Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life and the Fight Against Antisemitism, Felix Klein, has called for tougher laws against antisemitism and for mandatory training on antisemitism to be included in teacher education.
Speaking as he prepares to leave his post to become Germany’s ambassador to the OECD in Paris, Klein told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger that Germany’s criminal law should be strengthened. He argued that anyone who publicly applauds Hamas at a demonstration, for example, should face a prison sentence of at least six months. He also said that foreign nationals without a residence permit should be deported after serving their sentence.
“Supporting foreign terrorist organisations in any form should be a criminal offence,” Klein said, calling on the Chancellor and Federal Minister of Justice to strengthen the law.
Klein also called for greater powers for customs authorities to prevent the financing of terrorist organisations and urged the continued funding of successful antisemitism-prevention projects under the Demokratie leben! programme.
Klein said that antisemitism should become a compulsory part of teacher training, arguing that educators have a particular responsibility to recognise and challenge antisemitic attitudes.
“Anyone susceptible to antisemitism has no place in the teaching profession,” Klein said. He also called for disciplinary measures against teachers who express antisemitic views in the classroom.
At the same time, he argued that Jewish life should be presented positively in school curricula. Responsibility for implementing this lies with Germany’s state education ministries.
Klein stressed that students should not associate Judaism exclusively with antisemitism, the Middle East conflict and the Holocaust. Instead, Jewish life and culture should be integrated more comprehensively and positively into education.
Klein also warned that more Jews could consider leaving Germany if the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) makes significant gains in the upcoming state elections.
“Many Jewish families are considering living elsewhere, even if they have not yet made a decision,” he told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.
He described it as alarming that a party classified by Germany’s domestic intelligence service as partly right-wing extremist could assume political responsibility at state level. Saxony-Anhalt will hold state elections on 6 September, followed by Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on 20 September.
Despite these concerns, Klein said that trust in Germany and its political leadership remained relatively strong. He noted that Jews from around the world continue to show considerable interest in obtaining German citizenship, while at the same time the quality of life for Jews in Germany has deteriorated.
According to police statistics, more than 6,000 antisemitic offences were recorded in Germany last year, the highest figure on record.
