Antisemitism in Germany

Bavarian officials have addressed a massive increase in antisemitic incidents and attacks, noting that such violence has escalated following the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel. During a prevention workshop in Dorfen, Bavarian Social Minister Ulrike Scharf stated that the state will not tolerate hate or incitement, emphasizing that Jewish life in the region must remain secure through civic courage and volunteer work. As security challenges persist, Jewish residents in Germany report feeling compelled to hide religious symbols, such as the kippah or Star of David, while in public. The presence of police vehicles, security cameras, and concrete barriers at synagogues and Jewish schools has become a normalized feature of the landscape. Some community members have compared the current atmosphere of insecurity to the period preceding National Socialism. In Thuringia, the Research and Information Center on Antisemitism (Rias) documented 418 antisemitic incidents over the past year, contributing to safety concerns that have influenced travel decisions for some Israelis. A study funded by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency describes a “new antisemitic normality” marked by increasing mistrust, exclusion, and discrimination. In the state of Hesse, the Evangelical Church in Hessen and Nassau (EKHN) and the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck (EKKW) reported that antisemitic incidents rose sixfold in the past year, with over 1,000 documented cases. These incidents include the vandalism of synagogues and memorial sites, as well as physical attacks on a rabbi and his children in a supermarket. Ferda Ataman, the Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination, has called for stronger legal protections to address legislative gaps, particularly within schools and universities. Three years after the October 7 attacks, a report from the German Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS) confirms that Jewish and Israeli communities continue to face this ‘new antisemitic normality’.