Content created by Professor Deborah Lipstadt in conjunction with Maureen MacLaughlin and Dan Leshem. CLAIM: Rudolf Hess, the head of the Nazi party and a member of Hitler's inner circle, "ordered the Gestapo and the party's court to delve into the origins of the night's violence and to turn the culprits over to the public prosecutors."

RESPONSE: In fact, Nazi leaders successfully prevented the vast majority of offenders from being prosecuted. Only the cases of two men were sent to the criminal court system, both for the crime of 'race mixing' which the Nazis found repugnant. All other crimes-up to and including the murder of Jews-were simply forgiven or ignored.