Germany: Study on Anti-Semitism in Germany

This week, the Berlin Morgenpost ran an article on anti-Semitism in Germany, which dealt largely with anti-Jewish attitudes among the Muslim immigrant community. The article comes in the wake of the recent demonstration in Berlin by pro-Palestinain protesters. The march was accompanied by chants of “Death to Israel!” and “Death to Jews!”.I will probably address this article in a subsequent posting, but in the meantime, I am cross-posting it here without comment. Translation by Fousesquawk. 

 https://www.dw.com/de/untersuchung-antisemitismus-unter-muslimen-in-deutschland/a-65373638

Anti-Semitism

Investigation: Anti-Semitism among Muslims in Germany

Are prejudices or hate against Jews among Muslims or people with a migration background more widespread? The research is often contradictory.

Caption: In Germany, Jewish institutions, like the synagogue in Hagen, are protected by police. 

Holy Saturday in the middle of Berlin, a Palestinian demonstration with several hundred people. Members of the association, Democ, which monitors anti-democratic movements, observed the demonstration march and later posted a video. According to Democ, “Death, death, death to Israel!” was chanted several times by participants. In addition, one man shouted, “Death to Jews!” from a loudspeaker van.

Twitter insert:

“Death to Jews! Death to Israel!” About 300 people demonstrated on April 8, 2023 in Berlin from Neukoelln to Kreuzberg. The participants shouted anti-Semitic words and glorified terrorist violence.

Investigated by State Security, two planned pro-Palestinian demonstrations were banned shortly thereafter, and the Israeli ambassador in Germany, Ron Prosor, saw in the demonstrations, “every possible red line” being crossed. On Twitter, he wrote that the participants had abused freedoms in Germany and had called for the “destruction of Israel and Jews”. For Justice Minister Marco Buschmann, there is the initial suspicion of incitement to hate.

Twitter insert (Buschmann)

When groups chant, “Death to Jews” on German streets, then there is an initial suspicion of incitement to hate under section 130, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. I am assuming that the responsible security authorities are accordingly taking action against this.

Research relatively thin

Such demonstrations are water (grist) on the mill for those who believe that anti-Semitism is much more pronounced among Muslims than people without a migration background and non-Muslims. But Sina Arnold of the Center for Anti-Semitism Research at the Technical University (TU) of Berlin says, “Depending on what kind of anti-Semitism you are looking at, people with a migration background and Muslims show a higher or lower anti-Semitic attitude than people without a migration background or non-Muslims”. Sweeping statements about anti-Semitism in the investigated groups cannot be made. She looked at and summarized the most important investigations on the topic for  TU Berlin on behalf of the Media Integration Services.

Caption: “Anti-Semitism is not just expressed in an attitude, but also as an action.”-Sina Arnold

Arnold is also project manager of the Research Insititute of Social Cohesion and for years, has been investigating attitudes toward Judaism, the Holocaust, and the Middle East conflict. In that (endeavor), she investigates the causes of anti-Semitisc attitudes of refugees and other newcomers. An almost new field because the research on this highly explosive topic is up to now still relatively thin. On the other hand, there are countless scientific studies that show that anti-Semitism is a widely-spread phenomenon in the general German society.

Israel-related anti-Semitism depends on length (of residence)

Anti-Semitic incidents such as that shortly before Easter in Berlin belong to the category of Israel-related anti-Semitism. For example, when the Israeli policies are equated with National Socialism, Jews worldwide being held responsible for Israel’s policies, or the right of Israel to exist is not recognized. According to Arnold’s summation of the study, this is more widespread among people with a migration background than people without a migration background.

“The studies see a connection with the length of residence with people with a migration background. The higher agreement with anti-Semitic statements decreases the longer the migrants live in Germany,” explains Arnold, the so-called assimilation effect, thus, an alignment with the official taboo on anti-Semitism in German society.

Secondary anti-Semitism less pronounced among Muslims

In some countries of origin, anti-Semitism is more widespread than in Germany and often as part of state propaganda. Israel-related anti-Semitism is also more strongly pronounced among Muslims. “The explanatory patterns are religious orientation, authoritarian, conservative attitude, and regional and national origin.  Thus, an institutional anti-Semitism, which occurs in many of these regions,” says the anti-Semitism expert.

A completely different picture emerges as regards secondary anti-Semitism. That is when the Holocaust is relativized or denied, a final line in the past is demanded, or there is a rhetorical reversal of victim and perpetrator. “This tends to be less widespread among people with a migration background, also among Muslims because this form of anti-Semitism entails dealing with one’s own family history, which for people with a migration background may be less relevant,” says Arnold.

Study of classical anti-Semitism contradictory

The third category is classical anti-Semitism. A prejudice or a worldview, in which Jews are attributed certain biological, “racial”, or cultural characteristics. This stereotype is often connected to conspiracy theories. “Here the research is actually contradictory. There are studies that find people with a migration background with higher results in comparison with people without a migration background, others (studies) with similar (results), and still others with lower (results),” says Arnold. “Anti-Semitism is at its highest, however, with people with a migration background who have no German citizenship.” 

Anti-Semitism here becomes a generational issue as much as an issue of origin. For example, immigrants agree with anti-Semitic statements more often than their naturalized children. There is also a big difference in terms of the home countries.  “The results in agreement with anti-Semitic statements are lesser for people with a migration background from EU member states in comparison with people with Turkish or Arabic migration background.”

Education about the Middle East Conflict needed

Aiman Mazyek, chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, welcomes the study. “Everything that differentiates and enlightens helps us further in the debate,” he tells Deutsche Welle (DW). The study questions the label that Muslims generally have an affinity for anti-Semitism. This presentation, according to Mazyek, makes enlightened structures within the Muslim community more difficult. In this, faith and religion “are virtually a vehicle to explain and do away with stereotypes, with prejudices, with racism, and anti-Semitism.”

Caption:  Visit to Holocaust memorials also helps in the fight against anti-Semitism, says Aiman Mazyek

In the fight against anti-Semitism, in addition to dealing with the Holocaust, education about the Middle East conflict is also important. “We now have people with a Muslim background who are directly affected by this conflict. I have to deal with this too.” That could mean that people “could fall into anti-Semitism or anti-Jew (feeling), not out of the current political situation.”

Parallels to attitudes of Alternative for Germany voters

According to Arnold’s investigations, the agreement with classical anti-Semitism is generally higher than with non-Muslims. In addition to dogmatic, fundamentalist, or traditional-conservative interpretation of religion, as well as Arab nationalism, personal concern over the Middle East conflict also applies as an explanation.

Incidentally, in 2019, the Berlin Monitor came to the interesting conclusion that Muslims with anti-Semitic resentments “do not differ in terms of their canonic values and potential attitudes from (non-Muslim) conservative and authoritarian circles”- for example, some AfD voters, since anti-Semitism is less an effect of religion than from conservative-authoritarian attitudes.