Germany’s Federal Government antisemitism commissioner, Felix Klein, has observed a normalisation of hatred towards Jews in Germany.
“Hatred of Jews is being expressed more and more frequently, more vehemently, and more shamelessly in all parts of our society,” Klein told the Düsseldorf “Rheinische Post”. This normalisation cannot be tolerated.
“Antisemitism is not only directed against Jews, but is an expression of a deeply anti-democratic attitude,” he emphasised.
Hatred of Jews rejects “the achievements of our modern, free society” and acts as a bridge ideology that serves as a foundation and binding agent for practically all extremist thought patterns. Klein also explained that “people with a solidified antisemitic attitude often have a closed worldview from which practically everything can be explained for them.”
Klein also referred to a “frighteningly high level” of antisemitic crimes. They are therefore becoming “more and more ‘normal’ in a terrible way.”
Left Party Bundestag member Petra Pau also backed this up with figures in the “Rheinische Post”: 4,506 antisemitic crimes have so far been reported to the relevant authorities for 2024, according to a response from the federal government to a minor inquiry from the Left Party, she told the newspaper.
Although that is 700 fewer than in 2023, the total number is likely to rise due to late reports with a time delay. The Bundestag Vice President herself expects that antisemitic crimes in 2024, including all late reports, could even exceed the previous year’s peak.
