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The bronze base of the Heunensäule documents significant events in Mainz’s history, this sculpture depicting the burning of the synagogues in the pogrom of 9-10 November 1938.
Mainz has a significant Jewish history, dating back to the 10th century, with the city fathers displaying an unstable bipolar attitude, at times guaranteeing freedom and protection and at others expelling the community, only to invite them back a decade later and then blame them for outbreaks of the Black Death.
Par for the course in medieval Europe.
Jewish tradition is a talking point at the moment, with the discovery of graves during excavations for a block of apartments next to the Jewish cemetery.
As I’ve said before – pick up a spade at one’s peril in Mainz…..
*Kristallnacht – Crystal Night – is also known as The Night of Broken Glass, referring to the shards of glass from the shop fronts of Jewish traders, broken in the pogrom and the riots that accompanied it.
Unlike residential windows, commercial buildings frequently had windows of high quality glass, referred to as Kristallglas – crystal glass.
Mainz Daily Photo 
>It’s a beautiful piece for a sad part of history. I taught units on the Holocausts for years and met some wonderful survivors who willingly came to my school to talk to the students.
>Interesting history lesson. One of the things I like about City Daily Photo blogging is all the history and local culture you pick up.–steve buser New Orleans Daily Photo
>Excellent post. I enjoyed reading it.