Holocaust Memorial In Miami Beach Commemorates Kristallnacht

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The promise has been, and remains to be, 'never again.'

But you have to know your history to make sure it doesn't repeat itself.

At the World Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach -- dozens of people have gathered to commemorate -- Kristallnacht -- known as the spark that ignited the holocaust.

Herbert Karliner was 12 years old and remembers the streets covered with broken glass from the windows of Jewish-owned homes and stores and synagogues burning.

"My father went out to the store and he saw the window broken and the store ransacked," he said. "The whole situation was the beginning of the end for us and every year this is the time when I remember when my father was arrested and put in prison and camps. I never forget those things."

Kristallnacht resulted in the deaths of 91 Jews and the incarceration of 30,000 in concentration camps. It was to be one of many signs of what was to come.

"You have already spent the period of five years, the rights progressively taken away from the Jewish people," said Sheryl Silver Ochayon, director of the institution's Echos & Reflections. "Just mounted and mounted on mountain and mounted onto atmosphere was right for an act of violence which is what the Nazis perpetrated with Kristallnacht in 1938, 79 years ago tonight."

This educator says it's important to continue to remember because the events that took place 79 years ago did not happen overnight. There were many signs.

"It is relevant today because you always have to watch what's going on with hate groups," she explained. "It we choose to look the other way because it's easier not to do anything then it is to stand up and do something."

"There were many tears shed at the World Holocaust Memorial.

Every year there are fewer survivors and they say it is important to them that the younger generation knows what happened and make certain that it never happens again.