The Federal Government’s Commissioner for Antisemitism, Dr. Felix Klein, faces a task that is hard to solve: antisemitism is a phenomenon that runs through many areas of society as a whole – it can be found among right-wing extremists, left-wing extremists, Islamists and also in the cultural memory of the majority society. As broad as the spectrum of its occurrence is, so specific to particular target groups must analyses of the problem and approaches to solutions be. In addition, Dr. Klein is severely limited in terms of his scope for action and his resources are weak.
Daniel Kohn of the board of WerteInitiative – jüdisch-deutsche Positionen: “With his statement that Jews in Germany cannot identify themselves as Jews through religious symbols everywhere without danger, he has put his finger on the wound and initiated an important debate about the security of Jews in Germany. And anyone who has ever been in a synagogue in our country, surrounded there by police, security staff, walls and armoured glass, will hardly be able to claim anything else.”
His call on the majority society to oppose the Quds march on Saturday symbolically is to be welcomed. Even if only very few will follow this call, many will ask themselves why they do not: in order not to be exposed to hostility.
We support Federal Foreign Minister Maas’s call not to hide the kippah in public space and thus to show one’s face openly. However, that also requires a consistent stance, as well as resolute action against every form of antisemitism, running through all political spheres.
There is a concrete opportunity to stand up actively against antisemitism and for a free and democratic society on Saturday in Berlin. We welcome every democrat who demonstrates with us against the anti-liberal and antisemitic Quds march. 1 June, 3 p.m., Georg-Grosz-Platz. With or without a kippah on your head.
