survivors, diplomats and MPs gather to mark 87 years since Kristallnacht
AJR commemorates the 1938 pogroms with a powerful service of remembrance and reflection at Belsize Square Synagogue
The Association of Jewish Refugees held its annual Kristallnacht commemorative service at Belsize Square Synagogue on Tuesday 11 November, marking 87 years since the 1938 pogroms that heralded one of the darkest chapters in Jewish history.
The ceremony honoured the memory of those who perished and paid tribute to the courage and resilience of the Kindertransport children who found refuge in Britain following Kristallnacht.
The event also celebrated the humanitarian and educational legacy of ORT, whose vocational training programmes provided a vital lifeline for Jewish refugees before and after the war.
The service brought together AJR members from across the generations, along with representatives from partner organisations, embassies, and government departments.
Among the distinguished guests were Austrian Ambassador Bernhard Wrabetz, diplomats from the Austrian, German, and Israeli embassies, as well as Tulip Siddiq MP, and representatives from both the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Opening the service, AJR chief executive Michael Newman said: “Each year we gather not only to mourn those who were lost, but to honour the courage of those who survived and rebuilt. Kristallnacht reminds us how quickly hatred can escalate when prejudice goes unchallenged. The AJR exists to ensure that the stories of our members—the last survivors and refugees of Nazi persecution—are never forgotten, and that their legacy continues to guide future generations towards tolerance and understanding.”
Hedi Argent, AJR member and Kindertransport refugee, recalled: “I watched the violence of Kristallnacht from a window in Vienna. My father had already been arrested and forced to scrub the streets; our home and everything we knew was taken from us. We left Austria with nothing, leaving behind the family we would never see again. Britain gave us safety and a chance to rebuild but the memories of those we lost have never left me.”
Monica Lowenberg, daughter of Ernst Lowenberg, one of the 106 boys rescued through ORT Berlin’s last transport in August 1939, spoke movingly about her father’s story and his enduring message of compassion:
“My father was trained by ORT in Berlin before escaping to Britain just days before the outbreak of war. He lost much of his family in the Shoah, yet he chose kindness over bitterness. He taught me that love does not consider race, religion, or identity—it simply loves. ORT gave him the skills to survive, but it was kindness that helped him truly live.”
Katherina Kastner – Austrian Cultural Forum; Anna Penninger – Austrian Embassy, London; Oliver Fixon – German Embassy, London; Austrian Ambassador, Bernhardt Rabetz
Tulip Siddiq – MP. Credit: AJR_Adam Soller Photography
Following the service, guests attended a reception in the synagogue hall, where AJR members, descendants, and dignitaries reflected on the continuing importance of education, remembrance, and compassion in countering antisemitism and hatred today.
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