Schicksalstag

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Schicksalstag (literally day of fate) is a label often used for 9 November due to the special importance of this day in German history. The term was occasionally used by historians and journalists since shortly after World War II, but its current widespread use started with the events of 1989 when virtually all German media picked up the term.

There are 5 major events in German history that are connected to Schicksalstag:

• 1848: After being arrested in the Vienna revolts, liberal leader Robert Blum is executed. The execution is often seen as a symbolic event for the ultimate failure of the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states.

• 1918: Monarchy in Germany ends when Emperor Wilhelm II is dethroned in the November Revolution. Philipp Scheidemann proclaims the Weimar Republic

• 1923: The Beer Hall Putsch (November 8th and 9th) marks the emergence of the Nazi Party as an important player on Germany's political landscape.

• 1938: In the Kristallnacht, synagogues and Jewish property are burned and destroyed on a large scale. More than 1,300 Jews are killed. For many observers, it is the first hint of Nazi Germany's radical antisemitic policies.

• 1989: The fall of the Berlin Wall ends German separation and starts a series of events that ultimately lead to the German reunification.

The establishment of the SS in 1925 is sometimes mentioned as having taken place on the Schicksalstag as well.

[edit] References

• Deutsche Welle: Schicksalstag der Deutschen
• Netzeitung: 9. November als "deutscher Schicksalstag"
• Was ist Was: Schicksalstag