Since October 7 and the Hamas attacks in Israel, the authorities have recorded 2,000 incidents linked to the war in the Middle East.
Every day, the list of incidents grows longer: Stars of David spray painted on houses, attempted fires against synagogues, desecrated Jewish cemeteries, Israeli flags covered in red paint, not to mention calls for violence on social networks… One month after Hamas’s attack on Israel, Germany, like the rest of Europe, is facing an increase in anti-Semitic acts.
The European Commission even denounces a situation where “European Jews live in fear again”. Germany is therefore not spared. The director of internal intelligence has even warned against the return of “the darkest hours in history” national. Since October 7, the authorities have recorded 2,000 incidents linked to the war in the Middle East.
This is also what emerges from the report presented in Berlin on Tuesday November 7. More than ever, the poison of anti-Semitism is present, regrets Nikolas Lelle, project manager at the Amadeu Antonio foundation, which fights against racism and anti-Semitism. “The threats against Jews are strong. The culture of memory is cracking. The sad outcome of recent weeks is that anti-Semitism still has a place in Germany. And this also means that the place of Jews is diminishing. Anti-Semitism incites action, incites pogrom and we all have a duty to prevent it.”
12% of Germans believe that the Jewish community has too much power
To avoid being targeted, members of the Jewish community withdrew their children from school or removed their names from mailboxes and intercoms. Others removed the mezuzah, the small scroll of Hebrew writing traditionally hung on doors. For four weeks, Germany has increased security around Jewish community buildings, synagogues, schools and restaurants.
The study also serves as a reminder that there is latent anti-Semitism and stereotypes against Jews that are still very present in Germany. According to a recent report, 5.7% of the population is openly anti-Semitic, three times more than two years ago. And 12% believe that the Jewish community has too much power.
“Give absolute certainty that 2023 will not be 1938”
The attackers sometimes come from the extreme right, but not only, they are often young, which worries the authorities who wonder: has Germany done enough against anti-Semitism? No, firmly answers Felix Klein, the government delegate responsible for the fight against anti-Semitism. “We rested on our laurels for too long, thinking that Germany were world champions of remembrance and that that was enough. We did not take enough into account the fact that we have to fight the fight constantly.”he judges.
“A large part of the population thought they were immune to anti-Semitism. The trauma and repercussions of the Nazi period in our country were so strong that we thought things were self-evident.”
Felix Klein, German government delegate responsible for the fight against anti-Semitismat franceinfo
Germany is preparing to commemorate on Thursday the 85th anniversary of the pogrom against the Jews, the infamous Kristallnacht. The Interior Minister called for protecting the Jewish community. “We must give him absolute certainty that 2023 will not be 1938”even declared Nancy Faeser.