Anti-Semitism is still flourishing throughout Germany, study shows
Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, study reveals that one in five Germans' 'latent' hatred for Jews starts at a young age.
By Ofer Aderet Tags: anti-Semitism Jewish WorldAbout 20 percent of Germans have a "latent" hatred for Jews, according to a new study published by an independent committee of experts appointed by the German parliament.
The German-language study was published in advance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27.
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A gravestones desecrated with swastika, seen at the British World War I cemetery in Loos-en-Gohelle, northern France, Friday June 11, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
The study found that hatred of Jews is common throughout large swathes of German society: Far from being the exclusive province of the far right or radical Islamists, it is deeply rooted in the German mainstream.
At a very young age, German schoolchildren are already using the word "Jew" as an insult, the report found, and "Jew" is commonly heard as a curse word in the playground. In local soccer leagues throughout Germany, anti-Semitic jeers aimed at Jewish teams are common, including "Jews to the gas," "Bring back Auschwitz" and "Burn the synagogues."
"Anti-Semitism in our society is based on widespread prejudices, cliches with deep roots and pure ignorance about everything to do with Jews and Judaism," wrote one of the report's authors, Dr. Peter Longerich.
The report interwove quotes from the individual authors into its general factual findings.
The committee of experts was appointed by the Bundestag in 2008 - the 70th anniversary of the Nazis' Kristallnacht pogrom - as part of a parliamentary bid to boost Germany's efforts to fight anti-Semitism. The committee was supposed to give the Bundestag periodic reports as well as recommendations for combating Jew-hatred.
The study criticized the way Germany deals with anti-Semitism. "There is no comprehensive strategy for fighting anti-Semitism in Germany," said another of the authors, Dr. Juliane Wetzel.
But despite the grim situation in Germany, the report noted that anti-Semitism is much worse in many other European countries, including Poland, Hungary and Portugal.
The 204-page report, titled "Anti-Semitism in Germany," can be read in German at http://dipbt.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/17/077/1707700.pdf.
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That is why the term no longer has the punch it once did. over used.
Anti-semitism literally means anomosity towards semites. But the term was used in the meaning "hatred of jews". Today anti-semitism means "criticism of Israel".
e.g. Look at the Jewish newspaper guy who called for the assination of Pres Obama. If that ws an Arab he'd be in jail now.. Alos many people in Europe are pro-Palestinian without being anti-semitic. This is simply repesenting a 'pro underdog' attitude
You can use the well worn out zionist victimhood stance whereby any negative comment about any Jew at any time about anything singular or collective or you can use the real meaning. Either way--the term has been beaten to death by those who grab it at the first sign of protest of Israel,s vile acts.
The article here is factual. Your comments are heresay. Why is it people like you always look to substantiate antisemitism?
in this study is not clearly defined.. As one of the experts said "it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between antisemitism and justified critic on Israeli politics". The Institute, which conducted this study and the political instrumentalisation of "antisemitism" both give me the impression, that critic on Israels politics, which is widespread in german society, but NOTrooted in antisemitism, has been defined as antisemitism for obvious purposes.
So one has to wonder if the tendency among many Jews to isolate themselves within the larger community may in fact contribute to the problem.
When you look at fear / hate (e.g. anti Semitism) as a mysterious, irrational thing that "they" suffer from then the solution is only an irrational response. An endless cycle of one gaining superiority (by whatever means) over the other (Are you not "superior" to them?). Education, not finger pointing, is the answer.
why is this so, what is the reason???
because of their actions?
Obviously, the idiot poster "salah al din" doesn't know history. He has been so indoctrinated by the historical revisionists that he believes his own propaganda. Jews are semitic in their origin, whether they be Sephardi or Ashkenazi.
it's very understandable. So is assimilation. Who wants to follow Talmudic and halaka diktats. Salaam/Shalom
Who cares? The word anti-semitism has come to mean anti-jewish in common parlance. The jewish people are not trying to steal something from the Arabs. Is just a term that despite it's literal meaning has come to mean something else. What exactly is the point of your comment? Who cares whether they call it antisemitism antijudaism or antifreeze? It means what it means. Get over it.
That is utter garbage there was virtually no intermarriage pre the 1970s and Judaism does not encourage converts and has very few converts to boot.Just about all Jewish familys have their traditions customs etc passed down and they have not changed in thousands of years.The Dna of about 99 percent of Jews would confirm their smitic origin.Jews in the diaspora are usually indetifiable by apearance which is usually different to the indigenous people of the countrys .I would love to know where you people get your facts because as a Jew i know who my ancestors were something you obviously do not have a clue about.Judging by your name you are an arab and as such a nomad who could be from any country in the middle east as your brothers in Israel are .It bothers me that you care nothing for them unlike the Jews in Israel who take in their own from most countrys on this earth.Instead of spewing your lies and hatred why not help your brother arabs and settle them in the vast lands that are inhabited by arabs.
Quit playing your stupid semantic games. Whether it's a technically accurate term or not, "anti-Semetism" is synonymous with Jew hatred, and your comment totally misses the point of the article.
As genetic studies now show both Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews originate from the Middle East.
Europeans decided that Jews are a different race and should be deported.Arabs say that most Jews are Europeans and should go back there!!Maybe they're aliens from another planet.Or maybe you should look in your backyard for scapegoats to blame for your misfortunes.
raceism is like a disease(antisemitism is just a direction it's takein in this case).it's on the rise in the west,what makes jews think it would'nt head in their direction ?ALL of it must be tackled everywhere equally...in days of old when plagues began citys locked their gates and said 'we're safe now ha ha pass that posey'. right wingers seem to be selling lots of poseys these days.
Created by Arab / Muslim propaganda. Our home, both nationally, spiritually and genealogically leads back to our homeland, and DNA demonstrates it. Your slur is nothing but a racial supremacist revisionism by which you deny the Jewish people its biological connection with our homeland. That's mean, that's wrong, and that deeply anti-Semitic.
Nobody will define us or our lineage. We are Semitic. Go study in real books.
"Semitic" is a term generally used by linguists to classify a category of languages including Hebrew and Arabic. Scientifically, there is no such thing as a "Semitic" race or ethnicity. The term comes from the biblical figure Shem, who was probably not a real person. The term "anti-Semitic" is a word coined by a Jew-hater in order to make Jew-hatred have a more scientific sounding title. So, you're point makes absolutely no sense. However, if you are trying to imply that modern Jews do not descend from the ancient Israelites, you would be arguing against vast amounts of archaeological, linguistic, historical, anthropological, and genetic evidence that proves the contrary.
Prejudice is prejudice, whoever it is aimed at. In any case, didn't homo sapiens originate in Africa?
Do you come from Germany?
is it also a lack of knowledge& sterotypes about judaism and jews? no. racism has always existed and will always do. all we can do is try to keep it on the low side. it seems to me me that human beings just like to find someone, a group to ostracise. the reasons? all suggestions are welcome.....once we identify the multiple sources, maybe we can fix it.
I am sorry but an Arab hater is as bad as a Jew hater or a Gypsy hater!
The fact Germans care about it, and do a study on it, should lead nobody to believe this is a uniquely German issue. Austria, Hungary, Poland, Spain... are even worse. Same as Germany goes for Great Britain, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Norway, and the entire EU 27.