Holocaust refugees and their descendants gather at Belsize Square Synagogue to remember victims of Nazi persecution and honour the last generation of eyewitnesses.
London, 10 November 2026 — Holocaust refugees, survivors and their descendants gathered at Belsize Square Synagogue in London today to mark 88 years since Kristallnacht, the November 1938 Nazi pogroms. Among those attending the Association of Jewish Refugees’ (AJR) annual commemoration were some of the last remaining eyewitnesses to the events, including 98-year-old Inge Gershfield, who recalled watching a synagogue burn in Berlin.
AJR member Inge Gershfield, who escaped Nazi Germany with her family in January 1939, recalled the terrifying events of Kristallnacht, when she witnessed the Oranienburger Strasse synagogue burning on her way to school. Her father was arrested and imprisoned in Dachau before being released, enabling the family to begin their escape to Britain.
Recalling the events, Inge said:
“I remember walking to school that terrible November morning, watching our local synagogue engulfed in flames while Nazis laughed and sang in the streets. Only by a stroke of luck could my father, who had been arrested and imprisoned in Dachau, return home and begin arranging our escape to Britain. I owe my life to my father’s resilience and to the generosity of those who helped us escape, but the memory of those who were not saved has never left me.”
The November 1938 pogroms marked a devastating escalation in the Nazi persecution of Jews, as synagogues and Jewish businesses were destroyed, thousands of Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps, and Jewish communities were terrorised across Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland.
The service honoured the memory of victims and paid tribute to the courage and resilience of refugees, including the Kindertransport children who found refuge in Britain. Inge was joined by fellow Holocaust refugees and survivors Kurt Marx, Ruth Sands, Jacques Weisser, Peter Briess and Gabriele Keenaghan for a moving candle-lighting ceremony and memorial prayer.
The commemoration also honoured Austrian Kindertransport refugee Gabriele Keenaghan BEM, who celebrated her 100th birthday on the day of the service. She was joined by Austrian Ambassador Bernhard Wrabetz, who announced the official return of her Austrian citizenship, reflecting Austria’s efforts to recognise those persecuted by the Nazi regime and their descendants.
Opening the service, Michael Newman OBE, Chief Executive of AJR, reflected on the enduring importance of remembrance and the responsibility to preserve the testimony of the last generation of eyewitnesses:
“As the number of eyewitnesses to the horrors of Nazi persecution continues to diminish, our responsibility to preserve their stories has never been greater. Kristallnacht reminds us how quickly antisemitism can escalate when hatred goes unchallenged. By sharing the experiences of our members, we honour those whose lives were changed forever and ensure future generations understand the consequences of prejudice and persecution.”
Raphi Leon, a third-generation descendant of a Holocaust survivor and President of the Union of Jewish Students, spoke about the enduring impact of his family’s experiences and the responsibility of younger generations to carry their legacy forward:
“My grandparents’ recollections of Kristallnacht have always hung over me like a shadow: the shattered glass, the heat of the flames, the lives and livelihoods snuffed out in an instant. Honouring their legacy – and those less fortunate than they were – is at the core of what drives me to be an active, member of Britain’s Jewish community through our work at the Union of Jewish Students.”
Also attending were Jon Pearce MP, the UK’s Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues, Austrian Ambassador Bernhard Wrabetz, representatives from the German and Israeli embassies, and officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The commemoration highlighted AJR’s ongoing commitment to preserving the testimony of Holocaust refugees and survivors, ensuring their experiences continue to educate future generations and inform efforts to combat antisemitism.
