Seventy years after the mass murder of Jews at the hands of Nazis the following chant could be heard at "Pro-Palestinian" demonstrations on the streets of Berlin, Frankfurt and other German cities:
“Jude, Jude, feiges Schwein, komm heraus und kämpf allein!”
BERLIN (AP) — The leader of Germany's Jewish community says he is shocked by an "explosion of evil and violent hatred of Jews" shown by protesters at pro-Gaza demonstrations across the country The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Dieter Graumann, said Monday that "we would have never in our lives have expected that anti-Semitic slogans of the worst and most primitive kind could be chanted on Germany's streets."
Since the outbreak of violence in Israel and Gaza, there have been demonstrations both for and against Israel in Germany. During some of those protests, pro-Gaza protesters have chanted "gas the Jews" and other anti-Semitic slogans.
At a pro-Gaza protest in Berlin last week, an Israeli tourist was verbally attacked and had to be protected by police.
Who are these demonstrators, protesting against Israel's actions in Gaza? For the most part, it appears to be an unholy alliance of Islamists, Neo-Nazis, and Leftists. The outbreak of violence in Israel and Gaza has been a convenient excuse to allow for the latent anti-Semitism to explode in the open:
Die Parolen, die derzeit auf deutschen Straßen zu hören sind, kennzeichnen eine neue Dimension antisemitischen Hasses. Der latent immer vorhandene Antisemitismus (Forscher sehen ihn bei 20 bis 25 Prozent der deutschen Bevölkerung), bricht sich zwar bei einer Minderheit, aber so aggressiv und offen Bahn wie vielleicht nie in der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik.
(The slogans that we can hear in German streets today indicate a new dimension of anti-Semitic hate. The latent anti-Semitism (researchers estimate 20 to 25% of the German population is anti-Semitic) has broken into the open in a minority, but not to such an extreme perhaps in the history of the Federal Republic.)
How ironic that neo-Nazis are coming together with Muslim extremists to make common cause. Usually, the NPD describes the Muslims in Germany as an alien bacillus, infecting the pure German Volk. But when it comes to vocally hating Jews, Muslims and neo-Nazis are bosom-buddies.
And the leftist pro-Gaza demonstrators? For two years Bashar al-Assad has been slaughtering tens of thousands of Arab citizens of Syria and not one protest from Die LINKE or other left-wing group. Why the solidarity with Palestine but indifference to Syria? Sybille Berg made this observation in her recent column in Der Spiegel:
Die Linke, falls es so etwas heute noch gibt, ... werden den Juden nie verzeihen, dass sie keine Opfer mehr sein wollen.
(The Left, insofar as something like it exists today, can never forgive the Jews for refusing to be victims any longer.)
Graumann would see a major threat to Jewish life in anyone who does not want to grant them a special say in German political affairs, so he is hardly the right person to ask.
Having said that, the recent outbreak (not to forget the soccer match of an Israeli club in Austria forced to an early end due to protesters storming the playing field) seems to have a new quality.
If you keep in mind that all major German media have forbidden comments on all news related to Jews and Israel for years however, one could have guessed the reasons behind that treatment.
I was expecting our political leadership and the police to react as harshly as possible (even beyond strictly legal ways) to the anti-Israel protests, because they all know what would happen in a matter of weeks, would the people be allowed to speak freely in this regard. Just imagine: What would go on, would civilians be allowed to wear uniforms again and say/sing what they liked to do while marching the streets? Such two tiny changes in our legislation would cause an earthquake in my opinion.
Isn't it quite amusing to see that decades of political education trying to make Germans friends of the Jews did not work out in the end :-D
However I would say rest assured that Jews have little to fear in this country for as long as the current system lives.
Posted by: Zyme | July 24, 2014 at 12:12 PM
"as long as the current system lives."
What "system" could replace it, Zyme?
A pro-Putin coalition of AfD and Die LINKE? Strange bedfellows who belong together!
Posted by: David | July 25, 2014 at 07:59 AM
While there may be differences between each alternative, how do you think any other system could possibly treat Jews even more friendly?
I believe they will never have a bigger say than in the system that considers itself the antithesis of national socialism.
Posted by: Zyme | July 25, 2014 at 04:57 PM