In an unprecedented campaign, the Federal Government Commissioner against Antisemitism, Dr Felix Klein, has been attacked in recent weeks. What for? For naming ALL forms of antisemitism and confronting them, and for following the antisemitism definition of the IHRA (International Holocaust Rememberance Alliance), which has been adopted by over 35 states. Including by the Federal Government, whose Auswärtiges Amt holds the IHRA chair this year.
In the meantime the author Arye Shalicar, formerly of Berlin and now Israeli, has also become a victim of this campaign. It was therefore high time for this letter.This letter has been written in the name of all the signing individuals and organisations.
With growing concern and irritation we observe a campaign that has been running for weeks against Dr Felix Klein, the Federal Government’s Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism, who has repeatedly been attacked in an unjustified, defamatory and unacceptable manner.
This happened, for example, in an open letter from 60 people that will presumably have reached you in recent days: you criticise the bearer of the bad news and defame him.
To quote Kurt Tucholsky: “Incidentally, here the person who points to the dirt is considered far more dangerous than the one who makes the dirt.”
In addition, the rumour was spread that the Federal Government’s Commissioner against Antisemitism had financially supported the publication „Der neu-deutsche Antisemit“ by Arye Sharuz Shalicar. The fact is that the publishing house „Hentrich & Hentrich“ received no funds for it.
Equally baseless is the claim that freedom of opinion is being restricted, and by Felix Klein at that. We note: at last a start is being made on recognising and naming the various manifestations of hatred of Jews. Their causes have not even been mentioned, let alone criticised.
In contrast to this we emphasise that antisemitism gives expression to itself in the most varied forms. It belongs to the cultural DNA of Europe and is capable of adapting itself like a chameleon to social changes. When „child murderer Israel“ is chanted today, this reaches back to the mediaeval accusation that Jews killed Christian children in order to produce Mazzah (unleavened bread) for Pesach from their blood. When there is talk today of the „Rothschilds“, this harks back to the image of the „usurious Jew“. Whoever demands today that no Israeli goods be bought is the intellectual heir of the SA’s „Don’t buy from Jews!“.
It is cynical to demand the protection of freedom of opinion and assembly for those who know only one „peace solution“ for the Middle East: the annihilation of Israel.
For years we have observed that „criticism“ of the actions of the Israeli government is taken as a pretext for voicing anti-Jewish resentments and is a form of antisemitism accepted across all social milieus.
It is antisemitic to hold Jews here in Germany responsible for the actions of the Israeli government. Jews experience this again and again, and have done for decades. Moreover, the claim that one cannot criticise Israel is already part of the resentment. There are no bans on speech in this country; the daily glance at the German press suffices to show that.
We know that the modern antisemite has learned to express his hatred of Jews in a socially adequate way. Instead of: „I hate Jews!“ he says: „I hate Israel!“
Only if antisemitism is grasped and named in all its manifestations is it possible at least to contain it. We see this guaranteed by the work of Dr Felix Klein. He does not narrow the concept down to one political direction but uses it comprehensively. No matter whether antisemitism comes from right-wing extremists, from the middle of society, from Islamic fundamentalists or from left-wing radicals.
Dr Felix Klein has been doing outstanding work since his appointment and has our full support and confidence.
Yours sincerely
(in alphabetical order)
Adler, Dr., Elio, chairman of WerteInitiative. jüdisch-deutsche Positionen e.V.
Adler, Sharon, AVIVA-Berlin
Bamberg, Dr., Stefan, historian, Berlin
Beck Volker, lecturer at the Centrum für Religionswissenschaftliche Studien (CERES) of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
Becker, Ulrike, historian, Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin
Beckhardt, Lorenz, editor
Beer, Florian, Oberstudienrat, educational officer at SABRA – Servicestelle für Antidiskriminierungsarbeit Beratung bei Rassismus und Antisemitismus
Benjamin, Alex, Managing Director, Europe Israel Public Affairs
Blume, Dr., Michael, commissioner against antisemitism of the state government of Baden-Württemberg
Böttcher, Corinna
Bradley, Oliver, OQB.Communications (EIPA / EJA – Germany)
Brüss, Sophie, officer, SABRA – Servicestelle für Antidiskriminierungsarbeit, Beratung bei Rassismus und Antisemitismus
Büttner, Christina
Buurmann Gerd, theatre artist and blogger, Cologne
Clairmont, Heinrich
Cruciano, Dunja
Czollek, Leah Carola, head of the Institut Social Justice und Radical Diversity
Doerfer, Dr. iur., Achim, lawyer, author, second chairman of Jüdische Gemeinde Göttingen e.V.
Dorra, Kai, board member of Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft Region Stuttgart e.V., town councillor on the municipal council of Welzheim
Drögemeier, Peter
Eickenboom, Jan, chairman of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bonn, Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft
Evers, Michael
Feilcke, Jochen, chairman of Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft Berlin und Brandenburg e.V.
Feuerherdt, Alex, publicist, Cologne
Fischer, Mirjam, freelance journalist, Freiburg
Frindte, Prof. (retd) Dr, Wolfgang
Gallinat, Sebastian, engineer, Karlsruhe
Gerczikow, Ruben, vice-president of the European Union of Jewish Students
German, Jakob, board member Jüdische Studierendenunion Deutschland (JSUD)
Gerstetter, Avitall, cantor, Jüdische Gemeinde zu Berlin
Gess, Prof. Dr., Heinz
Grinberg, Avital, board member Jüdische Studierendenunion Deutschland (JSUD)
Grözinger, Dr., Elvira, literary scholar, Secretary of the International Board SPME, deputy chair SPME Germany
Grözinger, Prof. em. Dr., Karl, Jewish Studies, University of Potsdam
Gross, Elisabeth, board member DIG Regensburg
Haase-Hindenberg, Gerhard, publicist/book author
Hafner, Dr., Georg M., journalist
Hammel, Jan Aaron, managing director Jehi `Or Jüdisches Bildungswerk für Demokratie gegen Antisemitismus gUG (hb)
Hansen, Dr., Nikoline, deputy chair of the Jüdisches Forum für Demokratie und gegen Antisemitismus (JFDA e.V.)
Hensel, Olaf
Hermer, Gabriela, editor, rbb
Heuze, Gabriele
Hutschreuther, Lars, Hamburg
Imbery, Dr., Florian, natural scientist
Jericho, Tanja
Jikeli, Dr., Günther, Indiana University Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism
Kahane, Anetta, chair of the board of the Amadeu Antonio Stiftung
Kaufhold, Dr., Roland, publicist
Kirschnick, Dr., Sylke, member of the board SPME-Germany
Klemm, Jens
Kloke, Dr., Martin, educational media editor
Knauke, Kay, former board member Studentim – Jüdische Studierendeninitiative Berlin e.V., administrator of BerlinJewishEvents.com
Königsberg, Sigmount A., commissioner against antisemitism, Jüdische Gemeinde zu Berlin
Kreisler, Sandra, Berlin
Krenz, Renate
Kunath, Jana Yael
Leuthel, Markus, jazz pianist, Berlin
Levy, Henriette
Livnat, Dr., Andrea, publisher of haGalil.com
Margolin, Menachem, Chairman European Jewish Association
Maron, Bernhard
Meros, Gabriella, chair of Respect & Remember Europe e.V.
Neugebauer, Dr., Naftali, Glocalist.com
Neugröschel, Marc, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Osmers, Reinhard
Perko, Prof. Dr., Gudrun, FH Potsdam
Pichler, Edwald Martin
Piper, Prof. Dr., Ernst, historian
Platz , Dr., Johannes, chairman of the DIG AG Köln
Rensmann, Jörg, political scientist, Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin
Rickertsen, Liam, Synagogengemeinde Sukkat Schalom Berlin
Rosh, Lea, chair of the Förderkreis Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas e.V.
Salomo, Ben, rapper and book author
Salzborn, apl. Prof. Dr., Samuel, political scientist, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Sauerbaum, Peter and Noa, Discover Jewish Europe e.V.
Schapira, Esther, journalist
Schinke, Chris, freelance journalist and author
Schlesiger, Gabriela, graduate media educationalist, Jüdische Kultur-Initiative
Schraga, Pazit, scholar of international law
Schröder, Henning, district chairman Weser-Ems of the AG sozialdemokratischer Juristinnen und Juristen
Seldner, David, deputy chairman of the Bund traditioneller Juden in Deutschland e. V.
Spronz, Gaby, Aktionsforum Israel, AFiL
Staroselski, Anna, president of the Jüdische Studierendenunion Deutschland (JSUD)
Stawski, Sacha, chairman Honestly-Concerned e.V.
Stein, Elisa
Steps, Petra, journalist, author, publisher
Süsskind, Lala, shareholder Jehi ʼOr« Jüdisches Bildungswerk für Demokratie – gegen Antisemitismus gUG, board WIZO-Berlin e.V.
Terschüren, Josias, board member Initiative 27. Januar e.V.
Thiele Dr. des., Anja, research associate at the Institut für Demokratie und Zivilgesellschaft Jena
Thörner, Dr., Klaus, chairman of the Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft, AG Oldenburg
Toprak, Ali Ertan, president of the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Immigrantenverbände in Deutschland (BAGIV)
Umanski, Lars, vice-president of the Jüdische Studierendenunion Deutschland (JSUD)
Weigele, Thomas
Woltersdorf, Rolf, social pedagogue, member of the extended board of the DIG Oldenburg
Wuliger, Michael, columnist “Jüdische Allgemeine“
Organisations
- AJC Berlin Lawrence & Lee Ramer Institute for German-Jewish Relations
- Aktion Forum Israel
- Amadeu Antonio Stiftung
- AVIVA-Berlin Frauen-Online-Magazin
- Bund traditioneller Juden in Deutschland e. V.
- Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft Aachen e.V.
- Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft Berlin und Brandenburg e.V.
- Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft AG Bonn
- Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft AG Köln
- Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft AG Oldenburg
- Discover Jewish Europe e.V.
- European Jewish Association
- Förderkreis Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas e.V.
- Ganey-Tikva-Verein e. V., Bergisch Gladbach
- haGalil e.V.
- Honestly Concerned e.V.
- Initiative 27. Januar e.V.
- Jehi `Or Jüdisches Bildungswerk für Demokratie gegen Antisemitismus gUG (hb)
Jüdische Kultur-Initiative, Freiburg - Jüdische Studierendenunion Deutschland (JSUD)
- Jüdisches Forum für Demokratie und gegen Antisemitismus (JFDA) e.V.
- JuFo – Junges Forum Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft e.V
- Makkabi Potsdam e.V.
- Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin
- Respect & Remember Europe e.V.
- Synagogengemeinde Sukkat Schalom Berlin
- WerteInitiative. jüdisch-deutsche Positionen e.V.
Kontakt: Sigmount Königsberg, Dialog@jg-berlin.org
