Germany: Racism, antisemitism reporting on the rise

For the first time, Germany's civil society reporting office for antisemitic incidents has published a bundled report from its reporting offices in eleven states. The report, released Tuesday, paints a broad nationwide picture of various types of antisemitic incidents and their intersection with other forms of racism and discrimination.

The "Anti-Semitic Incidents in Germany 2022" annual report classified various types of incidents and attacks: physical, verbal, and written, and by degree of violence.

On one end of the spectrum, it counted nine cases it categorized as "extreme violence" as defined by the Federal Association of Research and Information Centers on Antisemitism (RIAS). This category included "physical attacks or attacks that can result in loss of life and serious bodily harm, but also the mere attempt of such acts."

According to the RIAS report, the number of incidents deemed "extreme violence" has increased. This number is the highest on record since 2017, when the annual reporting began.

"Such attacks, such as those involving extreme violence, also radiate in regions that were not directly affected by the incident, since they can significantly cloud the feeling of security among Jews," said Bianca Loy, co-author of the study.

However, at the same time, the overall number of antisemitic incidents reported fell slightly compared with the previous year. According to the RIAS report, this is mainly because there was less impact in 2022 from globally relevant events that provided the framework for antisemitic incidents, such as the coronavirus pandemic and the conflict between Hamas and the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip in May 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic, which was a breeding ground for antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories, no longer played such a prominent role in public in 2022.

RIAS also classified several attacks, both attempted and carried out, on Jewish institutions in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in November 2022 as cases of extreme violence. This included an attack on a rabbinical residence of the Old Synagogue in Essen. Those attacks did not result in injuries.

The report categorizes the societal, political, religious or other contextual background against which the incidents occurred, and offers further details about whether the incidents were directed at individuals or institutions. It also categorizes the various incidents in terms of the locations and situations in which they occurred, and the number of incidents per German state. In order to give a broader perspective, the report also delineates various types of incidents, including antisemitism referencing the Holocaust and Israel-related antisemitism. 

Investigation into antisemitic attacks — connected to Iran?

Germany's Federal Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating numerous people in connection with antisemitic incidents in North Rhine-Westphalia, who are said to be connected to state actors in Iran.

"It's shocking that these three attacks, in quick succession, didn't garner broader attention," said co-author Loy. "But the danger is very present in the Jewish communities. And if there isn't even an outcry in society, that contributes to the insecurity." The threat from Iran should be taken seriously, Loy warned, because the regime has the resources to carry out attacks in Germany and its state ideology is very antisemitic.

In addition to the cases of extreme violence, the RIAS report details numerous incidents of everyday antisemitism in which Jewish individuals were subjected to antisemitic statements, conspiracy theories, tropes, and insults. The report underscores that antisemitic incidents continue to "shape the everyday life of those affected," and many occur in places that "those affected visit regularly or that they cannot avoid in their everyday life."

Although RIAS now records many cases due to increased awareness, the organization assumes that a large number of cases each year still go unreported.

Intersectional racism and discrimination

This year's RIAS report explicitly records the overlap of antisemitism with other forms of discrimination, such as when a Jewish woman is not only insulted in an antisemitic manner but also in a sexist manner. Or when, in the course of the Ukraine war, antisemitic conspiracy theories are spread, but Ukrainians are also disparaged in a racialized manner. "We found it worthwhile to collect and report this because antisemitism is not an isolated phenomenon. It often occurs with other forms of discrimination," said Loy of RIAS.

In Germany, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS) is responsible for fighting discrimination. The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) regulates that in Germany one may not be discriminated against for racist reasons, nor because of ethnic origin, gender, religion, or belief. Any individual who has experienced discrimination can contact the antidiscrimination agency, and more people in Germany did so last year than ever before.

According to its 2022 annual report, ADS received a total of 8,827 requests for advice on discrimination. Compared with the previous year, in 2022 inquiries increased by 14%; compared with 2019 they doubled. 

The most frequent type of discrimination reported was racialized discrimination, which amounted to 43% of the inquiries; 27% of the cases related to discrimination based on disability; 21% of the inquiries dealt with gender discrimination. Most of those seeking advice experienced discrimination in the labor market (27%), while 20% of those inquiring were discriminated against in other aspects of everyday life, such as when looking for an apartment, going to restaurants, shopping or using public transportation. The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) applies and prohibits discrimination in the labor market as well as in everyday life.

"More and more people do not accept discrimination — that is an important sign of social maturity," said Ferda Ataman, the Independent Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination. The fact that people have the courage to talk about discrimination and get help deserves recognition, she said — and it shows that the public's awareness around topics of discrimination is growing.

This article was originally written in German.

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