DFB President Neuendorf and Charlotte Knobloch exchange ideas about anti-Semitism
As part of the international match against Serbia, DFB boss Bernd Neuendorf and Charlotte Knobloch discussed football's social responsibility in the fight against hatred of Jews.
Quick Look
- DFB President Bernd Neuendorf met with Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, to talk about anti-Semitism in football and society.
- Both emphasized the need to take active action against hatred of Jews.
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Why It Matters
The DFB has been awarding the Julius Hirsch Prize since 2005 to honor commitment to combating anti-Semitism and discrimination. Julius Hirsch was a German international who was murdered in the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1943.
Since 2005, the German Football Association (DFB) has been honoring clubs and initiatives that are committed to diversity, tolerance and human dignity as well as against anti-Semitism, racism and discrimination. For this reason, the association created the Julius Hirsch Prize. Hirsch was a national player who played seven international matches and was deported to the concentration camp in Auschwitz in 1943, where he was murdered shortly after his arrival.
Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, also sat on the prize jury for many years. Around the German national team's international match against Serbia (2-0), she met with DFB boss Bernd Neuendorf to discuss football and anti-Semitism.
"Anyone who knows me knows: my heart beats for football. I'm passionate about this sport - especially in such successful games like yesterday's. I'm happy that I can congratulate the German team and Jürgen Klopp on their victory. I admire the passion, ambition and fairness that make up a strong team," said Knobloch. “But these values count not only on the pitch, but also in our society.”
That's why she thanks the DFB and Neuendorf for German football's commitment to combating anti-Semitism and hatred: "Hate of Jews is also an issue in the stadiums - 'Jew' is a swear word, and Jewish players and clubs are excluded." The DFB is fighting against this.
Neuendorf explained after the meeting with Knobloch: "The living situation for Jewish people in Germany fills us with great concern. Anti-Semitic hostility, threats and attacks are at a frightening level. Many Jewish people experience anti-Semitism in their everyday lives, in public spaces and on social media. More and more people no longer feel safe or comfortable in our country. We must never accept this as normal."
The fight against anti-Semitism is not just a task for politics, authorities and the judiciary. "It concerns us all. Football reaches millions of people. This gives rise to responsibility," said the DFB President. "There must be no room for anti-Semitic agitation and misanthropy on our pitches and in our stadiums, in our clubs and associations. We must intervene when boundaries are exceeded and at the same time counteract prejudice and hatred through education, encounters and remembrance."
Open Questions
- What specific new measures is the DFB planning after this exchange?
