Steinmeier on November pogroms: “Reason to open your eyes”

The victims of the Nazi November pogroms were commemorated in several places in Germany today. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier took part in a memorial service at the Buchenwald Memorial near Weimar. There he expressed his dismay at the many anti-Semitic incidents in Germany.

“We must oppose hatred of Jews, regardless of whether it comes from the political fringes on the right and left, from the center of society or from Islamism,” he said. The democratic constitutional state and society are called upon.

Steinmeier: Attacks on Jews are deeply shameful

It is a great gift that Jewish life in Germany has blossomed again, said Steinmeier. "But that's precisely why I'm deeply ashamed that Jewish people are once again being insulted, threatened and even physically attacked on German streets and squares today."

The fact that the number of anti-Semitic crimes has risen to an all-time high since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 and that synagogues need to be protected more makes him “sad, no: angry.” But Steinmeier also said: "We have reason to hope. Because our constitutional state is solid. It does not waver. But there is also reason to open our eyes and sharpen our senses.

Anti-Semitism Commissioner: Society must show its colors

The federal government's new anti-Semitism commissioner, Katharina von Schnurbein, also made an appeal in the joint morning program of ARD and ZDF. In the event of anti-Jewish incidents, society must show its flag. Jews in Germany felt increasingly unsafe. “They are considering whether they should wear the Star of David” or “put it under their sweater.”

The fact that Jews in this country are also being blamed for the situation in the Middle East is extremely dangerous, said von Schnurbein. The political scientist, who has been in office since mid-October, emphasized that they had nothing to do with the situation 3,000 kilometers away. Fighting anti-Semitism is therefore not the task of those affected, but of society as a whole.

von Schnurbein expressly believes that criticism of the Israeli government is legitimate. In their view, it becomes anti-Semitic when Israel is demonized or the state's right to exist is denied.