Germany’s Leaders Fear Surging Antisemitism
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BERLIN (Worthy News) – Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he’s “ashamed and outraged” at recent antisemitic attacks in his country, which is still reeling from its role in World War Two when millions of Jews were murdered.
Scholtz warned that the government would not tolerate anti-Jewish hatred as he marked the 85th anniversary of the Nazis’ “Kristallnacht” pogrom of Jews.
He was speaking at a ceremony at a Berlin synagogue to mark “Kristallnacht” alongside Jewish leaders.
The synagogue was among 1,000 that were damaged or destroyed across Germany and Austria by Nazi mobs during the deadly “Night of Broken Glass” in November 1938.
Yet his words did little to calm down Jewish people, with several now hiding their identity in Germany and other countries in Europe, including Holocaust survivors.
The synagogue where Scholz was speaking was once again attacked recently with Molotov cocktails. It is part of a surge of antisemitic incidents in Germany after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,400 people and the subsequent Israeli retaliation.
Despite ongoing warfare, some Jewish people don’t want to return from Israel to Europe, citing concerns about hatred towards Jews, Worthy News learned.
KRISTALNACHT PARALLELS
They see parallels with the Kristallnacht against Jews throughout Nazi Germany on November 9–10 November 1938.
At least 91 Jews were murdered, about 7,500 Jewish businesses ransacked, and some 30,000 Jewish men and boys arrested during the assaults, historical records show.
The events preceded the Holocaust, or Shoah, in which about six million Jews were killed.
Since October 7, senior politicians have urged people, especially from parts of the political left and Muslim backgrounds, to distance themselves from the actions of Hamas.
On a recent visit to Israel, Olaf Scholz said: “In such difficult times, there is only one place we can be: at Israel’s side.”
Yet Felix Klein, the government’s Commissioner for Jewish life in Germany, says it has become apparent that there is a big problem in Germany’s integration policy.
“It is problematic when it turns into antisemitic and anti-Israel hate where people shout ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free’ – which would deny Israel’s right to exist,” he said.
ONE-SIDED NARRATIVE?
However, Nadim Jarrar, who attended a pro-Palestinian 9,000-strong demo, is frustrated by the “one-sided” narrative, British broadcaster BBC reported.
As a half-German, half-Palestinian, he wants Germany to be “more prepared” to talk about the actions of Israel. “It’s a healthy process for every nation to get criticized and to have a discussion about what’s going on.”
Sami, who has family in the West Bank and lives in Stuttgart, says people must be able “to show we are in pain about what’s happening in Gaza.”
“What’s been done to the Palestinians since 1948… We’ve all seen the videos of what they’re doing to our children.”
It wasn’t clear whether he had seen video material about Jewish children being killed by Hamas. Every time there’s a war in Israel,” said Noa, a Jewish young woman visiting a synagogue.
“It just hits us again and again that we are not a full part of the society.”
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