Kristallnacht. The Night of Broken Glass. The night the Holocaust began.

On Nov. 9, 1938, a massive pogrom erupted throughout Nazi Germany, Austria and Sudetenland. As police and officials looked on, more than 1,000 synagogues were burned; 7,000 Jewish businesses were damaged or destroyed; homes, hospitals and schools were ransacked; 30,000 Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps; and dozens – more likely, hundreds – were killed.

On the 78th anniversary of that night of terror, a community commemoration will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at Beth Hillel Congregation B’nai Emunah, 3220 Big Tree Lane, Wilmette.

The program will feature Dr. Robert Watson, author of “The Nazi Titanic;” Clifton Daniel, grandson of President Harry S Truman; Regine Schlesinger of WBBM Radio; JUF President Steven B. Nasatir; and Rabbi Capers C. Funnye, Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Congregation and Chief Rabbi, International Hebrew Israelites; as well as musical selections by renowned Cantors Benjamin Warschawski and Pavel Roytman, and Cantorial Soloist Laurie Akers.

There is no charge for tickets, which are available by calling 312-725-8028. The program also will be webcast live at http://RentcomWebcast.com/Kristallnacht .

Also to mark the anniversary, WTTW-Channel 11 will broadcast highlights of last year’s commemoration event, which was held at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. The program will air at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6.