A memorial service for Kristallnacht took place in Amsterdam on 9 November 2025, marking 87 years since the antisemitic violence in Nazi Germany. Speakers, including German Minister Karin Prien, highlighted the increased fears among Jewish communities linked to recent events and rising antisemitism in the Netherlands.

Amsterdam held a memorial service on the evening of 9 November 2025 to mark the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht, a night of organised violence against Jews in Nazi Germany. German Minister Karin Prien, attending the heavily secured event at the Portuguese Synagogue, stated, "Now Jews are afraid again," drawing attention to the growing antisemitism in recent times. This was the first occasion a German minister has participated in this annual commemoration.

Minister Prien, who is of Jewish descent and was born in Amsterdam, expressed gratitude for the city, which served as a refuge for her grandparents who fled Germany in the 1930s. She linked the current climate of fear among Jewish people to the Hamas attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023 and recalled the Maccabi riots in Amsterdam a year ago, stating, "We have seen in Amsterdam how quickly hate can turn into violence."

Despite the sombre tone, Prien noted some positive developments, referencing the ceasefire in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, which she described as a source of hope. She also acknowledged the efforts of social organisations working to combat antisemitism and discrimination.

Author Jessica Durlacher shared her personal connection to Kristallnacht, recounting how her father fled Germany a year prior. Gerhard Durlacher was later apprehended in the Netherlands and survived several concentration camps, while his parents were murdered by the Nazis. "They fled, but it did not help," Durlacher remarked, relating her family's experience to contemporary societal tensions.

Since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Gaza in 2023, Holocaust commemorations have become increasingly charged. Durlacher noted that the situation can evoke aggression, stating, "This aggression is not directed at the Israeli government conducting the war but rather against the entire Israeli population and diaspora."

According to Eddo Verdoner, National Coordinator for Antisemitism Policy, reports of violence against or discrimination of Jews remain alarmingly high, with the police recording 880 antisemitic incidents in the past year, unchanged from the previous year. This figure contrasts sharply with 2022, which saw only 549 incidents. Verdoner highlighted that over a third of all discrimination cases prosecuted last year involved antisemitism, rising to 48% in 2023. He stated, "Jews make up only 0.3% of the population. Therefore, not only is the number of incidents high, the likelihood of experiencing such incidents as a Jew is very significant."

Verdoner noted that many Jewish individuals now feel compelled to conceal their identities, often using different names when ordering taxis or food to avoid recognition. He added that it has become increasingly difficult for Jews to rent venues for religious events due to fears of anti-Israel demonstrations, emphasising the importance of the Kristallnacht commemoration in light of these pressures.