Image from Wikipedia . Photograph of Ernst vom Rath. On November 7, 1938, Ernst vom Rath was assassinated . Ernst vom Rath was a German diplomat who went down in history as a Nazi martyr, primarily because of the implications of his assassination. More notable, however, is the story of his assassin, Herschel Grynszpan. Grynszpan was a Polish-German Jew whose life began in a prosperous position but quickly declined as a result of Nazi discrimination and restrictions against Jews. He moved to France at the age of 15, but his stay was cut short and he became a stateless refugee. In early November of 1938, Herschel Grynszpan received a letter from his sister that detailed the unfortunate situation the rest of his family had found themselves in. Viewing this as the last straw, he sought revenge on the Nazis; on November 7, the 17 year old bought a revolver and went to the German Embassy in Paris, where he asked...