The Federal Government’s Antisemitism Commissioner, Felix Klein, warns of a normalization of Jew-hatred. “Jewish life in Germany is as endangered today as it was not since the Shoah” he told the Rheinische Post in an interview.
He emphasized that antisemitic crimes are at an alarming high and are becoming increasingly normalized, particularly since October 7, but not exclusively so. Klein pointed out that Jew-hatred is not only a threat to Jews, but is an expression of a fundamentally anti-democratic attitude that rejects the achievements of modern, free society.
He added that antisemitism serves as a bridge ideology, providing a foundation and binding element for various extremist ideologies, both on the left and right, as well as those motivated by religion. The commissioner observed that people with a deeply ingrained antisemitic worldview often have a rigid, closed system of thought that can explain almost everything to them.
Klein expressed concern over the intense hatred currently being directed against the State of Israel in Germany, which is also reflected in the crime statistics. He noted that as a result, legitimate concerns for the Palestinian civilian population are increasingly being overshadowed, as these issues are often co-opted by activists and used to promote Hamas solidarity and hatred against Jews.